Community Support Programs Branch
Partnerships Around Employment for Persons with Mental Illnesses
A number of Community Support Programs (CSP) Branch initiatives touch on the importance of enhancing employment opportunities for consumers with mental illnesses. Two specific Federal partnerships exemplify the CSP Branch’s commitment to increase employment among mental health consumers:
State Partnership/Systems Change Initiative
The State Partnership/Systems Change Initiative marked a unique collaboration among Social Security Administration, Rehabilitation Services Administration, the Department of Labor, and the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). These agencies worked in conjunction with the Presidential Task Force on the Employment of Adults with Disabilities from 1998 to 2004.
This initiative was part of the Federal Government’s response to the chronic problem of the 65 to 70 percent unemployment rate among citizens with disabilities. The initiative was a major component of the Federal effort to improve employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, especially those who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), or other types of public assistance.
This initiative was designed to help a number of states develop programs with employment support services for their residents with disabilities that would:
- Increase job opportunities,
- Decrease dependence on SSDI and SSI benefits, and
- Foster the development of community resources.
For more information:
Conclusions Drawn from the State Partnership Initiative (PDF)
Federal Mental Health Action Agenda
The CSP Branch has worked in partnership with a number of Federal agencies to implement the objectives of the Federal Mental Health Action Agenda. Through the Federal Mental Health Action Agenda, SAMHSA and its Federal partners have made a commitment to increase the employment of consumers with mental illnesses.
For more information:
Federal Mental Health Action Agenda
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