Community & Employment Services (CES):
Community & Employment Services (CES), a division of Service Alternatives, Inc., provides a multitude of services designed to support people in finding and keeping meaningful employment in their communities. Services are provided to people with a range of disabilities, as well as to people who are moving from reliance on public assistance to employment. Supports may include resource development, assessment of vocational skills and goal development, job development, work experiences, job coaching, employment retention support, volunteer placement and assistance to overcome barriers that prevent successful employment.
We pride ourselves on our ability to meet our customer's needs in an ever-changing social service environment. Services provided are person-centered, outcome based and a team approach is used in solving problems. We have built a reputation for serving people with the most challenging needs whether it is their disability or their socio-economic status that presents the difficulty for those individuals in obtaining and keeping employment. Our philosophy and belief is that no one is unemployable. It is our job to support people in finding their niche in society and the workplace. Community & Employment Services provides the vital link between people with disabilities, families receiving Temporary Assistance (TANF), community resources and employers.
View: 2009 CES Annual Report (PDF) 
View: 2008 CES Annual Report (PDF)
Following are details about some of the specific services we provide.
Career Path:
In Individual Employment and Career Path Services, we serve adults with developmental disabilities referred from the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), a division of the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). Career Path Services and Individual Employment services provide support to participants to gain competitive employment in their own communities. These processes allow participants to journey on the path to employment. This may include gaining a variety of experiences in the community such as volunteer jobs, holding positions on committees, being part of a neighborhood organization or other activities that promote inclusion and integration in the community. All activities and supports are designed to give the participant more opportunities for employment. Other typical supports include Individualized Planning, Transportation training and Social Security (SSA) benefits and Work Incentive counseling. Once employed, we provide ongoing career development support.
Person to Person Services:
Person to Person services provide adults with developmental disabilities support in accessing their communities, sampling activities, becoming involved and volunteering with a focus on a path towards employment. Individuals referred into this service typically experience more complex barriers to achieving an employment outcome. Per DDD’s Working Age Adults policy, participants over 62 years of age may participate in “retirement services” which are not vocationally focused.
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR):
Department of Services for the Blind (DSB):
We also provide service through the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and the Department of Services for the Blind (DSB). These are also divisions of DSHS. DVR serves individuals with any disabling condition to acquire paid employment. DSB provides services that are very similar to DVR. By virtue of the name of this agency, its clientele have visual disabilities. DVR and DSB may directly provide individuals psychological testing and diagnosis and assistive technology funding for items such as modified computer applications or communication devices. Service Alternatives provides direct service to individuals which include Community-based vocational assessments, job development and job coaching. We will also provide assistance as needed for interview preparation and training, resume development and career counseling.
Independent Living (IL):
Independent Living is a specific program offered by DVR. DVR purchases this service from agencies such as Service Alternatives when they have clients who need support around basic life needs that pose a barrier to employment. CES provides in-depth Evaluations and direct service as requested. Evaluations are typically requested when DVR staff needs detailed information about a client’s current situation, a “snap shot” of their circumstances, to determine next steps and appropriate services. Direct services are usually requested to address specific issues such as how to create and use a budget, assistance enrolling in college and coordinating other services such as chore services.
Service to School Districts:
Service to School Districts can be provided when a student with disabilities has a recognized vocational need in their Individual Education Plan (IEP) not met by traditional school and special education programs. These services often look similar to DVR services. Service Alternatives helps create plans on a per-student basis, with detailed goals and objectives.
Private Pay:
Private Pay services are also offered and most often refer to individual contract arrangements between CES and a parent or family member of a service recipient, or a service recipient themselves. Most commonly these would be people with disabilities requesting a service we are able to provide, but that doesn’t exist in current contracts. At times we make these arrangements to accentuate an existing service. Because these arrangements are not tied to government contracts, the goals and objectives can be much broader. Recreational support is often purchased due to the lack of this in our State and County funded contracts.
WorkFirst - Programs serving individuals transitioning from public assistance - TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) to work.
Community Jobs Initiative (CJ):
The Community Jobs Initiative (CJ) is an intensive job training program designed to serve TANF clients with multiple and / or challenging barriers to employment such as lack of motivation, mental illness, domestic violence or criminal convictions. Participants go through workshops either provided by CES or partner agencies which address basic workplace expectations and skills, stress management, conflict resolution and other “soft skills”. Participants can be placed on subsidized, paid internships in the community for 20 hours per week lasting up to 6 months. Individuals participate full time, which includes an educational component such as computer training. We may provide support dollars for things like work clothing, hygiene products and car repairs, all aimed at increased participation and progression towards unsubsidized work. CES coordinates with numerous other agencies to provide wrap around support to participants. The ultimate goal for all participants is unsubsidized employment with the potential to lead to self-sufficiency.
Supported Works Programs:
The Supported Works Programs are services which have 3 different components including Work Experience (WEX), Community Service (CS) and Community Works (CW). Supported Work services include an unpaid internship in the community for up to 6 months. These components are used for a variety of purposes to support TANF participants with meaningful participation including brief work experience prior to regular employment, waiting for SSI facilitation or a starting place to assess an individual’s readiness to participate in required WorkFirst activities. Many times, clients who are successfully participating in a Supported Work service move into a CJ placement prior to finding regular employment.
If you have any questions regarding the services we provide or would like more information, please contact:
Community & Employment Services Administration
Anton Saunsaucie, Administrator
909 SE Everett Mall Way, Suite C345, Everett, WA 98208
Office Phone: 425-328-6089
Office Fax: 866-587-2916
