New Disability Employment Infographic!
Co-created with NASMHPD, this infographic addresses combining supported employment & supported education to improve outcomes among young adults.
Download the PDF |
Disability Policy Podcast!
Current Labor Force Trends are Favorable to the Practice of Supported Employment: New Opportunities for Policymakers
Knowledge of current labor force trends can be used to align public policies concerning workforce development and disability employment, accelerating economic growth and increasing workforce diversity. Learn about one way to do this through supported employment services that address the needs of workers and employers in the new economy.
U.S. Disability Employment Policy
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Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act, issued in January 2017 requires that federal agencies adopt employment goals for individuals with disabilities and provide assistance services to employees who need them because of disability. The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) is investing in systems change to increase employment for individuals with disabilities. This priority reflects the national movement called Employment First. To meet the goals of Employment First, publicly-financed systems are aligning policies, service delivery practices, and reimbursement structures to integrate employment. Some states have formally committed to this framework via official executive proclamation or formal legislative action. When states make the decision to invest in supported employment services, they realize cost savings and fulfill their legal obligations by integrating employment. |
Disability Employment Policy in Action
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7 states are expanding supported employment services for adults with mental illnesses, initiated by federal funding with a requirement to plan for long-term sustainability. Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, and Washington integrate and coordinate federal financing sources to assist people with mental illnesses in obtaining and sustaining gainful employment. States can use Medicaid waivers to offer supported employment services for people with mental illnesses. HHS ACL blog series profiles states' promising practices in integrated employment, including Medicaid-funded 1915(c) HCBS supported employment waiver services. Read about state progress in implementing Medicaid work requirements including section 1115 waiver details. |
Prevalence & Quality of Mental Health Supported Employment Services |
48 state behavioral health agencies and 51 state vocational rehabilitation agencies report on the number of IPS programs in their states, the presence of Olmstead settlements mandating employment services, and the presence of quality indicators in state supported employment programs. New SAMHSA report addresses the availability of supported employment in specialty mental health treatment facilities and facility characteristics in the U.S. |
Disability Employment Policy Resources
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Learn how investing in supported employment services could save your state money. Read how investing in supported employment services may lower use and costs of medical services for workers with mental illnesses. Consider how supported employment services help your state fulfill its legal obligations under the ADA. How to make the case for requiring community-based mental health programs to offer supported employment services in your state. See how supported employment fulfills the requirements of the federal Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) initiative. Get free training resources, webinars, and podcasts about the evidence-based employment practice called Individual Placement and Support, or IPS, at Pathways to Employment and at the IPS Employment Center. Consider key policy principles for building an effective state or county Employment First initiative. Access a free Employment first legislative toolkit. |
Moving Policy into Practice
Ready to Offer Supported Employment?
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Facilities can use SAMHSA's Supported Employment Evidence-Based Practices Kit to integrate these services into their mental health treatment programs. |
Want to Access Supported Employment?
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Use SAMHSA's Behavioral Health Treatment Locator to find specialty mental health treatment facilities that offer supported employment. Once you identify a facility, use the tool, Seeking Supported Employment, to see whether the program offers evidence-based services that have been proven to help people get and keep jobs. |
Looking to Hire Someone with a Mental Health Condition?
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Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) helps employers recruit, hire, retain, and promote individuals with disabilities by responding to their need for effective and innovative strategies to optimize their workforce. Pathways to Employment offers employers resources, webinars, and podcasts about the benefits to businesses of hiring people with mental illnesses. |
Views expressed on the Academy for Policymakers web site do not necessarily represent those of our Center or any federal agency. Our mission is to share the latest policy information and the perspectives of a variety of stakeholders without endorsement.