Next Step ACE Program

Established in 1999, Next Step ACE is an award-winning assisted competitive employment program for clients who are diagnosed with severe and chronic mental illness. Next Step ACE staff prepares clients for employment, assists in placing them in competitive jobs and provides extensive follow-up support to ensure smooth adjustment into the work environment. The on-going success of the Next Step ACE program demonstrates that with the proper supports, mentally ill individuals can obtain and keep competitive jobs, helping them strive towards independent living.

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Contact Email: ACE@projectrenewal.org

Contact Phone: 212.620.5841

Next Step Fax: 212.620.6118

NEXT STEP ACE PROGRAM

Established in 1999, Next Step ACE is an award-winning assisted competitive employment program for clients who are diagnosed with severe and chronic mental illness. Next Step ACE staff prepares clients for employment, assists in placing them in competitive jobs and provides extensive follow-up support to ensure smooth adjustment into the work environment. The on-going success of the Next Step ACE program demonstrates that with the proper supports, mentally ill individuals can obtain and keep competitive jobs, helping them strive towards independent living.

Education & Employment Readiness Workshops:

• Effective Communication  
• Job Survival
• Money Management
• Literacy
• Basic Skills
• GED preparation
• Individualized Job Plan

Next Step ACE clients are unique; each has specialized needs and works according to a different timetable. To reflect this, an individualized job plan is developed for each client. The estimated timeframe from clients’ start of Next Step ACE to Job Placement is 1-4 months. The first phase of this process focuses on vocational counseling and skill building; the second phase focuses on specialized job placement.

Vocational Counseling and Skill Building

• Next Step ACE Counselor and client review work history, skills, and determine realistic employment goals
• Next Step ACE Counselor and client develop a resume that best highlights the client’s strengths
• Client practices completing real job applications and Next Step ACE Counselor provides feedback on accuracy and neatness
• Next Step ACE Counselor and client do interview role plays; Counselor also provides coaching on hygiene, grooming, and interview attire
• Next Step ACE Counselor helps client manage mental health, and monitors client’s compliance with mental health treatment providers
• Next Step Counselor helps client develop time management skills

Specialized Job Placement

Upon completing the vocational counseling and skill building phase, clients meet with the Employment Specialist who conducts further assessment of employability, and locates appropriate job leads. These leads may require that clients apply in-person, by telephone, or online. As a client searches, each lead he/she pursues is monitored from the interview, to the telephone follow up with the employer. Since the Employment Specialist works closely with the full Next Step team, clients benefit from the full array of job placement opportunities available to them. Next Step ACE Counselors accompany clients to their meetings with the Employment Specialist to ensure the continuity of service to the client and to maximize his/her opportunity for employment. 

Post-Placement Retention and Support

Once a client is placed in employment, the Next Step ACE counselor monitors job progress with one-on-one retention counseling. These meetings occur on a weekly basis or as their work schedule permits (bi-weekly, monthly) to help in any on-the-job concerns they might have. After 6-12 months, clients are also encouraged to continue their job search activities if they wish to obtain a new position.

What Clients Need for Referral

• A psychiatric or psychosocial evaluation completed within the past 3 months, including a documented diagnosis of a serious and persistent mental illness
• If there is a history of substance abuse, must have 30 days of recovery
• Clients receiving medication must be med-compliant, and all clients should be under clinical care
• Appropriate ID (NYS Drivers or Non-Drivers ID and Social Security Card)
• A copy of the client’s resume is helpful
• Clients should be motivated to seek competitive employment

About Our Staff

Leaders in the field say that the Next Step ACE program is admired as the most successful program of it’s kind, and serves as a model for other New York City ACE programs. The varied expertise that each Next Step ACE staff member brings contributes to this distinction, and a strong team approach ensures success.

The Next Step ACE Coordinator and Next Step ACE Counselors are your primary contacts once a client is enrolled.  Please contact them at any time.  Communication is the key to success of your client in Next Step ACE.

Next Step Works

We get men and women into living wage jobs quickly and help them stay employed.

Next Step clients earn an average starting wage of $10.41/hr, 44% above minimum wage of $7.25

Last year we achieved 343 job placements for those with significant barriers to employment