Community Integrated Employment Services Division of Suncom
Providing Employment Services for Exceptional People
Community Integrated Employment Services CEIS
is a non-profit organization that actively seeks employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. It is our goal to match the skills, interests, and abilities of the individual to help assist them to achieve the outcome of community employment. Services are funded by The Office of Vocational Rehabilition (OVR).
OVR is requesting CIES Staff to assess the Individual’s: Strengths, Interests, Abilities, Job Preferences, Barriers, and Supports Needed, to determine if community integrated employment is an appropriate vocational goal.
Services Offered
Pre- Employment Transition for Youth
Job Shadow
Paid Work Experience
Community Based Instruction ~ CBI
Supported Employment
Community Based Work Assessment
Work Experience for Adults
Student Services
Pre-Employment Transition Services for Youth
CIES has partnered with OVR to provide Pre-Employment Transition Services for Youth. This program helps students between ages 14-22 discover and prepare for future employment success. Services are provided by CIES’s Supported Employment program, which has more than 30 years of experience assisting hundreds of people in finding and maintaining employment in their communities.
Job Shadow
This service allows students to observe a variety of community integrated jobs relative to their interests. Through Job Shadows, students evaluate places of employment, revealing the skills necessary to be successful in the specific job environment while encouraging students to consider their likes and dislikes concerning each hob they observe. Students typically get to shadow up to 5 different employment interests.
Community Based Instruction ~CBI
CIES is working with PA OVR to provide a structured, hands-on approach where students interact directly with community resources, improving their independent living skills and confidence. Activities in and out of the classroom will provide practical learning experiences at community locations such as the Bloomsburg Library, a local laundromat, Weis grocery store, Journey Bank, Bloomsburg University, CareerLink in Bloomsburg, Columbia County Housing Authority, and the Bloomsburg Area YMCA. The program will commence with an opportunity for each student to obtain their PA Photo ID.
Paid Work Experience
This service allows students to work up to 45 hours for an employer. Students are paid a stipend of $10.35/hr. Along with earning the stipend, students also gain essential job skills and often end the experience with a resume reference and sometimes a job offer.
Adult Services
Supported Employment Support Plan ~ SESP
When CIES receives a referral from OVR for an SESP, the CIES Director coordinates a meeting with the individual, OVR, and team members to complete a summary of the individual’s general information, to include medical/disability, employment-related background, and a review of evaluations and assessments completed. CIES staff arrange to meet with the individual in their environment to review additional information that is require in the SESP report. The last step is for a CIES staff to recommend the next service that would be appropriate for the individual.
Community Based Work Assessment ~ CBWA
This service consists of the Individual and CIES staff working together to try an assortment of jobs at local employment sites. CIES Staff and the Individual will spend time together, getting to know one another. Then, CIES staff will schedule 3 to 5 assessments for the Individual to learn and try specific tasks, to learn about his or her abilities.
Work Experience for Adults ~ WEXA
WEXA’s are authorized by OVR for Individuals who have had limited or no work experience. WEXA’s will allow individuals to gain exposure to the world of work to assist in determining preferences, while gaining experience that can lead to permanent community integrated employment.
WEXA’s are compensated work geared to individual’s initial interests and preferences regarding the number of hours worked per week, and number of weeks of the experience. Depending on the individual’s need and interest, multiple sites can be utilized during the 12 weeks, but only one site at a time.
WEXA’s are completed when the individual has finished the agreed upon number of weeks, the employer offers permanent employment and the individual accepts, or the individual is unable to complete the work experience even with support and accommodations.