OUR SERVICES
OUR SERVICES
Creative Achievements has two primary funders. The Texas Workforce Commission, (TWC), a state-run program, sends us employment referrals on a regular basis. Our other funder is the Ticket To Work Program, which is a national program affiliated with the Social Security Administration. Persons who receive payments such as SSI, SSDI, or CDB, have moved towards greater financial independence.
Ticket to Work
This program is awesome but not for everyone. Many individuals on disability benefits just need a part-time job to supplement their income.
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On the other hand, there are people who have made significant physical, cognitive, and/or mental health improvements and they are simply ready to get off of their cash benefits. The time is right, and they know it. They're ready to make an unlimited amount of money. Creative Achievements can provide the right supports, and help clients maximize their income in this gradual process. Creative Achievements' individualized services have been an excellent fit for many of our Ticket To Work clients.
Job Placement
Job Placement bundled and enhanced services help clients with learning how to write a data sheet, resumes, cover letters, design an elevator speech, and learn how to find jobs themselves with guidance from our employment consultants.
Benefits Planning
Our staff works with clients to understand how going to work will impact their Social Security benefits. There may be appropriate work incentives to utilize when getting back into the workforce.
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Along with that, clients need to understand how their Medicare and Medicaid healthcare benefit are affected when they return to work. If they happen to lose their job, they need to know what can be done to quickly reinstate their benefits. There are many things that go into the planning process for getting a job before that first day back, and Creative Achievements can help to make it a successful transition.
Supported Employment
Supported employment is an individualized approach. We go through a thorough Career Assessment Planning tool in order to learn about each client, in order to reveal unique strengths and skills.
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This includes taking the time for job sampling and job shadowing to help our client understand the types of things that are available and show us what they enjoy doing. We provide on-the-job supports, or job coaching if our clients need that service when they begin the job. And we work on extended supports with our clients and their families in order to provide long-term job stability.
Self Employment
Creative Achievements also has credentialed staff that will work with persons in both the Ticket to Work Program and Texas Workforce Commission who want to explore self-employment. Whether that involves creating a business from scratch, supported self-employment, or gig work, we will explore employment that fits your needs. Self-Employment can be a game-changer for persons with chronic physical issues or those with mental health issues that don't fit the mode of a traditional 8-5 job.
School Transition
Creative Achievements currently serves a number of school districts with Pre-ETS (Pre-Employment Transition Services) for students 14-22 years of age in the classroom. These categories include: Career Exploration, Work Readiness, Self-Advocacy, Counseling on Post-Secondary Opportunities, and Work-Based Learning Experiences. We are constantly updating our curriculum, which includes videos, PowerPoint presentations, proprietary materials, and special speakers.
In addition, we provide Work Experience services for students and others. For instance, we may train with 3-4 students at a retail outlet or other organization with a certified job coach, two days a week, for a 90-day period of time. We work on hard skills such as stocking and facing, as well as soft skills like resolving conflict, and communicating with supervisors.
Not Your Traditional Agency
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We differ from traditional employment and temporary agencies in that staff get to know our clients thoroughly before marketing them to employers. Our hours are not a typical 8-5 office setting. We help with "just in time" benefits planning, so our clients are not overwhelmed. For some clients, we need to be very involved by making every contact with businesses. It all depends on the individual.