Michigan Works! Service Centers

Scroll to the bottom of the page to find where the centers are located. State funding for career development and finding jobs flows through the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth to our local Workforce Development Board; an entity made up of a cross-section of the community but predominantly employers. This Board is charged with serving the public, especially the disadvantaged and those with barriers to employment. The first point of entry into this employment support system is through Michigan Works! It is Michigan's version of the national movement of Career One-Stop Centers. There are a large variety of services and organizations that can be access through the one-stop system--Michigan Works!

Michigan Rehabilitation Services

This is one of those organization that can be access through Michigan Works! or it can be accessed by going to its office building on Front Street. MRS services people with significant barriers to employment cause by a disability. All of the State funding for employment support for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment flows through MRS. This is the single point of entry for intensive services that can lead to employment. For the Grand Rapids location, click here. Often money from MRS can pay for services offered in a variety of employment support organization throughout the city, like Goodwill Industries or Hope Network.

Grand Rapids Community College's

Career Resource Center

This is a wonderful community resource and it is open to the public.

Neighborhood Organizations

&

Community Development Corporations

Two examples in my neighborhood are:
Oakdale Neighbors
Restorers, Inc.

Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids

The mission of Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids, Inc. is to assist people with disabilities or other barriers to realize their full employment potential and to be self-reliant, self-supporting and contributing members of our society.

The Social Security Administration's

"Ticket to Work" Program

The Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program is an employment program for people with disabilities who are interested in going to work. The Ticket Program is part of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 – legislation designed to remove many of the barriers that previously influenced people’s decisions about going to work because of the concerns over losing health care coverage. The goal of the Ticket Program is to increase opportunities and choices for Social Security disability beneficiaries to obtain employment, vocational rehabilitation (VR), and other support services from public and private providers, employers, and other organizations. Under the Ticket Program, the Social Security Administration provides disability beneficiaries with a Ticket ([Click here] to see an image of a Ticket) they may use to obtain the services and jobs they need from a new universe of organizations called Employment Networks (ENs). Day-to-day administration of the Ticket Program is the responsibility of the Program Manager (PM). The Social Security Administration has contracted with MAXIMUS, a private company, to perform this role.

~Abraham Maslow