11/02/2024
So proud of you Monica!!
Monica Havens is excelling in her transition from center-based employment to Supported Employment at Wythe County Community Hospital.
Monica built boxes at Mount Rogers Community Services’ Wythe/Bland Employment Support Services for 14 years. She loved her job, but left in 2023 to help care for her sick grandmother.
When Monica was ready to return to work, she reached out to the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). DARS referred Monica to Mount Rogers, and the agencies worked together to find a job placement where Monica would thrive and determine how many hours she could work to avoid affecting her Social Security benefits.
At the same time, Wythe County Community Hospital was looking for help on their Environmental Services crew to clean rooms in the Same Day Surgery Center. Monica initially had mixed emotions about transitioning to community-based employment. She says, “I was excited and anxious both, but it went really well.” Monica credits Mount Rogers’ job coaches for making it a smooth transition.
Job coaches shadowed and trained with Monica to support her for 4 months. Monica says, “I make sure my cart is filled, then I check which rooms I’ve got to clean, I clean five rooms two days per week.” At the hospital, she not only learned new job skills, she also built new relationships with her coworkers at the hospital. She says, “If I need help finding something, I can ask any of my coworkers and they point me to where it’s at.”
Monica’s supervisors at Wythe County Community Hospital have noted her attention to detail and pride in her job. “It’s important to me to do a good job. My supervisor checks the room and always tells me how good I’ve done,” she says. Now that Monica is achieving greater independence in her work and is integrating with her co-workers at the hospital, her job coaches are moving to a long term follow along approach where they will assist Monica only twice per month instead of each shift.
Monica’s work ethic extends beyond her job at the hospital. She lives on a farm and on her days off from work, helps her family at home. When you ask if she has better coworkers on the farm or at the hospital, she doesn’t hesitate. “If you live on a farm, the cows are stubborn. The people here listen better,” she says with a laugh.
If you ask Monica what her favorite part of working is, she doesn’t hesitate. “I like getting paid every two weeks. I’ve got my own money, it’s exciting. I buy my own groceries,” she says.
October is Disability Employment Awareness Month. Employment opportunities for people with disabilities are an important way to further integrate people in their communities, build independence, and enrich their lives. Organizations such as DARS and Mount Rogers Community Services rely on fantastic community partners like Wythe County Community Hospital to provide these employment opportunities.
