Preston Rankins "is never late, he never misses a day. I don’t think he’s ever been sick. He is always early. And his job is always done," Graffiti Advertising owner Hugh Jolly says.
-- Ledger Photo: Lyle GravesIt wasn’t always easy working with Black Jack.
Back then, 20-year-old Dangure “Dan” Robinson Jr. often had to do double the work because Black Jack regularly showed up drunk or too hung over to work much.
Robinson hated doing the extra work, but he didn’t mind covering for the older, sweet country guy at that rural Virginia steakhouse.
“Everybody knew he was an alcoholic, but he was a very giving person. He was kind and gentle in his ways,” Robinson recalls. “He had a giving spirit. And he was funny, funnier when he was drunk.”
Black Jack, now deceased, planted a seed with Robinson, one that allowed the owner/operator of Dan’s Café to give folks a second chance.
The meat-and-three restaurant at 538 Lafayette Street is one of dozens of employers in Nashville to work with Park Center to employ people who are mentally ill, substance abusers and, often, felons.
And it’s not just compassion that motivates employers. Turns out hiring Park Center “members,” as the center refers to its clients, makes good business sense.
Several employers tell the Nashville Ledger that employees from Park Center tend to work more, miss work less and be more grateful for their jobs than other employees.
“If you’re looking for people who are really focused on their work, reliable, conscientious, willing to learn, and have the support of the center, it’s a great move,” says Peter Salvatore, food services director for Free Will Baptist Bible College.
Park Center has a three-person staff working fulltime to place mentally ill members in mainstream jobs. The center already has worked with those members on teaching job skills, the importance of staying on prescribed drugs, on developing a sense of support from other Park Center members.
So far, 27 members have been placed this year. Last year, the three staffers placed 55 members in jobs. But landing the jobs isn’t the only task.
The center also provides support to the members once they are placed in a job. If the member needs a ride to work, for example, the center provides it. If the member needs special training or support throughout the work day, the center reaches out.
“If a member can’t perform or didn’t show up, Park Center will provide someone else. Sometimes the center staff him or herself will show to do the job,” Robinson says.
The Park Center staff has such dedication because the center feels it’s critical for mentally ill members – most of whom have substance abuse problems as well – to go to work as part of recovery.
For many employers, though, it’s not mental illness or substance abuse that proves to be stumbling blocks: It’s a criminal record.
“I literally have people who committed a felony eight years ago that are not allowed to sweep the Bridgestone Arena because of what they did eight years ago,” says Naveh Eldar, Park Center’s employment supervisor.
“A person has been doing the right thing for eight years and they can’t sweep popcorn off the floor.”
Center director Barbara Quinn says most crimes are committed when mentally ill people go off their medications.
“When they learn about recovery and to stay on recovery paths and take care of themselves, then it probably wouldn’t have happened had they been on their medication,” Quinn says.
Employers like Robinson – who stresses that he is very careful about screening felons for Dan’s Café – say there has to be trade-offs, especially in food service.
“The toughest part of my business was to maintain a good loyal dependable crew,” Robinson says. “If you’ve got a great employee, you’ve gotta give with certain things.”
Robinson and a few others who employ Park Center members have reported isolated incidents of those employees getting loud or combative if they stop taking prescribed drugs.
“There have been some challenges. We have had from time to time individuals who have had difficulties in their life,” Robinson says.
They say those incidents are rare, and Park Center staffers quickly respond to help members.
“For some of the employees today, if they get angry enough they could be a danger to themselves or others. I don’t know that that’s different than anyone else,” Robinson says.
One employer, Graffiti Indoor Advertising, has used Park Center members for more than a decade without incident.
“The current member I’m using now has been with us for almost 10 years. He has about five different job titles he does for us,” Graffiti owner Hugh Jolly says. “He is never late, he never misses a day. I don’t think he’s ever been sick. He is always early. And his job is always done.
“I’ve had zero problems,” Jolly says. “It has been plus plus.”
The plus side for members is finding steady employment, an income and a sense of self worth.
Evelyn May, 43, is bi-polar and proudly declares she has been off marijuana for 11 months, off cocaine for five years and hasn’t had a drink in 20 years. “I’ve definitely had my share of demons.”
Some anger issues – especially when she wouldn’t take meds – left her with a criminal record. When off meds, “I get ugly,” May admits.
But since she has been working with Park Center, that hasn’t been a problem.
May has been working 20 hours a week for an office-cleaning company since March.
“They did the footwork to find the job, a true blessing,” May says.
The center also provides her housing for only $200 a month, “another blessing,” she declares.
Another member, Raul Madero, 35, says he’s bi-polar with attention deficit disorder. And he also has a 2009 sex offense and a DUI on his record.
With Park Center’s help, Madero has held a job for a year, the longest he has held a job in recent memory.
He says job counselors really help.
“It makes you know somebody’s there, you’ve got some back,” he says. “I was pretty much alone before. It’s a little different this time. You’ve got a program to help you out.”
Park Center’s director says successful employees also help the mentally ill community as a whole.
“One of the things we want to do is erase the stigma of mental illness,” Quinn says.
“And the best way to erase the stigma of mental illness is to have a co-worker you work side by side with, and you get to know them as a person.”