Early Intervention
Day Support and Employment Services
The Work and Education Program (WEP) is a component of Center House Employment Supports (CHES) that is funded by the Department of Mental Retardation (DMR). WEP provides educational and vocational supports to approximately twenty-five adults with moderate mental retardation, many of whom also have major communication difficulties. The setting provides a safe, supportive place where people can learn and be productive. Here, conditions can be tailored to each individual's needs without the usual demands of the workplace. The environment is designed for people who are not comfortable in settings that more closely parallel community job conditions.
The Education and Training Program, a component of Center House Employment Supports (CHES), is a Department of Mental Retardation (DMR) funded program for approximately twenty-five people diagnosed with both mental retardation and a major mental illness. Intensive community-based Day Supports programming provides a safe and supportive environment to help participants learn to take charge of their lives and become more active in their communities. A number of seminar-style educational groups are offered. Each group is taught to incorporate a variety of learning styles and ability levels using a standardized curriculum and customized lesson plans. The Education and Life Skills topics include: Budgeting, Community Outings, Computers, Creative Writing, Culture, Current Events, English and Spelling, Human Rights, Life Skills, Literacy, Math, Newsletter, Nutrition and Food Preparation, and Safety and First Aid
Center House Enterprises (CHE), a component of Center House Employment Supports (CHES), is a collection of business enterprises designed to provide supported employment to people with mental retardation and people with mental illness. Individuals referred to CHE are funded through either the Department of Mental Retardation (DMR) or the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC). The program provides skill evaluation, job training and job placement. The program also provides support for individuals who already have their own jobs in the community, at work crews located at community businesses, and at a mailing and packaging business located at the program site in Boston.