Our Programs

• “I have had the pleasure of working with this organization and am quite familiar with the successful outcomes in their work as I we have hired 5 clients at our store.” Shawndra, Owner, Davis Grocery Outlet (formerly Fairfield location)
• “Working with Dreamcatchers at Walgreen’s has been a great learning experience concerning the benefits of working with people with disabilities.” Tyler, Store Manager, Walgreen’s

Our services include helping individuals obtain Social Security cards, teaching them how to take public transportation, and educating them about the importance of attendance, punctuality, appearance and attitude. We work with clients on their verbal, writing and multi-tasking skills, as well as how to interact with supervisors and co-workers. Many have never interviewed for a job so we help them prepare resumes, role play interviews, teach them how to job search and submit applications, and how to maintain employment once employed.

Programs & Services

The goal of Dreamcatchers is to support and nurture the people seeking employment services through our on-going vocational services. The philosophy at Dreamcatchers is a client-centered approach to providing services with respect and dignity. We believe that when an individual achieves meaningful employment, the community benefits from the exposure and contributions of individuals, who are frequently marginalized and dismissed as individuals.

Department of Rehabilitation
The California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) administers the largest vocational rehabilitation program in the country.They have a three-pronged mission to provide services and advocacy that assist people with disabilities to live independently, become employed and have equality in the communities in which they live and work.DOR provides consultation, counseling and vocational rehabilitation, and works with community partners to assist the consumers they serve. Learn More...

Our client services are available to all individuals regardless of disability and they include:

Vocational Assessment which assesses information about a client’s vocational interests, abilities and values. This information identifies basic work skills, work habits, work tolerances, work behaviors, and interpersonal skills of clients. Often times a transferable skill analysis is completed to help identify a vocational goal.

External Situational Assessment provides paid work experience through external situational assessments and is a community-based service used to identify each client's current level of employability. We place the client in a safe, supervised and supported real work environment within the community, with a Dreamcatchers staff member acting as the hands-on trainer for the client. Assessments identify strengths and barriers for a specific employment site in order to enhance job placement and retention.

Work Adjustment Programs are on an individual basis and we utilize real work situations to help clients understand the meaning, value and demands of a job and to establish skills, attitudes, personal characteristics, and appropriate work behaviors that can lead to a successful and sustained employment experience. An individual work adjustment program is for clients who have been placed in a community-based job setting and are working with employees. This program identifies specific barriers to employment that the client will focus on during the work adjustment period.

Employment Preparation Services help prepare clients for employment with an organized, structured curriculum that provides training on an individual basis, including the development of a resume, a master application and role playing interviews.

Job Development provides a structured, systematic job development and placement services for clients. The client directs the job development process by specifying the general course of the job search, while Dreamcatchers conducts a targeted job search in order to accommodate individual client desires.

Job Coaching provides individual client assistance and support on or off the job for employment-related activities. This assists clients who are adjusting to a job and includes transportation training, onsite job orientation, hands-on training at the worksite and job task analysis.

Retention is provided by our employment specialists after a client's job placement, to maintain employer contact to ensure client progress, employer satisfaction and job success. This includes telephone calls, personal visits or other means of contact to support the client's continued employment.

Private Contracts

Dreamcatchers provides Employment Services and Paid Work Assessments through private contracts to governmental and private agencies throughout the counties in which we provide services.

• Butte County Behavioral Health

  (2015- Current) Dreamcatchers began providing Supported Employment - Paid Work Experience to individuals receiving services through Butte County Behavioral Health in July 2015.

  With a variety of positions available in-house with Butte County Behavioral Health, as well as those out in the community, individuals are able to gain skills and knowledge of working with the support of a Job Coach. Candidates submit an application for the open positions in which they are interviewed and once hired; they are able to hold the position for up to 9 months. Throughout the process, Dreamcatchers is providing feedback and support to prepare each individual for employment or assisting them to obtain volunteer experience.

  The goal of the program is to build job skills and better prepare individuals for permanent, community-based employment. Learn More...

• Sparkpoint Solano

  Sparkpoint was developed by United Way, brings together free community resources to help families grow and prosper. The center is a one-stop location for a full-range of services, including financial coaching, as well as programs that help families move up the career ladder, build assets and manage their credit. We work together to help achieve goals by offering such services as:

  • Find a job
  • Build your credit
  • Manage your credit
  • Go back to school
  • Get free tax help
  • Keep your home
  • Locate child care

  Dreamcatchers Empowerment Network provides employment related services to the local community members of the Sparkpoint center. Our job developer offers employment workshops, employment counseling, and referrals to resources as well as placement opportunities to those individuals within the community. Clients receive one-to-one services with the Job Development staff in order to complete a resume and direct interview skills training. Clients will also work with the Job Developer to obtain job leads and placement assistance. Participants may be placed into educational, training or employment opportunities.

  Regina Kaiser, Executive Director, sits on the Executive Committee for Sparkpoint Solano.Learn More...

• County of Fresno Department of Behavioral Health

  The Dreamcatchers Vocational Educational Services program is for those individuals with mental health disabilities who are part of the Fresno County mental health system. Dreamcatchers offers these individuals an array of services that includes:

  • Individualized CARF-accredited educational, employment, empowerment plan addressing the client’s interests, goals, skills abilities and needs.
  • Job preparation, job seeking assistance, computer lab, placement services, and coaching services.
  • Connection to adult education and community college and other educational services.
  • Peer Support groups, peer training, and supportive mentoring.
  • Assessment, including self-assessment, mental health and health history, and educational and vocational background completed by licensed clinician.
  • Benefit planning assistance.
  • Healthy relationships, harm reduction and life skills training.

• Crestwood Behavioral Health, Inc.

  Dreamcatchers Empowerment Network was created in 2000 by Crestwood Behavioral Health, Inc. (California’s largest provider of mental health services) to provide services to people with mental health issues who were reintegrating into the community with the personal goal of independence.

  Contracts currently exist between Dreamcatchers and thirteen (13) Crestwood campuses throughout the state of California. These contracts cover resident wages for jobs performed within the campuses, providing vocational training to help individuals become more marketable when transitioning back into the community. Residents work up to 6 hours per month in a variety of different positions within each campus and out in the community.

  Dreamcatchers services promote recovery through employment. Learn More...