Employment Supports

Explore your interests, discover new skills and abilities, and build your soft skills.

Spectrum Support helps people with disabilities overcome the challenges they face, fight stigmas, and find new, exciting ways to live their lives how they choose. Focusing on these factors will help identify and customize a job that matches people’s skills and interests in a way that encourages independence and feeling connected to the community.

Spectrum Support helps people live their best lives by providing job coaching and support at a personalized level needed to maintain employment, as well as utilizing tools that increase satisfaction and independence on the job.

Adults (age 21+) referred by DORS (Division of Rehabilitative Services) and by DDA (Developmental Disabilities Administration) are eligible for Employment Supports and can customize their path to meaningful competitive employment.

Mission Stories about Employment Supports

Ashley LOVES working with children and is Lead Teacher at Montessori Day Care. Along with teaching, she is also responsible for creating lesson plans and preparing progress notes for her students. Many of the children in her class experience challenges with learning. Ashley enjoys helping them to learn and make friends in an inclusive environment.

photo of woman in food lion uniform standing in front of food lion signSadia overcame adversity and achieved her goal of finding the right job for her. Frederick County resident Sadia had been working hard with her employment coordinator for months to find a job that would meet her qualifications and expectations. She was excited when she was offered a position working at Food Lion, and has continued to grow and learn new things every day since she started there in August! Great job, Sadia!

How Obtaining Employment Supports Works

1. CONNECT IN YOUR COMMUNITY

  • Allegany County, Maryland
  • Baltimore City (west side), Maryland
  • Baltimore County (west side), Maryland
  • Carroll County, Maryland
  • Frederick County, Maryland
  • Howard County (Columbia area), Maryland

2. COMPLETE A DISCOVERY PROCESS

Spectrum Support utilizes our Discovery Milestones (funded by the DDA) in a time-limited, comprehensive, person-centered, and community-based planning service.

Spectrum Support’s qualified staff will support people enrolled in this program to identify their abilities, interests, and skills to find the right job for them.

This discovery process will allow the person and their team to create:

    • A visual or traditional resume
    • A customized employment plan

This discovery process includes:

 

    • One-on-one interview with person
    • Interviews with family and friends
    • Observations in a community setting
    • Observations completing tasks
    • Observations in a workplace setting

3. GET JOB DEVELOPMENT, PLACEMENT AND COACHING

Spectrum Support wants people to be prepared, educated, and to be part of their career path.

This service is individualized through one-to-one, scheduled time with qualified staff, utilizing funding from DDA and/or DORS.

This service may include:

    • Resume writing
    • Interview tips and mock interviews
    • Job searching and application assistance
    • Soft skills
    • Job readiness
    • Work experience opportunities
    • On-the-job coaching
    • Transportation Training/Education/some financial support (for those who qualify with DDA funding)
    • Job retention

Note: This service is limited to 90 days unless the person is funded by DDA for long-term services.

CONTACT US FOR THE SUPPORT NEEDED
AND LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE!

Support Services Interest Form

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We have various programs for individuals age 14 and older.