Join SAMHSA’s GAINS Center this summer and attend the Strategies for Successful Supported Employment Summer Series! This series will be composed of four webinars and four discussion groups held in July and August 2019. The series will explore the need for supported employment, supported employment success stories, financing programs, and overcoming barriers to implementation.
In each webinar, you will hear from national experts and state representatives. The presenters will provide guidance on best and promising practices as well as practical lessons learned from on-the-ground experience.
Each webinar will be immediately followed by a small-group discussion, where audience members can engage directly with the presenters to learn more about the topics of discussion. Participation in these small group discussions will be limited to 30 attendees.
Part 1: Employment Should Be an Expected Outcome of Treatment
Individuals with serious mental illness have among the lowest employment rates in the United States. As reported in 2017 by the Office of Disability Employment Policy within the Department of Labor, the general unemployment rate for people with a disability is 9.2 percent compared to an unemployment rate of 4.2 percent for people without a disability.
Over the last 10 years, multiple sources, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, have reported unemployment rates of 75-80 percent for individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness. These low employment rates persist despite studies suggesting that most people with serious mental illness have prior work experience and desire to work in the future.
The first webinar in this four-part series will include discussions of the importance of employment, how it is critical to recovery, and through years of research, that employment is possible for individuals living with serious mental illness.
Speakers
- Deborah Becker, M.Ed., C.R.C., Research Senior Associate, Individual Placement and Support Employment Center, Rockville Institute at Westat
- LaVerne Miller, Esq., Director, New York City Workforce Consortium, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
- Virginia Selleck, Ph.D., Senior Consultant, SAMHSA’s GAINS Center
Registration for the July 24, 2019, webinar and discussion group has passed. The event is now closed.
Part 2: Real-life Success Stories
The second webinar in this series will present the real-life success stories of three individuals who found employment through a supported employment program. The format of this webinar will be a panel discussion where each individual will provide a brief personal biography and then have the opportunity to respond to questions (posed by a moderator) about their experience with supported employment, including what aspects of the programs contributed to their success and their impressions about the importance of work in their lives.
Speakers
- Evan Voth, C.P.S.W., Associate Director, Albuquerque Center for Hope & Recovery (New Mexico)
- Miguel Cruz, Food Prep Cook, Max a Mia Restaurant (Connecticut)
- Brad Rosner M.S., CRSS-E, Supported Employment Team Lead, Trilogy Behavioral Healthcare (Illinois)
This webinar is being rescheduled. Please check back for an updated registration link!
POST-WEBINAR DISCUSSION GROUP
This webinar will include a unique opportunity to ask targeted questions to the webinar presenters in a small discussion group immediately following the webinar. The discussion group will be capped at 30 people to allow for specific questions to be answered in full. Registration for the discussion group is required for participation.
This webinar is being rescheduled. Please check back for an updated registration link!
Part 3: Financing Strategies
August 12, 2019 // Webinar: 3:00-4:00 p.m. ET // Discussion Group: 4:00-5:00 p.m. ET
In the third webinar of the series, presenters will describe different approaches to financing that have been implemented at the state, community, and program levels, including Medicaid waivers, collaborating with Vocational Rehabilitation departments, Social Security work incentives, and more.
Speakers
- Joe Marrone, M.Ed., Senior Program Manager, Public Policy, Institute for Community Inclusion, School of Global Inclusion and Social Development, University of Massachusetts Boston (Massachusetts)
- David Leon, M.S., Deputy Director Workforce Programs, Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (Virginia)
- Virginia Selleck, Ph.D., Senior Consultant, SAMHSA’s GAINS Center
Register for the August 12 webinar.
POST-WEBINAR DISCUSSION GROUP
This webinar will include a unique opportunity to ask targeted questions to the webinar presenters in a small discussion group immediately following the webinar. The discussion group will be capped at 30 people to allow for specific questions to be answered in full. Registration for the discussion group is required for participation.
Register for the August 12 discussion group.
Part 4: Overcoming Common Barriers to Employment
August 21, 2019 // Webinar: 3:00-4:00 p.m. ET // Discussion Group: 4:00-5:00 p.m. ET
For years, the primary barrier to wide-scale adoption of supported employment for individuals with serious mental illness was identified as financing. It is no myth that there are fairly significant costs associated with the implementation of any evidence-based or promising practice, but there are multiple, proven financing strategies for reducing or neutralizing the costs to your program’s bottom line. In this webinar, presenters will describe different approaches to financing that have been implemented at the state, community and program levels, including Medicaid waivers, collaborating with Vocational Rehabilitation departments, SSA Work Incentives and more. Examples of successful use of each strategy will be provided.
Speakers
- Ellen Econs, MHSA, LCSW, Employment Services Manager, Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (Connecticut)
- Zandia Lawson, Employment Team Manager, SAMHSA Supported Employment Grant Project Director, Office of Community Planning and Collaboration (Ohio)
- Melodie Pazolt, Behavioral Health Programs and Recovery Supports Section Manager, Health Care Authority, Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (Washington)
Register for the August 21 webinar.
POST-WEBINAR DISCUSSION GROUP
This webinar will include a unique opportunity to ask targeted questions to the webinar presenters in a small discussion group immediately following the webinar. The discussion group will be capped at 30 people to allow for specific questions to be answered in full. Registration for the discussion group is required for participation.
Register for the August 21 discussion group.