For patients at ZSFG with mental and behavioral health needs, the continuum of care does not end at discharge. Instead, many patients transition into the Vocational Rehabilitation Program (VocRehab), a UCSF Department of Psychiatry Citywide Employment Program that provides job readiness and job training for individuals with chronic mental illness often complicated by persistent homelessness, substance abuse, chronic medical problems, and criminal justice involvement.
Through job training and paid internship opportunities, VocRehab works with over 150 individuals each year, mentoring each participant as they take on roles in a variety of hospital and community-based social enterprise businesses, like managing the clothing donation program, managing the coffee and hot dog cart, and working behind the scenes to cater events around the community.
After many years of searching for the right place, one such hospital enterprise found its forever home. The Slice of Life Catering team recently announced the grand opening of a newly refurbished commercial kitchen at the Mental Health Rehabilitation Facility at ZSFG. With the support of ZSFG’s Chef Mike Sullivan, the VocRehab team hosted alumni, partners, and supporters in the new space this summer for a taste of what this catering service can do.
The true passion project of Program Director Mindy Oppenheim, Slice of Life Catering’s new permanent space will allow the team to take on more catering jobs and broaden the impact of this program.
Slice of Life offers paid internship training opportunities for up to 15 individuals per year and provides training and volunteer opportunities to an additional 20 individuals per year. The skills learned in these training programs prepare clients for jobs beyond the hospital campus – managing schedules, communicating professionally, and, most importantly, learning cooking and baking skills from the amazing team at ZSFG.
