The NIDRR-funded Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion has three new publications:

A Practical Guide for People with Mental Health Conditions Who Want to Work

Although a staggering number of individuals with mental health conditions do not work, competitive employment remains a vibrant goal for most, and the truth is that most people with mental health conditions are able to work successfully if they receive the supports they need. The Temple University Collaborative is proud to present “A Practical Guide for People with Mental Health Conditions Who Want to Work,” designed for people with mental health conditions who want to return to successful careers. In fifteen brief and beautifully illustrated chapters, the Guide offers encouragement and vital information on the importance of work, the availability of rehabilitation programs, the ins and outs of the Social Security Administration’s work incentives, the challenges of starting a new job and grappling with disclosure, and strategies for long-term success at work – and more. Designed for those with mental health conditions to use on their own or as part of a return-to-work group in community mental health centers, psychiatric rehabilitation programs, or peer-run agencies, the Guide focuses on helping people to achieve economic self-sufficiency.

Facilitator’s Manual: A Practical Guide for People with Mental Health Conditions Who Want to Work

The “Facilitator’s Manual” is designed to be used in conjunction with the Practical Guide to Employment to help counselor’s in community mental health centers, consumer self-help programs or psychiatric rehabilitation services (among other settings) who want to develop structured ways to use the Guide with groups of people with a mental health condition who are considering work. The Manual provides an overview of the demands of operating a ‘work-focused group’ and then provides a chapter-by-chapter set of exercises, suggestions, discussion questions and additional sources of information which group leaders will find helpful in structuring group activities around each of the Guide’s important topics.

The Roles of Peer Specialists in Promoting Competitive Employment

The roles that peer specialists can play in promoting competitive employment with the people they serve are delineated in this ‘Policy Guidance’ from the Pennsylvania Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (P/OMHSAS) to county mental health offices and community based programs.  Because Pennsylvania’s peer specialist programs are Medicaid-funded, the Policy Guidance focuses on what types of employment-related services are and are not reimbursable under existing Medicaid guidelines, as well as approaches to documentation that can insure the delivery of appropriate services and supports in the vocational arena.  The Policy Guidance can serve as a useful tool in other Medicaid-funded state settings.

These documents and many other resources are available through the Temple Collaborative’s website.