Appointment with vocational rehab counselor......

Post Reply New Topic

I am trying to qualify for vocational rehab in CA. From what I heard, most of the counselors are pretty unfamiliar with AS and assume that if you can make eye contact and hold a conversation, you can get a job without any additional state services and they decline your application for help. I would like to know if I should try to act more impaired than I actually am when I meet my counselor (I have an appointment in two weeks). For instance, should I stare at the ceiling and make a whole bunch of off-topic remarks displaying more "raw AS stereotypical behavior" in order to qualify?

And if I do qualify, are my chances pretty good for finding a job with them?

Your experiences wanted please!

Thanx,
Allie Kat

Counselors are not the ones who do the testing. do not do that. Tell them you need help with finding a job. Tell them you need to be tested for AS if you have not been tested for it. Trust me they will not be the ones who do the testing.

I have already been tested and diagnosed- Just applying for the job assistance part.

I haven't had a good experience with the one I met in the past. I do know one thing, they have to serve you. If the counselor gives you trouble, ask for someone else who can help. I think it's best just to be yourself when you go to the appointment. No point in acting. It tends to turn out bad. I can only speak for myself, however. Hope this helps.

I don't know what its like in CA but I know in Massachusetts they require you to bring your diagnosis and work off of that. I've not met with them yet, but they've told me that in a letter while I've been on the wait-list.

I'd not act any differently than I am myself.

be careful with these agencies.

so far they...

1) said that i have an alcohol and drug problem even though i've NEVER used drugs and have had VERY little alcohol in my life time.
2) tried to put me on a bus full of ret*ds
3) labelled me as ret*d
4) sent me to a psychiatrist for no apparent reason even though psychiatrists freak me out given my past experience with them. this was after i already had a diagnosis. multiple diagnosis of aspergers in fact.
5) said that i used almost $2000 in respite services even though i hadn't
6) tried to get me to sign a form saying that if i hadn't received such and such services i would require hospitalization. i never received any services from them.
7) told me that not taking a part time job in another city which would pay so little that i could not live off it was asking for a silver spoon job.


don't plan on them being of any use. mostly they will sit about saying they need to send you to this or that mental health professional to determine what's really going on even though they already have multiple diagnosis. these people have NO reason to do anything but screw around and waste money. they are government employees, the lowest of the low and the most worthless of the worthless. they have no reason to be accurate. they have no reason to be effective. they are just there to get paid and that's it.

Yikes; While I have heard that most are very unfamiliar with AS, I thought at least they would contact my psychologist in order to get more information about the jobs I was suited for and then try to place me. It's too frustrating job hunting alone in this economy, even for NTs so I could use all the help I can get!

they fail there too. they'll try to stick you in jobs they know won't work and then blame it on you for not taking them.

May I ask what kind of jobs they placed you in and what state you live in?

It does depend on the state. I know Massachusetts is trying to get a autism only division for Mass Rehab, and from what I've heard they actually are worth going to. I've had it recommended to me from enough different people who know about the spectrum that I'm hoping its a good experience.

I would like to weigh in on this topic. I am actually someone who came to one of these agencies, at first a state run program called VESID. They were helpful, and set me up with one of the companies they contract for this, a non profit called Achieve. This is all in NY state, though, I am not sure if it is better here than other places...so far seems to be what I am hearing.

They got me into a job with a local grocery store, and it has been turning out rather well for me. The main service I have atm is a job coach, who is on standby for any issues that might arise. So far, it has been runnign smoothly wiht my job. I do have anxiety, as I am around a lot of people and busy traffic. All I can say, is be yourself, and know your rights. You do have certain rights in any state's system, and you can always fight the system if someone in the system tries to screw you.