Compensated Work Therapy Core Career Training in Veterans with Disabilities: A Feasibility Study

Project Description Narrative:

Veterans with disabilities (VWDs) experience challenges in daily life that can impact their employment and access to medical care. Milwaukee County is home to the largest number of people with disabilities in the state, and the number of VWDs has risen, as well. There isn’t sufficient knowledge, currently, as to what factors influence successful transition from military to civilian employment for veterans with disabilities, and there is a need to develop better interventions to support that transition.

This project will introduce a Core Career Training (CCT) group that will engage recently unemployed VWDs, providing them with vocational rehabilitation support from rehabilitation counselors. The training will use a positive psychology approach and help VWDs’ job confidence that is expected to contribute to their employment sustainability. Results will be shared with other compensated work therapy programs in the Midwest, to support VWDs through this model.

Community Partner: Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center