Program Overview
Supported Employment has been set up with the help of SAMHSA in Connecticut. That is the Substance Abused and Mental Health Services Administration. The program is meant to help adults who suffer from serious mental illness. This is also known as SMI. Along with these individuals, people included in this program are those with co-occurring mental and substance use disorders. Supported employment is meant to help them in their participation in the competitive labor market of today. The help is meant to ensure that they find meaningful jobs. It also makes sure that they keep up with their work burden through the ongoing support provided by them. This support is undertaken by an appropriate team of professionals.
The program can achieve its aim through the most integrated and competitive settings. These are meant to provide eligible individuals with opportunities that help them gain the self-sufficiency they need. This includes opportunities to live, work, and receive services in their respective community. The SE is meant to help people with SMI to discover the path of recovery. It is meant to eliminate any hurdles of disability and dependence that are likely to take place. These individuals face barriers that bring with them problems for their jobs. Both in terms of finding the jobs and keeping them. These barriers can include:
- Lack of SE programs
- The limited number of jobs available in communities
- Inadequate transportation
- Discrimination against people suffering from mental illnesses
- Limited or compromised executive functioning skills among some consumers that hinder one’s ability to perform and attend work.
This support is necessary for the eligible residents of Connecticut as it enables them to work in competitive jobs. Along with this, it also instills in them the confidence to start their businesses. This as a result increases their work activity and eventually their earnings. It helps them to achieve a standard of living that they otherwise would’ve been oblivious to.
Along with this support, the program also considers addressing certain behavioral health disparities. These disparities may take place among racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender minorities. The goal is to encourage the implementation of strategies that are meant to decrease differences. Differences may take place in the case of access, service use, and outcomes among the mentioned populations.
The Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services looks over the execution of the SE program. This is the Connecticut DMHAS which uses the program to enhance the living standards of eligible individuals. This help is provided at no cost at the agencies which are spread throughout the state.
Eligibility Criteria
To ensure that the resources of this program are put to optimal use, the eligibility criterion is set. It differentiates the deserving individuals from the rest of the population. This means that for any applying individual, it is important to fulfill the requirements set forward. In the case of the Connecticut SE program, these requirements include that the applicant must be:
- A resident of the state of Connecticut
- A US citizen or a legal alien
- An individual with SMI. The disability must prove to be a significant barrier in terms of employment. This significance will prove whether they need support services or not to survive the labor-competitive market.
- Or; an individual with co-occurring substance use disorders.
The special focus group in the case of Connecticut has also been pointed out by the SAMHSA. These are groups that are believed to enjoy the benefits of the program. It includes:
- Latinos
- Individuals who have criminal justice involvement
How to Apply
There are state agencies spread state-wide to ensure that deserving individuals receive the help that they need. These state agencies are meant to help people with their enrollment into the appropriate programs. In this case, it is the SE program. For this purpose, the state agencies that can be approached by the residents of Connecticut include:
- Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS)
- Board of Education and Services for the Blind (BESB)
- Department of Rehabilitative Services (DORS)
For Further Information
In case of queries or confusion, the contact is available on the website of Connecticut DMHAS. For individuals who feel more comfortable through telephone contact, they can simply call. The person they have to reach out to is Ellen Econs and her number is 860-418-6770. The email of Ellen Econs has also been mentioned Ellen.Econs@ct.gov
The website has in-depth information about the program in question but in case of confusion, contact is available.
