CGS Long-Term Sheltered Employment Program (LTSE)

What is LTSE?

LTSE is the sheltered employment program, which provides a Work Activity Center setting for the consumers who are mentally retarded, learning-and developmentally disabled. LTSE is designed to provide productive work for consumers who may not be able to enter the competitive marketplace for a long time due to the severity of their disability.

Who is the LTSE Consumer?

The LTSE worker is generally one who is diagnosed as mentally retarded, learning- and developmentally disabled, mentally ill or severely physically and mentally impaired individual over the chronological age of seventeen years. The consumer is able to engage in productive work if the needed supportive environment is provided.

The LTSE consumer, following evaluation and personal social adjustment training, is then placed into a sheltered employment program. Although insufficiently skilled to enter competitive employment, the consumer has developed necessary skills to maintain himself or herself in a sheltered work environment with appropriate supportive rehabilitative services such as psychological counseling, occupational therapy, speech therapy, vocational counseling, and social services.

How Does LTSE Work?

Consumers are referred to evaluation at CGS by VESID and from there to LTSE. These consumers experience a combination of productive work and structured rehabilitation services. The consumers’ wages are based on their production in a variety of jobs which may include folding, collating, filling, sealing, and mailing envelopes and packaging novelties, cards and small gifts.

Moving Up from LTSE

When an LTSE consumer is considered ready for supported employment, the Work Activity Center counselor consults with the consumers’ group supervisor and clinician(s) to ascertain that individual’s readiness for the workplace. A supported employment "candidate" must be able to work without requiring constant close supervision, have a good record of punctuality and attendance, demonstrate good hand-skills and the willingness to learn more, show his or her ability to behave appropriately with supervisors and co-workers and be eager to move up to a "real job." The candidate is then interviewed by a representative of the CGS Supported Employment Program; if this "interview" is successful, a family-VESID-staff meeting is arranged – and the LTSE worker is now on the way to an exciting career and a whole new life!