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This program began operations in November 1996. The Department of
Mental Health, which had a contract with Caltrans to clean and
maintain three rest stops north of Willits, sub-contracted
these services to Ford Street. In November 2002 Ford Street Project
took over as lead agency with Caltrans. Work is performed primarily by persons with
psychiatric disabilities. The program has a supervisor and an
assistant supervisor and utilizes 5-6 workers per day from a pool of
20 to 25 workers. Workers are paid at minimum wage or higher and that
often supplements their SSI income while providing an avenue to learn
or re-learn basic work skills. This program has proven to be an
invaluable resource in developing skills which provide self esteem,
while at the same time providing the financial stability necessary to
sustain stable housing. |
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Though
this program enjoys no funding source, it provides us with a stream of
workers who are interested in the treatment field and are seeking
their alcohol/drug certification through the Mendocino College
Program.
Interns receive training from us, not only in the provision
of services
but in treatment education which relates directly to their classes.
The agency benefits in many ways from this program, not the least of
which is that we are introduced to a pool of potential employees.
Several of
our staff are graduates of this program. |
