2009/10 ANNUAL REPORT - Canadian Mental Health Association

Employment Support Services
Employment is an essential component to recovery for those experiencing
a serious mental illness (SMI). Persons with a serious mental illness are
less likely to be employed than any other group of persons with a
disability (Statistics show only 1 in 10 SMI clients are employed).
The Employment Support Services Program (ESS) seeks to break the
chronic cycle of unemployment and isolation that occurs for many of
those experiencing a serious mental illness. The end result is a better
level of overall wellness, improved self-esteem and quality of life.
Clients of the program have access to a number of onsite services.
Supports such as job preview, job coaching, experiential training,
resume development, work hardening, interview strengthening, and
employment search skills come together, all with the aim of getting the
client employed and keeping them employed in jobs that engage their
interests and provide an improvement to their income levels, societal
attachment and overall wellness.
The Individual Placement & Support service model (IPS), focusing on paid
employment of the individual’s choice, rapid employment engagement,
and the provision of time unlimited supports where needed, continues
to provide excellent results in assisting clients to attain their employment
goals.
Despite a challenging economic climate, and an even more difficult
employment environment across the province, the ESS program
continues to build from the success of previous years, with employment
remaining above 50 percent of those in service. Clients of the
program have been successful in attaining employment within various
industries including; retail, grocery, culinary, hospitality, janitorial,
building maintenance, education / instruction, healthcare, agriculture,
construction, security, accounting / finance, childcare, automotive
repair, warehousing, and manufacturing.
During the period, the program has been working with the City of
Windsor Ontario Works Department developing a proposal to provide
employment supports to clients on their case roster that are experiencing
a mental illness and wishing to pursue employment. Our proposal
was accepted in January of this year and will see service begin in
the spring of 2010. It is expected to serve an additional 80 people in
the community who might not have otherwise been able to access
specialized employment supports.
ESS continues to work towards creating partnerships with local
businesses in order to raise the awareness of mental health issues
within the workplace, and to create and or identify employment
opportunities for our clients. We view these partnerships as critical
in breaking down the stigma that exists, while making a positive
impact on employment statistics like those referenced above for our
consumers.
Recently the Mental Health Commission of Canada has developed an
advisory committee to investigate issues surrounding the employment
and potential for employment of persons with mental health illness
in an effort to determine how best to ensure access to gainful
employment and/or continued employment, sustainable income, and
essential health benefits for those that become employed. CMHA-
WECB is hopeful this effort, along with the services we provide, send
the important message to clients that they are not alone, that they
can reclaim their well-being, and there is hope for a better tomorrow
through employment and employment related activities.
Client
Employment
Rate %
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
Andrew Renaud Chris Coulson Eli El-Moosleh and Staff
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