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MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY PROCESS

WORK/MEANINGFUL ACTIVITY
 

DEPENDENT/
UNAWARE

DEPENDENT/
AWARE

INDEPENDENT/
AWARE

INTERDEPENDENT/
AWARE

CONSUMER’S STATUS

 Lacks information & knowledge as related to employment opportunities or meaningful activities;

Unaware of relationship between employment & well-being;

Lacks confidence;

May be in crisis;

May be employed.

Aware of knowledge of self & aware of benefits of employment as related to well being;

May not be ready to find employment;

Fear’s failure, lack of self confidence, insecure & unable to be self-sustaining;

May not have interaction and/or decision-making skills needed for work environment;

May be afraid of losing benefits;

Depends on others to assist in finding employment;

May be employed.

Identifies needs & interests related to employment while still exploring vocational potential & skills;

Self focused;

Capable of sustaining existence;

May be employed in a supportive or competitive environment;

May take on too much that results in increased stress;

May be vulnerable to relapse.

Locates employment consistent with interests & skills;

Develops personal supports to maintain employment & implement meaningful career goals;

Focuses beyond self;

Career-minded;

Understands role(s) in work environment & seeks to contribute.

CLINICIANS’ ROLES

 Fosters expectation of hope;

Promotes well being;

Creates expectation that employment or some form of meaningful activity is possible and will enhance well being;

Makes aware of incentives & educational benefits;

Promotes stabilization leading to or enabling continued work and other meaningful activity;

Assists in symptom management and medication stabilization.

Aware of importance of work or other meaningful activity in recovery;

Assists consumer in determining employment and/or activity interests;

Allocates individualized resources (i.e., support for individual stress & benefit consultation) for employment readiness;

Makes aware the relationship between work and well being;

Offers range of educational opportunities that focus on prevocational & job readiness;

Provides information about medication benefits and/or side effects and their impact upon work performance;

Provides basic illness management training.

 Meets consumer’s needs & interests related to employment while still encouraging exploration of vocational potential & skills;

Refers to appropriate resources;

Provides employment support;

Assures ongoing availability of support;

Assists with medication management;

Makes consumer aware of vulnerabilities, benefits & pitfalls of developing skills & self-confidence.

Assists consumer in choosing from a broad range of meaningful work activities, including needed supports;

Fosters alliance and/or partnership with consumer to ensure adequacy of continued supports.

COMMUNITY SUPPORTS’ ROLES

 Makes resources available to support employment;

Maintains resource list of community action organizations, recreation facilities, volunteer opportunities, etc.;

Educates community employment, recreation and volunteer organizations about the needs and benefits of including consumers as volunteer workers/employers/ members;

Educates constituents about the work needs of the mental health consumer.

Provides support directed toward consumer & societal protection;

Provides information about mental health resources including referral sources & appropriate clinical & vocational systems.

Makes accommodations for consumer in community work activities;

Makes resources available to support meaningful employment and other consumer chosen activities.

Actively seeks out and integrates mental health consumer into full range of meaningful work and other activities;

Advocates for the rights & needs of the mental health consumer;

Allocates necessary resources to support mental health consumer when integrating into community and developing his/her career.

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MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY PROCESS EMERGING BEST PRACTICES

WORK/MEANINGFUL ACTIVITY
 

DEPENDENT/
UNAWARE

DEPENDENT/
AWARE

INDEPENDENT/
AWARE

INTERDEPENDENT/
AWARE

CONSUMER’S
BEST PRACTICES

 Begins to value work and/or meaningful activities;

Develops awareness of work readiness skills;

Begins to see possibilities;

May participate in self-help groups.

Begins participating in self-centered planning process;

Begins making decisions;

Participates with clinician in an employment screening to determine appropriate vocation;

Makes decision about when & how to disclose to employer.

Through employment counseling and/or working with job coach/supports, develops appropriate boundaries & interpersonal skills for transition into desired level of employment;

Develops a sense of balance relative to work & other functional roles (i.e., stress management, etc.).

Uses mature support system as needed;

Maintains work for self;

Values work as it relates to recovery;

Acts as role model for other consumers;

Advocates for fairness in hiring & expansion of work opportunities for mental health consumers;

Educates hiring organizations about mental health consumers.

CLINICIANS’
BEST PRACTICES

 Encourages/promotes participation in meaningful activities on a regular basis;

Involves consumer in groups to enhance self confidence;

Evaluates with consumer his/her ability, emotional, skill level to participate in employment or meaningful activities;

Provides support in developing needed skills (job coaching, interviewing, etc.);

Uses understanding of ADA to benefit consumer;

Provides support in developing needed skills (job coaching, interviewing, etc.);

Provides to consumer tours  of potential employment settings;

Uses speakers to explain potential work expectations;

Supports volunteer work as meaningful activity;

Adjusts medications to manage side effects & promote optimum participation.

 Provides or links consumer to vocational training, including developing resumes, preparing for interviews, dressing for success and making use of available transportation;

Provides or links consumer to work adjustment groups to discuss the benefits of employment and share success with other employed consumers who are in their recovery process; discuss work stressors that impact illness; and identify strategies for reducing stress;

Ensures consumer understands social security and work incentive programs;

Assists with issues relating to disclosure;

Involves consumer in groups for purposes of understanding role of a "good employee," establishing & maintaining relationships & understanding safety issues.

Provides educational opportunities that relate to employment accommodations & supports; establishing boundaries; developing interpersonal communication skills and stress management techniques;

Observes consumer in work environment & provides feedback;

Provides opportunities for work adjustment group discussion of productivity issues; strategies & techniques for meeting fellow employees; techniques for interacting with fellow employees in social situations;

Reviews with consumer workday schedule.

Assists consumer in defining life goals;

Works with consumer on developing skills that result in cultivating relationships at work & outside of work;

Works with consumer on refining stress management skills.

COMMUNITY SUPPORTS’
BEST PRACTICES

 Maintains resource list of community action organizations, recreation facilities, volunteer opportunities, etc.;

Makes grants available to businesses to develop nontraditional work opportunities that will accommodate individuals recovering from mental illness;

Mental health agencies place job advertisements in business section of newspapers;

Invites speakers to community agencies to discuss consumers’ and employment needs;

Mental health agencies hire, train and retain consumers.

 Provides consumers with a complementary array of services that are acceptable & meets their needs;

Provides services through Peer Support Providers, Consumer Operated Services & Ohio Rehabilitation Commission (BVR & BBVI).

Provides a variety of meaningful work activities & supports which accommodate developing consumers’ career path;

Provides appropriate employment related benefits in a nondiscriminatory fashion (e.g., health care, holidays, vacations).

Advocates for consumer work rights;

Works to reduce stigma, especially in work place.

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