MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION

Presentationfor the State Workgroup

meeting June 7, 2006

CENTERPOINT HUMAN SERVICES

LME Leadership Commits to Support Project:

Supported Employment expert is brought in to brief Executive Leadership Team: Basic Knowledge

EBP Spokes person to educate entire LME leadership team about the importance of the project.

DMH/DD/SAS liaison for ongoing support of project.

LME Assigns Internal Department:

Government and Community Relations selected for collaboration function.

Staff person is appointed to take the lead in the project.

Recovery Coordinator position developed, CFAC member hired.

Additional manpower found through MSW intern, rounds out work team.

Provider focus group held:

The purpose of the focus group is to find out current supported employment status for MH consumers in the LME catchment area. Both current providers and potential providers were included in the focus group.

Work Team meets with Vocation Rehabilitation Counselor One on One: Lead VR Counselor for MH

caseload interviewed to find out about VR supported employment process.

Work Team holds private meetings with several key provider reps.

Gain perspective, learn the issues, seek support.

In Person Training Arranged for LME Staff

Concepts of evidence-based practices and the LME role in implementing supported employment as one of these practices.

Key Point: Assess staff needs first, don’t assume.

LME Executive Leadership Directs Study of Infrastructure needs:

Project Team meet with key LME Staff One on One or small groups

Input from LME Staff provides basis for comprehensive Action Plan written and organized using the functions of the LME.

A Manual to implement Supported Employment is a major product.

Key Stakeholders are brought together: Three meetings held with major

players. Seven core principles reviewed. Current practices and barriers

discussed. The first two meetings involved

brainstorming. The third meeting focused on further

consolidation of the to do list and assigning tasks for implementation.

Major players by role who need to attend: SE Consumer CFAC representative LME Recovery Coordinator Local VR director and supported employment

counselor Local supported employment providers Business Leadership Network Chairperson LME representatives Project Leader, Executive

Staff, Q.I. Staff LME Intern Community Support Team leader and Community Support professional DMH/DD/SAS LME liaison and supported

employment best practices team member DVR staff Division Office

The 7 Core Principles of Supported Employment: Eligibility is based on consumer choice. No

one is excluded who wants to participate. Supported employment is integrated with

treatment: Employment specialists coordinate plans with the treatment team; the case manager, the therapist, psychiatrist, etc.

Competitive employment is the goal. The focus is community jobs anyone can apply for that pay at least minimum wage, including part-time and full-time jobs.

The 7 core principles of supported employment using evidenced-based practices Job search starts soon after a consumer expresses

interest in working. There are no requirements for completing extensive pre-employment assessment and training, or intermediate work experiences (like pre-vocational work units, transitional employment, or sheltered workshops).

Follow-along supports are continuous. Individualized supports to maintain employment continue as long as consumers want the assistance.

Consumer preferences are important. Choices and decisions about work and support are individualized based on the person’s preferences, strengths, and experiences.

Benefits counseling is mandatory to meet fidelity.

Next Steps:Getting underway with Implementation

MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) is written between LME and VR and Providers.

Basic elements of the MOA are as follows: Mutual Goals, Mutual Responsibilities, VR Responsibilities, LME’s Responsibilities, and Provider’s Responsibilities.

Plan of Action:Establishing Stakeholder Commitment

Supported Employment Council will identify membership, leadership, and logistics; will oversee all ongoing work.

Membership will include at a minimum LME, VR, Providers, Consumers, Businesses, and possibly others that could be determined as the Supported Employment Council begins their work.

Plan of Action:The glue that holds things together

MOA describes development of procedures for allocating and tracking Long-Term Vocational Support Service (LTVSS) funds, contracting for and monitoring services according to the supported employment evidence-based model, including Fidelity Scale reviews of providers.

Key Product:Getting the “How To’s” on paper

The manual on evidenced-based practice for supported employment is the common denominator of the MHST project.

Manual is intended for LME’s throughout North Carolina

Stay Tuned:

The Action Plan is available for review, MOA is in handouts.

Remember it will work with education and knowledge, a staged process, Executive Leadership support, and collaboration.

To obtain further information :

Kerry MacLeod, LCSW Planning and Development

Specialist CenterPoint Human Services email: kmacleod@ cphs.org

phone: (336)714-9132