The establishment of meaningful roles and purpose beyond the limitations of a mental health diagnosi

1
HomeWORK

• The establishment of meaningful roles and
  purpose beyond the limitations of a mental health
  diagnosis or disability, the opportunity to take
  a risk and fail, and the development of ones own
  life in the community are imperative- Lynde

2
HomeWORK

• Kick-Off

3
HomeWORK

• Things to Think About
• What is the role of employment in ending
  homelessness?
• What is the connection between employment and
  housing?
• Should work receive the same importance as social
  services?
• If yes Why If no Why Not?
• What is your view? What is your tenants view?

4
HomeWORK

• WHAT is HomeWORK?
• The HomeWORK project is a unique approach to
  helping supportive housing tenants enter the
  workforce (or advance in their employment),
  improve their earnings, and/or strengthen their
  education and training.

5
HomeWORK

• WHO are the HomeWORK Partners?
• HomeWORK is a joint undertaking between the
  Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH),
  Department of Mental Health and Addiction
  Services (DMHAS), and the Bureau of
  Rehabilitation Services (BRS). Funded through
  the CT Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG).

6
HomeWORK

• WHO will HomeWORK Benefit?
• This project will serve DMHAS funded supportive
  housing agencies in Bridgeport, Hartford and New
  Haven. The HomeWORK Team will also offer
  employment resources to agencies serving
  supportive housing residents statewide, an
  Employment Info-line service.

7
HomeWORK

• WHAT will HomeWORK Do?
• This project will assist agencies with targeted
  trainings, program-specific technical assistance,
  or other resources as identified by you and your
  staff as being of greatest benefit. These
  services and resources will assist tenants in
  obtaining and retaining employment with the
  ultimate goal of helping them move toward
  self-sufficiency.

8
HomeWORK

• WHO will Help You Do It?
• HomeWORK staffing includes a Project Coordinator,
  a Benefits Coordinator and 2 Employment
  Facilitators
• They will work directly with Housing Case
  Managers, Program Managers and Coordinators
  working in Supportive Housing.

9
HomeWORK
10
HomeWORK

• SHARED GOALS
• 200 tenants of Supportive Housing will be
  employed in Bridgeport, Hartford and New Haven by
  2011
• 35 Tenants will enter educational programs
• Supportive housing agencies will increase their
  knowledge regarding employment services, referral
  and support protocols.
• Supportive housing agencies will utilize Ticket
  to Work Program

11
BENEFITS TO RESIDENTS Residents Who Are Working
Experience.

• -Higher self-esteem
• -Better control of psychiatric symptoms
• -Some may be motivated to reduce substance use
• -Can help decrease criminal behavior
• -Lower rates of relapse and moderation in the
  occurrence and severity of relapse
• -Greater satisfaction with finances, social
  connections and leisure activities
• -Some studies document lower re-hospitalization
  rates and reduced psychiatric symptom severity
• Work is BENEFICIAL to RECOVERY!
  HomeWORK

12
BENEFITS TO AGENCIES When Residents Are Working

• -Staff and tenants feel more hopeful about their
  jobs
• -Tenants develop skills on the job that transfer
  to other arenas of their lives, including problem
  solving with peers
• -Tenants are less dependent on entitlements and
  seek out new opportunities (apartments,
  recreation, education, transportation, etc.)
• -Tenants psychological status, family and social
  relationships often improve, including with their
  peers at the housing site
• -Tenants are more empowered and participate
  positively in the residential community
• HomeWORK
• -

13
BENEFITS TO AGENCIES When Residents Are Working

• -Working tenants model more normalized
  lifestyles and community roles for one another
• -There are fewer tenant/housing crises tenants
  rely less on case managers and more on one
  another
• -Tenants develop a natural support system
  outside the agency and richer relationships with
  peers
• -Agencies are positioned to collect
  employment/educational outcome data for funders
• -Agencies often save on client support money as
  residents are able to manage basic needs
• HomeWORK

14
HomeWORK Making Your Collaborations Work Better
For You
Housing Case Management, Residential Stability,
Community Supports
Desire to Work, Desire to Build Community
CT Dept of Mental Health and Addiction Services
Supportive Housing Residents
Supportive Housing Providers
Clinical Supports, Peer Training, Vocational
Counseling, Job Development
Supported Education, Supported Employment,
Clubhouses
Vocational Counseling, Education/ Vocational
Funding and Training, Job Placement
DMHAS Employment Service Agencies
CT Bureau of Rehabilitation Services
CT DOL/Workforce Investment Board
Corporation for Supportive Housing
CTWorks Career Centers, Education/ Training
Funds, Job Seeking Workshops
Employment Staff Training, Resources, and
Technical Assistance
Disability Resources, Employer Connections,
Disability Career Center
Connect-Ability www.connect-ability.com
15
HomeWORK

• MENU OF SERVICES
• Technical Assistance
• - Best Practices in Supportive Housing Employment
• - Benefits Counseling for Supportive Housing
  Staff
• - Creating a Work Ready Supportive Housing
  Environment
• - Creating a Work Ready Service Plan
• - Going to Work with a Criminal History
• Community Linkage
• -Lunch Time Forums - Finding and Working with
  Your Local One-Stops
• -Navigating the Community College System
• -Connecting with Stimulus Money

16
HomeWORK

• Staff Training
• -Department of Mental Health and Addition
  Services Education and Training Division
  www.ct.gov/dmhas/educationtraining
• -Department of Mental Health and Addiction
  Services Supportive Housing Training Series
  http//www.ct.gov/dmhas/lib/dmhas/educationtrainin
  g/HousingTraining09.pdf
• -HomeWORK Training From Training to Practice
  Making sense and putting into action all those
  Employment Trainings
• -From Stimulus to Employment Putting the
  Stimulus Money to Work for Your Tenants
• -Ticket To Work From A to Z

17
HomeWORK

• Resources
• -RE-ENTRY National Hire Network
  http//www.hirenetwork.org
• -Connect-ability http//www.connect-ability.com/
• -Chronic Homeless Technical Assistance (CHETA)
  http//www.csh.org/index.cfm?nodeid94
• -Connecticut Business Leaders Network
  http//www.ctbln.com
• -Connecticut Department of Labor
  http//www.ctdol.state.ct.us
• -Job Coaches http//www.brs.state.ct.us/pdfs/Con
  sumerHandbook2008.pdf
• -Vocational Rehabilitation Program
  www.brs.state.ct.us
• -National Transitional Job Network
  http//www.transitionaljobs.net

18
HomeWORK

• CONTACTS
• Wendy Coco CSH [phone] Ext.3
• wendy.coco_at_csh.org
• Fran Martin CSH [phone] Ext.2
• francesca.martin_at_csh.org
• Letticia Brown-Gambino, Project Coordinator CSH
• [phone] Ext.5 letticiabrowngambino_at_yahoo.com
  
• Marcie Thompson, Benefits Coordinator Career
  Resources
• [phone] thompson_at_careerresources.org
• Muriel Tomer, Employment Facilitator Columbus
  House
• [phone] Ext. 202 murielt_at_columbushouse.org