The supervisor of the Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) St. Louis North office is the State Employee of the Month for September.
Lydia Mitchell has a job center, probation and parole department, mental health and family services all housed in her office, which is a one-stop service center.
The office is located just blocks from the destruction related to unrest in Ferguson in 2014 when a white police officer shot an unarmed black teenager. During that time, there was much devastation close by and even a bomb threat to the building. Some staff were blockaded in their neighborhoods, and both clients and staff were burdened with the stress of living in the neighborhood that was unpredictable.
During this time, Mitchell developed a plan that allowed all of her staff to feel safe and connected. She collaborated with the other agencies in her building to coordinate a means to communicate potential threats or concerns and got additional security guard presence at the facility.
Mitchell and her staff also developed partnerships with Metrobus so their clients who need assistance with transportation could receive that service quickly and efficiently. This resulted in monetary savings as well as an increased accountability from clients benefiting from the bus service.
To eliminate barriers keeping people from being employed, Mitchell reached out to Arch City Defenders regarding defending clients with outstanding warrants for arrests.
In 2015, Mitchell's office assisted 135 individuals to successful employment, an increase of 20 from the year before.
For her work, Mitchell was nominated to be a member of the State Rehabilitation Council, which is an honor very few VR employees receive.