Disabilities don’t have to be Impediments to Working

Help is available to people with disabilities looking for work in Oconee and Pickens counties. A statewide agency provides an array of services to these individuals, explains Sheila Ford, Supervisor of the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department serving Oconee and Pickens counties. “The mission statement for the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department is that we prepare and assist eligible individuals with disabilities to obtain and maintain competitive employment. So, in a nutshell, we help people who have a disability find a job and hopefully keep that job.” Ford defines disabilities. “A disability as far as Vocational Rehabilitation is concerned has to be an impediment to employment. So, it could things anywhere from a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, in some cases it could be diabetes, high blood pressure, learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, etc. We serve over 133 different types of disabilities. So, if someone is having a problem maintaining a job or keeping their job and it is based on physical or mental disability, reach out to us at 864-882-6669.” To learn more about the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department, visit www.scvrd.net. The Oconee and Pickens Area Office and the Work Training Center is located at 1951 Wells Highway in Seneca.