Civil Rights and the Tools for Change: 

Advocating for and Creating a Positive Shift Toward Employment

Supportive Housing ConferenceNovember 19, 2013

AGENDAI. Putting It into Context

II. Creating a Positive Shift

Towards Employment

III. Bringing it into Practice

IV.Translating it to the

Person

The Right to Integrated Employment: Established by Title

II of the ADA and the Supreme Court’s Olmstead Ruling

Each person utilizing services through state and

local government has the right to be employed in

the

“most integrated setting.”

“Given the choice between work and idleness,

people will almost always choose work.

Regardless of our station in life, the conditions

of our bodies and minds, or the amount of

money in our bank accounts, the need to work

remains one of our strongest drives. Work is

central to our lives, and as such, gives a large

measure of structure to our days. Common

sense tells us that we feel better about

ourselves when we are working regularly.”

Robert E. Drake, M.D., Ph.D.

What Do People Want?

President’s New Freedom Commission

US v GA

DOJ cases interpreting ADA (NH,RI,OR)

MA Executive Order

US Senate HELP Committee Reports

NCD Report, ODEP Projects, EEOC, USBLN

NGA Initiative and Blueprint for Governors

National Context for Change

Not just any kind of employment approach will do...

Individual Placement and Supports is a very specific type of Supported Employment.

The IPS approach assumes everyone can work with the right supports. The person decides when and how they want to go to work.

There are no prerequisites (work adjustment, pre-vocational, sheltered, enclave or otherwise).

Unlike other approaches, IPS has been researched and proven to get higher rates of employment.

Overall Findings for 17 RCTs

All 17 studies showed a significant advantage for IPS.

Mean competitive employment rates for the 17 studies:59% for IPS (Median= 64%)25% for controls (Median= 26%)

Ample Opportunity to Collaborate...

Integration of rehabilitation with mental health through team assignment,

Integration of rehabilitation with mental health through frequent team member contact,

Collaboration between Employment Specialists and Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors,

Integrated Supports are provided by a variety of people, including treatment team members (e.g. housing staff, clinicians, family, friends, co-workers, and employment specialists).

Example of Supportive Housing and IPS Working Together...

40% of participants experienced co-occurring disorders, 60% experienced primary substance use disorders, and 70% had histories of felony convictions. Emphasis was on recovery as well as employment.

Integrated team was made up of Peer Specialists, Case Managers, Supportive Housing staff and Employment Specialists.

The impact of the IPS model found that 71 percent of the 319 individuals enrolled in the employment program were successful in securing integrated and competitive employment over 2 years. Average wage was $9.96/hour.

**Study was developed at the Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center by Robert Drake and Deborah Becker, and research was conducted by Heidi Herinck, independent evaluator and Assistant Director of the Regional Research Institute for Human Services at Portland State University.

Finally, Return-on-Investment for Taxpayers

New Study Explores Cost Efficiency of Supported Employment throughout US

An average monthly net benefit to taxpayers of $251 (or an annual net benefit of $3,016.08 per supported employee) and generated a benefit–cost ratio of $1.46 for every dollar spent. The comprehensive research looked at all 231,204 supported employees.

Cimera, R. (2010). Supported Employment's Cost-Efficiency to Taxpayers: 2002 to 2007, Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, Vol. 34, No. 2., pp. 13-20.

Return-on-Investment for Taxpayers

New Study Explores Cost Efficiency of Supported Employment throughout US.

An average monthly net benefit to taxpayers of $251 (or an annual net benefit of $3,016.08 per supported employee) and generated a benefit–cost ratio of $1.46 for every dollar spent. The comprehensive research looked at all 231,204 supported employees.

Cimera, R. (2010). Supported Employment's Cost-Efficiency to Taxpayers: 2002 to 2007, Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, Vol. 34, No. 2., pp. 13-20.

Nuts & Bolts for Providers

Idea of Whole Health & Wellness

Providers Putting it Into Practice

Braiding the Funding of Housing & Employment

Organizational Factors that Lead to Success

Individual Recovery & Choice

Community Involvement & Integration