Air Force Veteran Tireney Jones secured an H-E-B stocking position in Houston after a three-year job search, thanks to direct advocacy from the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center’s Vocational Rehabilitation program.
Unemployment strains Jones's mental health and finances
For three years, Jones submitted employment applications and followed up without success. The prolonged unemployment strained her self-worth and left her struggling to support herself financially. “At one point, I thought finding employment was a lost cause,” Jones said. The emotional toll intensified to the point where she experienced thoughts of self-harm and contacted the Veterans Crisis Line multiple times.
Those calls connected her to the Vocational Rehabilitation program at the Houston VA hospital. There, she met rehabilitation counselor Deonte Grant, who reviewed her resume, polished it, and asked about her ideal workplace. Jones identified H-E-B, where she had unsuccessfully applied for three years.
Direct Advocacy And Same-Day Hiring At H-E-B
Grant provided interview tips before taking an unconventional step. He visited a local H-E-B store in person, sat down with the stocking manager, and advocated directly for Jones’s work ethic and enthusiasm. “They hired me the same day,” Jones said.
Today, Jones works as a stocker at an H-E-B located just three minutes from her home. She earns a stable income and expresses satisfaction with the company culture and her colleagues. “Now I feel like my life has purpose again,” she said, crediting Grant with cutting through bureaucratic hurdles.
Houston VA Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Reginald Gladney, program director of the Houston VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation program, noted that the department assists hundreds of Veterans annually in overcoming employment barriers. “Work can be more than a paycheck,” Gladney said. “It’s a way to find purpose and self-esteem.”
The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center program offers free assistance to Veterans dealing with health-related employment hurdles. Available services include career counseling, Community-Based Employment Services for job search obstacles, a Transitional Work Program for temporary paid assignments, and Supported Employment for individuals managing severe mental health conditions. Veterans can access these services by requesting a referral through their VA primary care or mental health provider.
How Veterans qualify for Houston VA Vocational Rehabilitation?
How do Veterans qualify for the Houston VA Vocational Rehabilitation program?
Veterans must be facing health-related barriers to employment and can request a program consult directly through their VA primary care provider or mental health provider at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center.
What specific services does the program provide to job seekers?
The program offers career counseling, Community-Based Employment Services for job search hurdles, a Transitional Work Program for temporary paid assignments, and Supported Employment options for Veterans dealing with severe mental health conditions.
Where is Tireney Jones currently employed and what is her role?
Jones works as a stocker at an H-E-B store located three minutes from her home in Houston, having been hired the same day her rehabilitation counselor spoke with the store’s stocking manager.
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