IPS Services
Employment services such as engagement, job finding and follow-along supports are provided in natural community settings by all employment specialists. Employment specialists spend 65%or more of their time in the community.
What is community-based services?
Employment specialists provide clients with accurate information and assist with evaluating their choices to make an informed decision regarding what is revealed to the employer about having a disability.
What is disclosure?
These professionals provide only employment services
What are employment specialists?
Employment specialists are part of up to 2 mental health treatment teams from which at least 90% of the employment specialists' caseload is comprised
What is integration of rehabilitation with mental health treatment thru team assignment?
Employment specialists assist clients in obtaining jobs with different employers. No more than 15% of the caseload should be placed with the same employer.
What is the diversity of employers?
Each employment specialist makes at least 6 face-to-face employer contacts per week on behalf of clients looking for work. An employer contact is counted even when an employment specialist meets the same employer more than one time in a week, and when the client is present or not present. Client-specific and generic contacts are included. Employment specialists use a weekly tracking form to document employer contacts.
What is frequent employer contact?
20 or fewer job seekers are supported by an employment specialist.
What is the IPS caseload size?
Employment specialists actively participate in weekly mental health treatment team meetings (not replaced by administrative meetings) that discuss individual clients and their employment goals with shared decision-making. The employment specialist’s office is in close proximity (or shared with) their mental health treatment team members. Documentation of mental health treatment and employment services is integrated in a single client chart. Employment specialists help the team think about employment for people who haven’t yet been referred to supported employment services.
What is the integration of rehabilitation with mental health treatment thru frequent team member contact?
Employment specialists assist clients in obtaining different types of jobs. No more than 15% of the caseload should be placed in the same type of job or position.
What is the diversity of jobs?
Employment specialists provide job options that have permanent status rather than temporary or time-limited status e.g., TE (transitional employment positions). These jobs pay at least minimum wage, are jobs that anyone can apply for and are not set aside for people with disabilities.) Seasonal jobs from temporary agencies that other community members use are counted as competitive jobs.)
What are competitive jobs?
Each employment specialist carries out all phases of the employment services, including intake, engagement, assessment, job placement, job coaching, and follow-along supports before stepping down to less intensive employment support from another mental health practitioner.
What is a vocational or employment generalist?
The employment specialists and VR counselors have frequent contact for the purpose of discussing shared clients and identifying potential referrals.
What is collaboration between employment specialists and Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors?
Employment specialists make employer contacts aimed at making a good job match based on clients’ preferences (relating to what each person enjoys and their personal goals) and needs (including experience, ability, symptomatology, health, etc.) rather than job market (i.e., those jobs that are readily available). An individualized job search plan is developed and updated with information from the vocational assessment/profile form and new job/educational experiences.
What is individualized job search?
Employment specialists build relationships with employers through multiple visits in person that are planned to learn the needs of the employer, convey what the SE program offers to the employer, describe the client strengths that are a good match for the employer.
What is the quality of employer contact?
All clients interested in working have access to supported employment services regardless of job readiness factors, substance abuse, symptoms, history of violent behavior, cognition impairments, treatment non-adherence, and personal presentation. These apply during supported employment services too. Employment specialists offer to help with another job when one has ended, regardless of the reason that the job ended or number of jobs held. If VR has screening criteria , the mental health agency does not use them to exclude anybody. Clients are not screen out formally or informally.
What is the zero exclusion criteria?
At least 2 full-time employment specials and a team leader comprise the employment unit. They have weekly client-based group supervision following the supported employment model in which strategies are identified and job leads are shared. They provide coverage for each other’s caseload when needed.
What is the vocational unit or IPS team?
Employment Specialists have face-to-face contact within 1 week before starting a job, within 3 days after starting a job, weekly for the first month, and at least monthly for a year or more, on average, after working steadily and desired by the clients. Clients are transitioned to step down job supports from a mental health worker following steady employment. Employment specialists contact clients within 3 days of learning about the job loss.
What is time-unlimited follow along supports?
Service termination is not based on missed appointments or fixed time limits. Systematic documentation of outreach attempt. Engagement and outreach attempts made by integrated team members. Multiple home/community visits. Coordinated visits by employment specialist with integrated team member. Connect with family, when applicable. Once it is clear that the no longer wants to work or continue SE services, the team stops outreach
What is assertive outreach by an integrated team?
Agency promotes competitive work through multiple strategies. Agency intake includes questions about interest in employment. Agency displays written postings (e.g., brochures, bulletin boards, posters) about employment and supported employment services. The focus should be with the agency programs that provide services to adults with severe mental illness. Agency supports ways for clients to share their work stories with other clients and staff. Agency measures rate of competitive employment and shares this information with agency leadership and staff.
What is agency focus on competitive employment?
Agency executive team members (e.g., CEO/Executive Director, Chief Operating Officer, QA Director, Chief Financial Officer, Clinical Director, Medical Director, Human Resource Director) assist with supported employment implementation and sustainability. All five key components of executive team support are present.
What is executive team support?