Crossroads Employment Services: A Model of Supported Employment for Individuals

Transcription

1 No October 6, 2008 FACILITATOR S GUIDE Crossroads Employment Services: A Model of Supported Employment for Individuals Discussion The case, Crossroads Employment Services: A Model of Supported Employment for Individuals, examines how Crossroads Diversified Services (CDS) has developed supported employment for people with mental health needs. CDS is an umbrella for three different business units and the case focuses on the unit that places individuals into competitive jobs in the community. Particularly useful for classes in organizational behavior, company development or for human resources personnel, the case describes the step-by-step process which takes an individual from the Department of Rehabilitation through the training and job development program at Crossroads and into the world of paid employment. Key discussion points include employee development and training, using discretion when employing people with these kinds of disabilities, and models of supported employment. Mental health issues are often hidden, but the stigma and discrimination around these issues can present a difficult barrier. People with mental health needs have the highest rates of unemployment of any group with disabilities, yet studies from the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors show that 70% of people with mental health issues want to work. 1 Employment provides social support and is vital 1 Mental Health Association in New York State alhealthassociationinnys.pdf Senior Researcher Sylvia Sensiper, PhD, prepared this facilitator s guide for class instruction and discussion : The Regents of the University of California, Davis campus University Extension. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express permission of UCD. For more information contact: copyright@ucdavis.edu.

2 to self-esteem, but also allows people with mental health needs get themselves off of government dependency, pull themselves out of poverty and avoid homelessness. The model of supported employment described in the case will help potential employers understand the Crossroads process and practices and their benefits to a business enterprise. Crossroads works collaboratively to ensure that the employees are supported in their work and adjust to their work, and that the employers get the kind of employee they need. The case also helps readers understand how an intermediary agency works with a government agency to create a model of supported employment. Abstract In the spring of 2008, Marketplace assistant manager Melanie Smith is working on the grocery store s employee schedule for the coming months. With two clerks set to depart for vacation and a deli manager leaving on maternity leave, Smith needs someone to fill in on a couple of shifts. Her initial solution is to offer already working employees some extra hours and her first choice would be Julius Wise, an industrious courtesy clerk. In the past, Wise has not wanted to work additional hours, but Smith s boss, Jose Rodrigo, knows that Wise is trying to save for a car and suggests that Smith ask him if he would like to work an extra shift or two. Smith knows that Wise has mental health issues because he was hired through Crossroads, but she has had no indication of a lack of capacity. Smith decides to approach Wise with an offer. The case details the careful and comprehensive process that Crossroads has developed to help employees with psychiatric disabilities find suitable employment in the competitive marketplace. The Crossroads mission is twofold: the company has a commitment to help their clients through their contract with the Department of Rehabilitation, but they are also responsible for helping the companies in which they place clients as employees. To this end, they have created relationships with numerous employers and have developed a step-by-step process that helps the employee to understand the workplace and to succeed at attaining and retaining the job. Crossroads also maintains a follow-along program to ensure that the employee continues to be successful in his or her career. This can entail moving up in the original company in which they are placed or getting a new job with a different organization. Pedagogy The case describes Crossroad s comprehensive process for finding jobs for individuals who face obstacles to successful employment due to mental health issues. The management dilemma of the case involves determining how to fill scheduled positions when people are out on vacation or maternity leave. The manager, Melanie Smith, wants No

3 to ask Julius Wise, an exemplary employee, but Wise has always refused offers of additional work. Smith is aware that Wise has a disability, because of the agency through which he was hired, but it is to Wise s credit, and the discretion of Crossroads, that the disability does not negatively impact his employment. The case describes the entire process of the supported employment model from both the agency and client points of view. Careful readers will find that there are mechanisms within the supported employment model that will help Wise manage new hours. Wise received coaching when he first was learning to adapt to the Marketplace job and as an alumnus of Crossroads, Wise participates in the follow-along program managed by Christa Reed. If Wise decides to accept his manager s offer of extra hours, the follow-along program would offer the necessary support, if he made a request. Helping potential employers to understand the model of supported employment can strengthen their ability to manage an employee with psychiatric disability. Managers will know what resources the employee can draw on and how they might approach a worker when they want to ask for extra help or time, or to offer a more complex job. The case covers these topics: 1. Understanding of the variation in models of supported employment 2. Benefits of the supported employment model for individual employees 3. Learning how to work with intermediary organizations 4. Employing discretion and etiquette when working with people with mental health issues 5. The value of work for an individual with mental health needs 6. The benefits an intermediary agency can provide employers Teaching Plan The class discussion should revolve around these three teaching points. The order will depend on the student population the instructor is teaching and the particular points the instructor wishes to emphasize. Teaching points: 1. Understanding the intermediary organization 2. Understanding supported employment 3. Using discretion when working with employees with mental health needs. No

4 1. Understanding the intermediary organization Intermediary organizations often lie at the boundaries of employment and social services and fill gaps and negotiate differences that individuals, on their own, might have trouble overcoming. In this case, Crossroads Employment Services bridges the gap between those with mental disabilities who would like to work and potential employers who might be reluctant to employ someone who doesn t have a stable work history. (In another case in this series, Considering Management: Kalexin Baoerjiin, intermediary organizations also help employees access jobs they might have difficulty finding on their own. In particular, Lift, Inc. employs software engineers with disabilities and then subcontracts them to IBM. If the contract works out, the employee is then hired permanently by IBM.) Crossroads contract is with the Department of Rehabilitation and their clients are the people with disabilities who come to them through this department. But in order to place their clients successfully, Crossroads must stay sensitive to the needs of the employers and must ensure that, to the best of their ability, the clients are adapting well and being productive. In that sense, it is a collaborative effort and employers need not compromise on the quality of the work that is accomplished by employees who come to them through Crossroads. Crossroads Employment Services is part of a larger company, Crossroads Diversified Services, which utilizes various modes of supported employment. CES, referred to in the case simply as Crossroads, uses an individual placement model, helping individuals with job skills, résumés, and interviews, and placing them into competitive jobs in the greater Sacramento area. Crossroads ensures they continue to do well through the follow-along program. 2. Understanding supported employment The case details the various modes of supported employment as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). The small business model, the mobile work crew model and the enclave model are currently in use, and Crossroads Diversified Services employs some of these models. But Crossroads Employment uses an individual placement model. The case details the trajectory of services that Crossroads offers their clients on the path towards permanent employment. Application process at the Department of Rehabilitation. Employment specialist works with the client on assessments and tests at Crossroads. Department of Rehabilitation develops an Individualized Plan for No

5 Employment (IPE). A job developer works with the client on résumés and interview technique at Crossroads. Crossroads offers clients Job Seeking Skills, a three-day workshop and the continuing support of Job Club. Individual considers options based on interests, tests and counseling and then makes an informed decision. Crossroads ensures that the client understands the job and provides the help of a job coach, usually on-site. Crossroads offers a follow-along service to ensure that the client remains comfortable in the job and that, if issues arise, they can be dealt with quickly. 3. Using discretion when working with employees with mental health needs Crossroads offers its employment services with full disclosure. In other words, employers that use their services know the mission of the organization is to help people with mental health needs to obtain and retain permanent employment, whether it is parttime or full-time. And employers like Marketplace want to be of help, as long it is conducive to their overall business strategy. Crossroads asks its clients not to disclose a great deal of information about their mental health issues as it can create misunderstandings in the workplace. The Crossroads staff is available to mediate differences or issues that may arise, either during the initial coaching period of three months, or throughout the term of employment, which continues under the supervision of the follow-along program. In the case, Julius Wise is a model employee. He begins as a part-time worker and transitions easily into a full 40-hour week. Given his work habits, the employer, Marketplace, does not think of him as a person with a mental health issues, and it is important to discuss this underlying and subtle tension of the case. Maintaining a healthy balance of work and time off is paramount for all employees, yet even more important for an employee with a history of mental health needs. This is also an important point in regard to other kinds of changes, such as adjustments or modification of work schedules or promotions into other positions. Managers should simply be aware of the impact of change, listen carefully to the employee and be sensitive to the issue. The case also makes clear the ongoing relationship that Crossroads maintains with their employees; should a manager wish to negotiate with an employee or understand an employee s reservations or issues, a facilitator from Crossroads would be available as a mediator. No

6 There is no typical client that comes to Crossroads. Some have had mental health issues all their lives, others have recently fallen ill or had some sort of a mental collapse. All of Crossroads clients want to work and the company makes a thorough assessment of their capabilities. The case briefly profiles Julius Wise, a man who has struggled for stability in his life for many years. He has worked off and on, but without a stable work record has had trouble getting employed, and also staying sober. In coming to Crossroads, Wise finally put all the pieces together. The organization helped him get back on his feet and the follow-along program continues to offer him an additional anchor in his life. Students should also know that Wise did succeed in saving enough money to buy a car and currently drives to work. No