03/27/2026
In honor of National Social Work Month, the Oregon Department of Human Services Communications Team spoke to five people with degrees in social work from different parts of our agency to hear about what they do and why they do it. Employment services were represented by Rachel Britsch, a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist. Here is Rachel's portion of the interview:
Rachel Britsch is a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist (VRS) helping Vocational Rehabilitation participants (VR) find and maintain employment. While she has a general caseload, she specializes in helping VR participants and supporting staff who have VR participants who want to pursue self-employment and start their own businesses.
What is a typical day like for you?
“I see multiple clients a day. I meet with co-workers helping with self-employment cases. I work with our business vendors in the services they provide. I update our OWL (intranet) page with information around self-employment. Then there’s the answering of emails, texts and phones calls daily,” Britsch said.
Is there a story you would like to share?
“I partner heavily with mental health agencies, such as Cascadia Health, to help those individuals who have mental health needs. They follow a very specific employment model, which is different than how we might serve typical clients. It is an IPS+ [Individual Placement and Support] Supported Employment model, a strength-based approach to follow a client’s interest. I also factor in their disability and barriers to employment to figure out the right job.
There was a woman on my caseload, whose dream job was to work in a police station, doing investigative work, or work in criminal justice. She hadn’t worked in 10 plus years. She had many barriers. She came to us through Cascadia and she jumped fairly quickly into the criminal justice world. We found her a paid internship in a private company. She got her license with the state and has been in an apprenticeship. Now, she is thriving as a Private Investigator. She’s already had had several cases. She is succeeding. Seeing someone thriving in their dream role is so rewarding,” Britsch said.
Britsch shared another story.
“I recently helped another lady who started her own business doing interior painting. I helped her get the tools she needed to get started, such as initial marketing and bookkeeping as well as adaptations on her cell phone. She is doing phenomenally.
This is something I love about this job -- helping individuals get what they need and fostering this independence.”
Why do you do this work?
“I am given autonomy to make meaningful impacts on a person’s life. I am really big on fostering independence. Sometimes people just need a leg up.
I do this work because personally I am really passionate about the work we do. I value tailoring services to a person’s needs to reach their highest employment potential. Individualized support is what makes this work rewarding to me.”
What is your guiding principle?
“My guiding principles are person-centered support, respect for autonomy, and a strengths-based approach. I’m committed to empowering individuals with disabilities through compassionate, individualized services that promote independence and meaningful participation in work and life," Britsch said.
When you think of a social worker - what do you think of? Social workers do a wide variety of things as part of and alongside ODHS, but they all work hard every day to help people overcome challenges and build well-being. In honor of National Social Work Month, we spoke to five people with degrees in social work from different parts of our agency to hear about what they do and why they do it.
Raina Mills, a Family Coach in our Self-Sufficiency Programs, works with people on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and domestic violence survivors in rural Clackamas County to find the support they need.
Christopher Bell, a Human Services Case Manager in the ODHS Office of Aging and People with Disabilities, assists people of all ages in the Tigard area with Medicaid Services - helping them to remain living in their homes or in a community setting if they choose.
Jessie Marshall, a Social Service Specialist - Permanency Worker in Child Welfare, works to make sure kids are safe and in a good home. Her goal is to reunify families or, if that's not possible, set up adoption or guardianship.
Rachel Britsch, a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist, helps Vocational Rehabilitation participants find and maintain employment. While she has a general caseload, she specializes in helping VR participants and supporting staff who have VR participants who want to pursue self-employment and start their own businesses.
Tanya Amorosino, a Services Coordinator at the Union County Community Development Disabilities Program (CDDP) (Center for Human Development, Inc (CHD)), helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) who are eligible for Medicaid understand the services and supports that are available to them. The ODHS Office of Developmental Disabilities Services partners with CDDPs and brokerages across Oregon to serve people with I/DD.
Read our full blog post here: https://apps.oregon.gov/oregon-newsroom/OR/ODHS/Posts/Post/blog-odhs-social-workers-blend-compassion-problem-solving-create-lasting-changes-for-people-they-serve
