- Ready to get help? Our Treatment Consultants are available 24/7.
Finding work after recovery or incarceration presents real challenges. Modesto offers a coordinated network of employment recovery programs designed specifically for people navigating these barriers.
Research shows that stable employment significantly reduces relapse rates and recidivism while improving overall mental health outcomes. Studies indicate that individuals in recovery who secure meaningful employment within the first year are 60% more likely to maintain long-term sobriety (NIH). Employment provides structure, purpose, social connection, and the dignity of self-sufficiency.
Stanislaus County has developed an integrated system where mental health services, substance use treatment, and employment support work together. GPS Counseling serves as a key partner in this network, helping coordinate your access to employment resources while providing the mental health foundation that workplace success requires.
BHRS Stanislaus County offers supported employment programs specifically for individuals with mental health or substance use challenges, integrating clinical treatment with job placement and coaching.
CSA-Stanislaus administers CalWORKs welfare-to-work programs, providing job training, placement services, and supportive assistance like transportation and childcare for eligible families.
Hope Works Modesto specializes in reentry services for formerly incarcerated individuals, offering job readiness training, placement assistance, and ongoing support addressing unique barriers justice-involved people face.
UCP Stanislaus provides vocational services for individuals with disabilities, including specialized employment support for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
According to experts, attempting to separate mental health treatment from employment support often leads to failure in both areas (NIH). GPS Counseling helps you navigate this ecosystem by providing mental health counseling that supports workplace success and connecting you to appropriate employment programs.
Supported employment helps people with psychiatric disabilities, substance use disorders, or other mental health conditions find and keep competitive jobs in integrated workplace settings. Unlike sheltered workshops, supported employment focuses on regular jobs at regular wages with ongoing support.
Evidence suggests that the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model achieves employment rates of 55-60% compared to 20-30% for traditional vocational services (NIH). IPS principles include rapid job search rather than months of pre-employment training, integrated treatment where your employment specialist works directly with your mental health team, attention to your job preferences, and ongoing support that continues as long as you need it.
Your employment specialist helps you determine what to disclose to employers about your mental health, arrange reasonable workplace accommodations when needed, and develop strategies for managing symptoms while working. Job coaching provides ongoing workplace problem-solving, communication skills development, and crisis intervention if challenges arise.
Lack of credentials doesn’t have to stop you. Modesto offers multiple training pathways that don’t require high school diplomas or previous experience.
Modesto Junior College (MJC) offers non-credit career training programs in healthcare, construction, manufacturing, and logistics. Many programs qualify for financial assistance or are completely free for eligible students.
America’s Job Center of California in Modesto provides access to federally-funded training programs through WIOA, including career counseling, skills assessments, and connections to training providers.
CalWORKs vocational training covers the cost of approved training programs for eligible participants, including books, supplies, and related expenses.
These certifications typically take days to weeks and open doors to employment:
Healthcare, logistics and warehousing, construction trades, and hospitality offer entry-level positions with advancement opportunities.
A criminal record creates real barriers, but California law provides important protections, and Modesto programs specialize in helping justice-involved individuals find work.
California’s Fair Chance Act (‘Ban the Box’) prohibits most employers from asking about criminal history until after making a conditional job offer. Employers with five or more employees must remove conviction history questions from applications, conduct individualized assessments before denying employment based on criminal history, and consider the nature of the offense, time elapsed, and relevance to the job.
Hope Works Modesto provides comprehensive reentry services including job readiness workshops, interview preparation, job placement assistance, and post-placement support. Their staff understand reentry challenges and maintain relationships with second-chance employers.
Employment specialists teach you to discuss your criminal history honestly while emphasizing your growth and skills. Key strategies include focusing on what you’ve learned, highlighting skills gained through work or programs during incarceration, demonstrating stability through treatment completion, and providing strong references from counselors or program staff.
According to research, employers in construction, warehousing, food service, and landscaping most frequently hire individuals with criminal records (source).
Schedule your consultation today and take the first step toward better health.
If you’re receiving cash aid or eligible for assistance, CalWORKs provides comprehensive employment support designed to help you achieve self-sufficiency.
CSA-Stanislaus CalWORKs includes job search assistance, vocational training funding, work experience programs, supportive services for transportation and childcare, and case management coordinating multiple services.
Contact the CSA-Stanislaus office at 251 E Hackett Road in Modesto to start your application. You’ll complete an intake assessment, develop an employment plan with your case manager, and begin accessing services.
CalWORKs recognizes that practical barriers prevent employment success. Eligible participants can receive transportation assistance through bus passes or mileage reimbursement, childcare payment for licensed childcare while you work or attend training, and help with uniforms, tools, or equipment required for your job.
If you have a physical or mental disability that creates barriers to employment, California’s Department of Rehabilitation offers comprehensive services to help you achieve your career goals.
You may qualify for VR services if you have a physical, mental, or psychiatric disability that creates employment barriers and you can benefit from VR services in terms of employment outcome. Mental health conditions, substance use disorders, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and sensory impairments all potentially qualify.
VR services are individualized but may include career counseling and planning, job placement services, training and education funding, assistive technology, job coaching, and transportation assistance.
Contact the Department of Rehabilitation Modesto office to schedule an intake appointment. Your VR counselor will develop your Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) based on your work history, education, skills, interests, disability-related limitations, and career goals.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services: UCP Stanislaus provides specialized vocational services including communication access, job coaching with ASL support, and employer education about deaf culture and workplace accommodations.
Housing and Employment Coordination: Research shows that addressing housing instability and employment simultaneously produces better outcomes than tackling either issue alone (NIH). Housing First initiatives in Stanislaus County coordinate permanent supportive housing with employment services.
Veteran Employment Resources: Veterans can access specialized employment services through the Veterans Service Office in Modesto, America’s Job Center priority services for veterans, and veteran-specific hiring programs.
Youth Programs: Young adults (ages 16-24) can access specialized services through WIOA youth programs, which provide mentoring, job training, education support, and leadership development.
Getting hired is just the beginning. Long-term success requires strategies for keeping your job and advancing your career.
Studies indicate that the first 90 days of employment are critical for long-term retention (source). During this period, ongoing support from job coaches or employment specialists helps you navigate workplace culture and establish productive work habits.
Key retention strategies include reliable attendance, clear communication by asking questions when you’re unsure, building positive workplace relationships, using healthy stress management coping strategies, and seeking regular feedback from supervisors.
Once you’ve established stability in your current position, think about long-term career goals. Many entry-level positions offer pathways to advancement through on-the-job training, additional certifications, or employer-sponsored education.
Employment is a cornerstone of successful recovery and community reintegration. Modesto’s coordinated network of employment services ensures you don’t have to navigate this journey alone.
GPS Counseling can help you access these employment resources while providing the mental health support that workplace success requires. Contact us to discuss how we can support your employment goals as part of your overall recovery journey.
Restart Your Life at GPS Counseling Center for Addiction Treatment
Give us a call or come by our facility to learn more.
GPS Counseling Center for Addiction Treatment, we extend our commitment to our graduates and alumni by offering 42 additional weeks of aftercare.
This program permits weekly drop-in sessions, fostering long-term recovery and stability for our graduates.
Simultaneously, these sessions provide essential guidance and encouragement to new participants embarking on their journey to recovery.
Family therapy provides education and support so family members of loved ones can better understand the role and impact of substance abuse.
Learning how to support a loved one in treatment and after treatment. Addressing issues such as communication, co-dependency, and recognizing how to set boundaries.
Individual Therapy provides an opportunity to develop and modify relapse prevention plans, identify triggers and develop coping skills.
Sessions are designed to support clients as they work on the identification and resolution of alcohol and or substance-related problems.
Exploring personal barriers, behaviors, and or challenges in the way of recovery. Uncovering the underlying roots of substance abuse addiction.
At GPS Counseling Center for Addiction Treatment Intensive Outpatient Program group therapy is the primary mode of treatment. Group therapy allows participants to step out of the shadows of shame, secrecy, and isolation and develop a level of community among fellow participants.
Participants who take part in group therapy sessions can improve their communication skills and build connections with other people who are also working to recover from addictions.
Group therapy reinforces mindfulness and healthy ways of interacting and relapse prevention. Allowing participants to learn from the experiences and perspectives of other people. Those that are newer to recovery noticeably benefit from those who have been sober longer.
