PICO Employment & Supported Housing Program – Vancouver, Washington
PICO’s Employment and Supported Housing Program helps individuals in Clark and Cowlitz Counties achieve stability and independence. Our team provides job readiness support, career coaching, and personalized housing guidance, including navigating the housing market, securing affordable options, and building positive relationships with landlords.
Supported Employment Services
PICO’s Supported Employment Services are designed to help individuals prepare for, obtain, and maintain meaningful employment.
We work alongside clients to develop individualized employment plans, strengthen interview and résumé skills, and provide job coaching to support success in the workplace. Our team also partners with employers to promote fair, inclusive, and supportive work environments that set individuals up for long-term stability and growth. We also coordinate care with other service providers to ensure everyone receives comprehensive, wraparound support.
Eligibility Requirements
Clients must be Medicaid recipients and meet at least one of the following health needs-based criteria:
Have a documented mental health diagnosis
Have a documented substance use disorder
Need for assistance with three or more activities of daily living (ADL), receiving long-term care assistance services
Complex physical health needs
Meet at least one risk factor:
Have a documented mental health diagnosis
Have a documented substance use disorder
Need for assistance with three or more activities of daily living (ADL), receiving long-term care assistance services
Complex physical health needs
PICO does not provide financial assistance for employment-related costs.
For questions related to our supported employment program, or to initiate a referral, please contact our Director of Programs and Services, Mariah Schenck, at
360-524-2021 or by email at Mariahs@picosvs.org
Supported Housing Services
PICO’s Supported Housing Services are designed to help individuals find, secure, and maintain stable housing. Our team offers personalized guidance to navigate the housing market, identify affordable housing options, and complete necessary rental or lease paperwork. We work closely with landlords and property managers to support positive housing relationships and provide advocacy when challenges arise. We also coordinate care with other service providers to ensure everyone receives comprehensive, wraparound support.
Eligibility Requirements
Clients must be Medicaid recipients and meet at least one of the following criteria:
Have a documented mental health diagnosis
Have a documented substance use disorder
Receive Housing and Essential Needs (HEN) or Aged, Blind, Disabled (ABD) Cash Assistance through DSHS
Receive long-term care services with complex support needs and/or in-home care with complex needs
Have experienced homelessness for 12 months or longer
PICO does not provide financial assistance for rent or any housing-related costs.
For questions related to our housing program, or to initiate a referral, please contact our Housing Program Manager, Anjanette Wright, at
360-209-4104 or by email at Anjanettew@picosvs.org
At PICO, our mission is to support you every step of the way. Whether through education, youth programs, employment, or housing, our dedicated team is here to provide guidance, resources, and encouragement—helping you and your family achieve stability, growth, and lasting success.
Testimony/Success Stories from our clients
Client #1
This client is one of PICO’s original Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander clients and a native Chuukese speaker who demonstrated remarkable determination and vision from the beginning of her journey. As she took the necessary steps to become eligible for services, PICO supported her in accessing a mental health assessment with an interpreter. During this process, the client recognized that the interpretation she received did not accurately reflect her voice or needs. Rather than viewing this as a barrier, she identified it as an opportunity.
With support from her employment specialist, the client explored a career as a Chuukese interpreter, motivated by her desire to ensure others in her community are truly heard and understood. She worked closely with PICO to apply to her local community college, completed her ESL placement exam, and enrolled in ESL courses, which she has recently begun. Upon completing her ESL program, she plans to pursue interpreter certification.
By drawing on her lived experience and partnering with her employment specialist, the client developed a clear, individualized career plan that supports both community service and long-term financial independence and self-sufficiency.
Client #2
PICO has been an invaluable resource during my family's time of need. Facing homelessness, PICO's Housing Program Manager Anjanette has been a steady, compassionate helping hand. She is always ready to listen, access housing resources, and promptly research new avenues when needed. I hold so much gratitude for PICO and its staff, for their gifts of knowledge, connections, and kindness.
Client #3
This client was referred to PICO through a local recovery program and comes from an extremely challenging background. He was born into a gang-affiliated family, raised within gang culture, and experienced involvement in violence, long-term incarceration, and substance use. Despite these circumstances, he came to PICO with a strong desire for something different—a commitment to continue his recovery journey, improve his life, and fully turn things around.
From the beginning, the client demonstrated tenacity, persistence, determination, and integrity. He openly shared his story, his background, and his desire to become a contributing member of the community. Throughout much of his time in the program, his criminal history remained his greatest barrier to employment. He applied to jobs repeatedly, received callbacks and interviews, but was often not selected due to his record. While he acknowledged moments when returning to crime felt like the easier path, he did not give in to those thoughts. Instead, he used them as motivation to remain committed to his recovery and personal growth.
With consistent support from both employment and housing case managers, the client was encouraged with compassion, hope, and reassurance that an opportunity would come. That opportunity arrived when he attended a job fair and connected with a local peer support agency. He shared his resume, spoke honestly about his recovery journey, and followed up with intention. Shortly after, the client expressed to his case manager that this was the career path he wanted to pursue.
After a waiting period marked by understandable disappointment, the client was ultimately interviewed and offered an almost full-time position as a peer support and security specialist. Today, he is thriving, energized, and motivated by his work. He hopes to use his lived experience to support others who have faced similar challenges and to demonstrate that recovery, stability, and meaningful employment are possible.
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