LOUISIANA Community Mental Health Services Block Grant ...

EMPLOYMENT SERVICES
FY 2011 – Child/Youth
Historically, there have been multiple initiatives centered around the employment of individuals
with psychiatric disabilities. Some of these include the Louisiana Commission on the Employment
of Mental Health Consumers and the Louisiana Plan for Access to Mental Health Care. Both
initiatives developed recommendations for collaboration and programs intended to improve
transition and employment outcomes for individuals with psychiatric disabilities. These groups
convened a variety of stakeholders and collaborative partners to work on implementation of various
goals related to the service spectrum for individuals with mental illness. Additionally, the
collaborative workgroups focused on employment for adults also relate to programs for youth. As
stated in the adult section, these workgroups include: the Louisiana Medicaid Infrastructure Grant
(which facilitated the organization of the Medicaid Purchase Plan). Additionally, staff coordinates
with other programs, and program offices, such as the Disability Navigator initiative through the
Louisiana Workforce Commission (formerly Department of Labor), the Work Incentive Planning
and Assistance (WIPA) program through both the Advocacy Center and Louisiana State University,
Louisiana Rehabilitation Services, and other employment related work groups such as the WORK
PAY$ committee. This committee is comprised of community partners and is intended to further
the employment of individuals with disabilities in the state of Louisiana.
Louisiana Work Incentive Planning and Assistance (LAWIPA)
The Louisiana Work Incentive Planning and Assistance (LAWIPA) program helps Social Security
beneficiaries work through issues relating to social security benefits and employment. The program
is a coalition between the Advocacy Center of Louisiana and the LSU Health Sciences Center‟s
Human Development Center. Many individuals with disabilities who receive SSDI and/ or SSI
benefits want to work or increase their work activity. One barrier for these individuals is the fear of
losing health care and other benefits if they work. Valuable work incentive programs can extend
benefits, but are often poorly understood and underutilized. The LAWIPA coalition educates
clients and assists them in overcoming work barriers, perceived or real; and also focuses on
improved community partnerships. Benefit specialists, called Community Work Incentive
Coordinators, provide services to all Louisiana SSDI and SSI beneficiaries age 14 and older who
have disabilities. CMHC staff and clients are able to work with Coordinators to help navigate the
various work related resources (as offered in conjunction with the Ticket to Work program), and
identify on an individualized basis, the way their benefits will be impacted by going to work. The
ultimate goal of the new WIPA coalition is to support the successful employment of beneficiaries
with disabilities.
Through the Mental Health Rehabilitation (MHR) program, case management, and ACT-type
programs, referrals are routinely made to assist youth and families of children to secure and
maintain employment. Additionally, every Region / LGE has access to consumer care resources
(flex-funds) that are frequently used to assist youth and family members in finding and maintaining
employment.
Multisystemic Therapy (MST)
PART C LOUISIANA FY 2011 PAGE 200
SECTION III: CHILD/ YOUTH PLAN – CRITERION 1
COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES -- SYSTEM OF CARE & AVAILABLE SERVICES