Bridgeways 11/1/2017 - Laserfiche WebLink

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Bridgeways Employment Services Safe Streets Supported Employment Pilot Project Objective. To provide a new supportive resource for individuals encountering obstacles to employment related to behavioral health concerns,in alignment with the Safe Streets Plan and short/long--term recommendations of the Community Streets Initiative. Employment and Mental Health The Community Streets Initiative Task Force identified mental health as a chief concern negatively impacting street-level social issues. Throughout the final report and recommendations issued by the task force, lack of employment is noted as a harmful condition, and employment and job supports are noted as possibly remedies. The unemployment rate in.Snohomish County is currently 3.1%. Yet recent data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration show the unemployment rate for those engaged in public mental health services in Washington State is almost 87%. The majority of people with mental illness want to work. In fact,for many people living with mental illness,employment is a key step toward recovery! Researchers have found that"most people with mental illness who are working experience improved self-esteem,better social functioning,reduced financial stress, greater satisfaction with finances and fewer hospitalizations."Even for individuals with varying degrees of mental health stability, employment brings meaning and purpose to life. Bridgeways Experience with Employment Services Bridgeways has a 35-year history of creating precious job opportunities for adults living with mental illness,who typically face significant barriers to employment. We do this through two primary avenues: "Mission-focused Employees" working in our own AS9100C and IS09001:2008 certified manufacturing division—real jobs for real pay;and our Supported Employment Program, where employment specialists work with individuals seeking a job in the community. While our manufacturing division has been core to our mission all along, we launched the Supported Employment Program in 2011 to provide an additional avenue of opportunity to help those we serve achieve their employment goals. With an individualized approach,we help each client fmd the right job for them,taking strengths,abilities,talents and preferences into account. Since 2011,supported employment has grown from serving about 15 individuals annually to 215 last year. Pilot Program Target Population Bridgeways proposes a 2-year pilot initiative, which will replicate our existing Supported Employment Program. To provide additional diversion tools and opportunities for successful community integration, individualized supportive employment services will be tailored for: