The Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation is

During this Webinar, Dr. Elliott will present qualitative findings from interviews she conducted with working professionals who self-identified as having mental illness. The results will be drawn primarily from this publication, co-authored with Jordan Reuter.

The world was a different place when IPS was introduced more than three decades ago. Yet despite changes in the economy, employment opportunities, hiring practices, evolution of the Internet and the ubiquity of mobile devices, and our experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, IPS has continued to be the gold standard. Today’s webinar will explore two papers based upon data collected through New York State’s extensive IPS initiative which focus on successful IPS implementation in the 2020’s. Two questions addressed are whether digital platforms (e.g., employers’ websites and online application processes) have diminished the importance of IPS employment specialists’ time spent in the community, and what has been the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on IPS implementation and outcomes?

This webinar draws on findings from a project in which vocational staff of a peer-run program were trained to deliver IPS along with work-focused health and wellness supports. Recipients of peer-delivered IPS plus health promotion achieved higher rates of competitive employment compared to those receiving peer-delivered generic supported employment services. The peer IPS team also achieved high fidelity to the IPS model's principles and practices. Discover the benefits of integrating peer support into the delivery of evidence based IPS, and what research reveals tells us about how this can be done.
Dr. Cook is an internationally recognized authority on mental health services research, specifically the study of clinical and rehabilitation outcomes of children and adults receiving community-based care. She directs a federally funded research center along with numerous grants and contracts focused on intervention science, psychiatric epidemiology, and outcomes research. She designs and implements innovative programs to enhance the health and behavioral health of vulnerable populations. She works with federal, state and local authorities on behavioral health service system redesign and alternative financing strategies. Her recent work focuses on randomized controlled trials of evidence-based practice treatments for serious mental illness, and outcomes of individuals with co-occurring mental illness and chronic medical conditions. She consults with federal agencies including the National Institutes of Health, Social Security Administration, Department of Labor, Government Accountability Office, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and Veteran’s Administration.  
This event is supported by funding from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant 90RTEM0004). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Ever wonder what researchers are finding out about employment for people with mental illnesses/mental health conditions? The Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation is pleased to present “Making Sense of Employment Research”, a webinar series designed to discuss a recent published research study, in a clear and relevant way, even for those who know little or nothing about research.
Matthew J. Smith's presentation will focus on his program of research that develops and evaluates virtual reality job interview training as an enhancement to existing employment services, in particular, the individual placement and support model of supported employment.
Matthew J. Smith, PhD, is a Professor of Social Work at the University of Michigan and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Smith is the director of the NIH-Funded Level Up: Employment Skills Simulation Lab. The mission of his lab is to develop and evaluate technology-based interventions to help obtain and sustain employment for people from marginalized and underserved communities.
This event is supported by funding from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant 90RTEM0004). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this project do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

"The Peer Support Specialist Workforce During Covid-19: Changes, Challenges, and Opportunities"

COVID-19-related lockdowns of 2020 dramatically impacted all of us - including Peer Support Specialists (PSS) and the field of Peer Support. This webinar will explore how PSS experienced these changes, including challenges and benefits. We will review major findings from two national surveys of PSS conducted in May and December 2020, and discuss how lessons from this data can inform the future of Peer Support.

Dr. Wallis Adams is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at CSU East Bay in Hayward, CA, where she teaches courses related to the sociology of mental health, medical sociology, and research methods. Prior to this, she was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Boston University's Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation. Her research focuses on recovery-oriented services, peer support, implementation science, stigma, and organizational culture.

Ever wonder what researchers are finding out about employment for people with mental illnesses/mental health conditions?

Making Sense of Employment Research webinar series presents research findings about employment for people with mental illness and mental health conditions. These webinars are designed to discuss a recent research study and publication in a clear and relevant way, even for those who know little or nothing about research.

Join us for our next webinar: Supporting Business Owners with Psychiatric Disabilities presented by Dr. Laysha Ostrow

Dr. Laysha Ostrow will discuss findings  from a survey of self-employed individuals  with mental health challenges,  focusing on what supports and services  these business owners were most likely to  use or find helpful, as well as learnings  about designing supports specific to  their needs and preferences. Laysha Ostrow is the founder and CEO of Live & Learn, Inc. and is the Principal Investigator on two federally-funded field initiated grants: the Certified Peer Specialist Career Outcomes Study, and Reclaiming Employment. She is a Co-Investigator on the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion of Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities and the University of Illinois at Chicago's Center on Mental Health Services Research & Policy. In addition to her duties at Live & Learn, Inc., Dr. Ostrow is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Community and Global Health at Claremont Graduate University. Dr. Ostrow has first-hand lived experience of the special education, Social Security disability, and psychiatric systems and is driven by a mission to improve these systems through research that advances the use of evidence-based practices in real-world settings.

Joe Marrone, M.Ed. presents  on his article Long-Term Unemployment: A Social Determinant Underaddressed Within Community Behavioral Health Programs

Making Sense of Employment Research webinar series presents research findings about employment for people with mental illness and mental health conditions. These webinars are designed to discuss a recent research study and publication in a clear and relevant way, even for those who know little or nothing about research. 

Community Mental Health Center Staff Attitudes About Employment for Persons with Serious Mental Illness by Debra L. Brucker, MPA, PhD.

As a research associate professor at the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability, Dr. Debra Brucker studies the economic, health, and social well-being of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable populations. She has over 20 years of applied policy research experience and has held social and health policy research positions at academic institutions, research organizations, and state agencies.

Learn about the results from the recent research publication, “Work-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Complement Vocational Services for People with Mental Illness: Pilot Study Outcomes Across a 6-Month Post-treatment Follow-Up.” Lead author of this research, Dr. Marina Kukla, PhD, will discuss this study in a clear and relevant way, even if you know little or nothing about research.