February 10, 2017 — On January 26, 2017, Charles Neff, Executive Director of the , presented the Director's Award to Jamillet Torres in recognition of exceptional service to the local mental health network.

Torres has dedicated more than a decade to as a Bilingual (English-Spanish) Employment Specialist. She has been providing benefits advocacy to Nord clients for more than six years.

Recently she became a Certified Work Incentive Practitioner. To do so, she successfully completed an eight-month course of study, certification exam and case review requirement through Cornell University.

"Through continued study and dedication to her field, Jami helps families reach financial and employment goals, and ultimately become more self-sufficient," says Neff.

Torres notes that the local network of mental health agencies and services "strives in the care of the clients they serve and [for] the employees within."

In her role as a Certified Work Incentive Practitioner, Torres ensures that clients become educated on the effects of earned income on federal (i.e. Social Security, Medicare) and state (i.e. Medicaid, SNAP/food assistance, etc.) benefits, an important component of Supported Employment. This service is available to all Nord clients regardless of diagnosis and includes income/wage reporting, long-term financial planning along with addressing common misconceptions about employment and benefits.

Anna Colwell, Director of Supported Employment at The Nord Center, states that Torres is extremely hard working and always goes above and beyond for her clients. Colwell notes that Torres is a team player who is willing to help others whenever necessary. She takes pride in her work and strives to continue to improve her professional skills. She does an excellent job of advocating for her clients with employers to aid in obtaining and retaining employment.

The Director's Award was established to acknowledge outstanding efforts in recovery, education, and public awareness for the Lorain County mental health network, and is granted by the Executive Director of the LCBMH on a periodic basis. To learn about this and other award and recognition opportunities within the Lorain County mental health network, visit lcbmh.org/nominate.