This virtual discussion will address the importance of supported employment (SE) for individuals with behavioral health needs who are reentering communities. Presenters will lay the groundwork for why it is important to focus on employment and demonstrate how supported employment can address the needs of people with behavioral health conditions who are involved in the criminal legal system.
Participants will learn programmatic steps to incorporate SE services, including building connections, encouraging work, educating clients, and checking in on clients’ progress. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn about the firsthand experience of a Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program training and technical assistance grantee in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, that has integrated supported employment within their programming. Presenters will include staff from the Policy Research Associates, Inc.
Speakers:
- Kristin Lupfer, Vice President and Program Area Director, Policy Research Associates, Inc.
- Gary Cuddeback, Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Research Fellow, Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Tonya VanDeinse, Clinical Associate Professor, School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Andrea Murray-Lichtman, Clinical Associate Professor, School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill