Forensic Employment Programs for Offenders with Mental Health Disabilities Declan Wynne and Latasha Billups Sound Mental Health December 14, 2011

Forensic Employment Programs for Offenders

with Mental Health Disabilities

Declan Wynne and Latasha Billups Sound Mental Health

December 14, 2011

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. ©

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Largest Integrated Behavioral Health Agency in WA

• Outpatient Mental Health Treatment

• Chemical Dependent – Enhanced Certification

• DVR and Supportive Employment Contractor

• Housing

• Specialty Population Provider


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Specialized Programs for Those Involved in the Criminal Justice System

12 Forensic Programs• FACT• FISH• ORCSP• FIRST• Court• CCAP• Sound Reentry• IDDT


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Forensic Team

• Multi-specialized staff

• Trans-disciplinary team approach

• Strong emphasis on multisystem wraparound

care


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Multi-Specialized Team

75 Forensic Specialists make up a multi-specialized disciplinary team

• Doctor of Psychology

• Masters Level Professionals

• Chemical Dependency Professional

• Domestic Violence Perpetrator Intervention Specialists

• Sex Offender Treatment Provider

• Peer supports

• Housing supports


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Trans-Disciplinary Approach

• The team as a whole is responsible for the

consumer

• The team is cross-trained

• Many team members are multi-credentialed


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Multi-System Wraparound Care

Team members include:

• Department of Corrections and Probation

• Family member(s) where possible

• Members of the Police

• Housing personnel


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Forensic Consumers

• 3,500 criminally involved consumers -700 focus of employment activities Chronically mentally ill 86% are substance abusers Approximately 75% are homeless upon referral Over 90% are unemployed

• Plus Little formal education Interrupted work history On entitlement programs for many years Low and latent skills


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Complicated by Criminal Histories

• General statistics for new referrals to MH agencies: 45% had one contact with criminal justice systems 36% had at least one criminal conviction 19% has a felony

• Sound Mental Health’s Forensic programs: 100% of jail referrals have between 2-18 convictions 100% of prison referrals have 5+ felonies

• Crimes include murder, rape and child molestations, assaultive behaviors and drug related offenses


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Sex Offenders

• Hardest challenge

• Registration

• Restriction on locations

• Probation Officers review employment

• Stigma


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The Role of Employment in Reentry Program

“Employment is a key factor for improving psychosocial outcomes for offenders with mental illness, as it improves socioeconomic status, provides social interaction, helps provide meaningful or purpose for the individual, and may be viewed as a therapeutic agent.”

Employment Outcomes and Psychosocial Outcomes for Offenders with Mental Illness. Sneed, Kock, Estes, Quinn 2006

International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitations. 10 (2), 103-112


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Reentry Portals to Vocational Services

• A Vocational Specialist is sited on each of our 4 community support campuses

• Each program (there are many at each site) has an identified team member who functions as an employment liaison, total 25

• 3 vocational specialists work exclusively with the developmentally challenged

• 9 vocational specialists in the Standard Supportive Employment high fidelity model


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Growth Brought Additional Challenge

• 700 consumers involved in the Criminal Justice System targeted for outcomes

• Our employment staff reported that assisting our criminally involved, mentally ill, substance abusing consumers was the biggest challenge and they did not have the time or skills to focus on this problem

• Our forensic staff has many priorities and employment was down the list


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The Pygmalion Effect

The Pygmalion Effect• The greater the expectation placed upon individuals the

better they perform

The opposite is also true• The lower the expectation placed on individuals the less

they perform.

• In fact, the lower the expectations the more entrenched or internalized negative label they become


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The Pygmalion Opposite Effect

Behavioral health agencies have contributed to this dilemma by having:

• Lower work expectations for the population

• Enforcing reliance on financial entitlements

• Presuming consumers are low-skilled and uneducated

• Assuming that mental illness is a barrier to working


16Interventions to Increase Employment Outcomes for Criminal Justice Involved Consumers

We developed a multi-layered strategic approach that would include:

• Forensic Team cooperation

• Criminal Justice System partnerships

• Consumer involvement

• Finding employers


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Our Task: To Motivate & Seek Change

• Find employment/employers for mentally ill, chemically dependent individuals with criminal backgrounds in an economy where jobs are scarce

• Challenge staff beliefs around consumers and employment

• Increase the consumers belief in the possibility of employment

• Include our partners who have to uphold the law and supervision requirements


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Expanded the Role & Staff of the Wraparound Team

We expanded the wraparound team to included a new position of a Forensic Vocational Coordinator to:

• To provide assistance to the consumer

• To raise and challenge the “vocational awareness” of the wraparound team

• Challenge the Pygmalion opposite effect

• Expand the portfolio of employers


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The Credibility Factor

Factors for consideration when including the Forensic Vocational Coordinator in the wraparound team

• Job description

• Where to site

• Who supervises

• Credentials


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Integration of Employment in the Treatment of the Consumer

Develop in the Electronic Record an integrated comprehensive single Service Plan that is

• Accessible to all team members, such as prescriber, mental health, housing and chemical dependency staff

• Includes the vocation and education interventions , short term objectives and goals on the plan

• Plan is developed with the client, case worker and the vocational coordinator

• The plan is overseen by the behavioral health clinician


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Wraparound Meeting & Interventions

The vocational coordinator attends the clinical meetings

• Ensures the vocational goal and the client’s progress are discussed each week

• All attendees brainstorm on readiness, skills, appropriateness and job possibilities

• An SMH benefit planner becomes involved and educates the case manager and the consumer on what can be earned without disrupting benefits

• Consumer is apprized of the conversations


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The Wraparound Team Including System Partners

The wraparound team including system partners assists with identifying employment resources where the consumer resides and participates in next steps

• DOC and clinical staff know possible employers in the consumer’s community

• Clinical staff can assist by going to the businesses, introduce, pick up resumes

• Probation officers know who employs offenders


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The Role of Peers

Employed consumers, Forensic Vocational Peers are now participating by:

• Gathering the initial work history

• Applying for financial aid at schools

• Tracking and ensuring assignments are completed

• Providing support to the vocational coordinator and for the consumers


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What is Happening with the Consumer

• Ongoing work development

• Which positions have potential

• Define essential from non-essential

• Seek employee feedback

• Thinking creatively

• Seeking out proper guidance

• Thoughtful discourse

• Open communication


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Job Development

• The consumers reasonably identify their skills and readiness through individual and group contact

• The individualized services plan shapes the next steps on which businesses to approach

• The wraparound team identifies local business resources

• The vocational coordinator researches the business

• The vocational coordinators outreach to the community


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Interview Strategies

• Educate the consumers on what Federal and State incentives are available to businesses that hire offenders

• Criminal background

• Federal resources

• State resources

• Prior to interview, the Vocational Coordinator and consumer pre-fill these applications to present to the employer during the interview

• Rehearse with the consumers how to bring these areas into the interview


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Research and Outreach Steps

• Research the business mission statement

• What the statement says about involvement in the local community

• Armed with this information, make the first contact

• Utilize person-to-person contact rather than cold calls

• Request limited time, say 5-10 minutes

• Stay focused on the business needs

• Verbally present and advocate for the consumers


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Business Reaction

• The business card identifies the agency

• Vocational Coordinator builds upon the potential employers reaction, knowledge and fears during the meeting

• Emphasis is placed on the concept of rehabilitation and how it ties to the business mission statement

• Often this is one of the first of many visits, each visit is designed to “sweeten the pot”


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How to “Sweeten the Pot”

Bartering System

• We offer: In-service Drug and Alcohol information Stress relief workshops Tutoring Community resources and referral information

• Supports: Case management supports for the consumer Consultation for the business owner Participate in business meetings


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Criminal Background

• How do we address criminality with employers?

• What kinds of crimes cause the least resistance with employers?

• What about sex offenders?

• What kind of assurances are employers looking for?


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Partnering with Community Resources

• Working closely with community colleges Do they have programs for those involved in the

criminal justice system?

• Knowing their resources Grants, GED, Trade Certifications?

• Knowing their programs Types of Degrees?

• Accessing their system Do they have a data system of potential employers? How to gain access?


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Challenges Encountered

• Client Demographics

• Client restrictions due to criminal history

• Hiring atmosphere

• Consumer expectations

• Salary

• Big Dreams

• Uncertainty

• Entitlement and expecting Vocational Specialists to work for them

• People skills


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Wraparound Challenges

• Vocational Specialist concept of disclosure

• Privacy versus Supervision requirements

• Department of Corrections and name of contact

• Personality versus criminality mentality

• Lack of respect for social norms


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Employment Challenges

• Job not what they expected

• Performance issues

• Job retention Quitting

Re-hiring

Success rates


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Targets

• Expanding the pool of vocational assistance

• Research funding opportunity

• Establishing outcomes for consumers being employed


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Employers• Retail

Major Department Stores Grocery Stores Hotels Car Rentals

• Trades Painters Demolitions Electrician

• Semi-Skilled Ware House Sport Events Catering Events


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Comments & Questions


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Contact Us

Sound Mental Health

Declan Wynne, LMHCDirector of Recovery & Integrated [email protected]

Latasha Billups, MA, CDP, EMMHS Forensic Vocational [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

https://exchange.syr.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=ed2b462279764ad6b69e8dc53ae607a3&URL=mailto%3ALathashB%40smh.org


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THANK YOU!


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Offender Webinar Series Archives Available

Obtaining Employment Outcomes for Individuals with Disabilities who have Criminal Backgrounds

• Providing Employment Services to Individuals with Disabilities who have Criminal Backgrounds

• Overview of the Legal Consideration Providers and VRCs should know when working with Offenders

• Using Customized Employment for Individuals with Disabilities who have Criminal Backgrounds

• Forensic Employment Programs for Offenders with Mental Health Disabilities


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Education Credits

CRCC Credit - (2.0) – DUE December 23

• Approved by Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) Participants must score 80% or better on a online Post

Test and submit an online CRCC Request Form via the MyTACE Portal.

CEU Credit - (0.2)• Approved by the University College at Syracuse

University Participants must submit an online CEU Request Form

via the MyTACE Portal.

My TACE Portal: TACEsoutheast.org/myportal


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Southeast TACE (Region IV)

Toll-free: (866) 518-7750 [voice/tty]

Fax: (404) 541-9002

Web: TACEsoutheast.org

My TACE Portal: TACEsoutheast.org/myportal

Email: [email protected]


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Disclaimer

This presentation was developed by the TACE Center: Region IV© 2011 with funds from the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) under the priority of Technical Assistance and Continuing Education Projects (TACE) – Grant #H264A080021. However, the contents of this presentation do not necessarily represent the policy of the RSA and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government [34 CFR 75.620 (b)].

Documents

Forensic Employment Programs for Offenders with Mental Health Disabilities Declan Wynne and Latasha Billups Sound Mental Health December 14, 2011