Welf. & Inst. Code, § 5693

The following principles should guide development of community vocational rehabilitation systems:

(a) Work:

(1) Work should be meaningful, necessary, and have value to the individual performing it.

(2) For individuals participating in vocational programs every effort should be made to pay them the minimum wage. However, in all cases, wages paid shall be in compliance with all relevant state and federal labor laws.

(3) That work will result in the development of attributes that will enhance further employability.

(b) Staff:

(1) Staffing patterns at all levels should reflect the cultural, linguistic, ethnic, racial, disability, sexual, and other social characteristics of the community the program serves.

(2) All participating programs should take affirmative action to encourage the application and employment of consumers and former consumers of the mental health system at all program levels.

(3) Programs should be designed to use multidisciplinary professional consultation and staff to meet the specific needs of clients.

(4) When operating a business enterprise, programs should employ individuals with the business, management, supervisorial, trade, and occupational skills necessary for successful operation.

(5) Programs should, where appropriate, employ paraprofessionals.

(6) Programs should develop and implement staff training and development plans for personnel at all levels.

(c) Facilities:

(1) The individual elements of the system should, where possible, be in separate facilities.

(2) Facilities housing vocational and employment programs should be modeled on competitive businesses operating in the community.

(3) Facilities shall be in compliance with all relevant state and federal safety, health, and accessibility regulations.

(d) System:

(1) Counties developing a community vocational rehabilitation system should utilize existing program resources to develop prevocational programs and a referral base for vocational programs.

(2) Individual programs operate most effectively within the context of a complete system. Counties undertaking development of a community vocational rehabilitation system should commit themselves to the implementation of regionally integrated prevocational and vocational programs.

(3) Rural counties, where appropriate, should be encouraged to develop intercounty systems, or to integrate their programs with programs serving other target populations.

(4) The system should have the capacity to deliver services tailored to individual needs. If a program is found to be unsuitable for a client at a specific time, an explanation will be provided to the client and he or she shall be referred to a more suitable program and encouraged to reapply. The system should have policies designed to meet changing client needs and to work with individuals over time to develop their vocational potential.