Bethesda Man Lauded For Work With Mentally Ill Youth

Getting on a bus, filling out a job application, setting up an interview – skills that may seem simple to some can prove to be daunting barriers for the mentally disabled youth served by the career transition program at Bethesda’s.

But whether it takes three months or three years, career transitions specialist Benjamin Cramer helps his clients achieve independence.

“I really like the idea of helping youth make their own decisions and be able to reach their goals,” said Cramer, 28. “Working on employment is a very practical and helpful way to work with teenagers and young adults.”

Cramer, who coaches teens and young adults with severe emotional problems as they work to get or maintain a job or finish school, was recently awarded for his work through the Superstar Foundation. The foundation recognizes the work of human service professionals across the country. One of four nationwide to earn the “Veronica Award,” Cramer received a $5,000 grant and a bit of the spotlight usually not afforded to human service professionals, according to the foundation.

Cramer was also recently featured in The Gazette.

A Nebraska native, Cramer began his work four years ago with St. Luke’s House, a non-profit organization that supports the mentally ill. At the time, the group’s career transitions program was expanding after being targeted by the Social Security Administration to be a part of a national study on transitional assistance for mentally disabled youth.

Since then, Cramer’s “realistic” approach to overcoming challenges for his clients has resulted in success, said Whitney Reigel, Cramer’s supervisor, who nominated him for the award.

“Ben gets clients excited about getting out of the house and working towards their goals,” said Reigel. For mentally disabled youth who may struggle with anxiety, working and interacting with the community lends them a sense of confidence and self-esteem, Reigel said.

On a typical day, Cramer may help clients with applications for school or jobs, connect them with social services or transportation assistance, or help them come up with a study plan. Many aren’t able to drive and must learn to navigate the county’s transportation system in order to get to work -- just one of the myriad of barriers his clients often face, he said.

Wednesday, Cramer was preparing to visit the Maryland State Police barracks with a 23-year-old client, who hopes to one day become a Maryland state trooper.

“He’s excited about this goal, and we’re going to pursue it,” said Cramer. “It’s a big deal for him to want to do this.”

Cramer recalled searching for a job with a former client, who had dropped out of high school.

“He decided he wanted to work at an electronics store, and we probably applied three different times," Cramer said. "We went for a group interview with 50 other people, so it was a long process.”

Eventually, Cramer said, the client landed the job and is now one of the company’s top sellers. Last month, the young man moved out of the basement of his mother’s Wheaton home and into his own apartment, Cramer said. “I give him a lot of credit for sticking with it,” Cramer said.

Though the process can be slow and difficult at times, Cramer said, it’s the success stories that make his work worthwhile.

Cramer said he hopes the award will help spotlight the need for youth employment services.

“These kinds of awards are extremely valuable for raising awareness about this kind of work,” Cramer said.