The goal of the new Employment services for adults with mental health or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders is to  help people living with behavioral health conditions achieve employment at regular jobs of their choosing in the community.
 
Viability will be serving individuals that qualify ies for these services in Greater Hartford and in the Southeast Region (Norwich, New London area) of Connecticut.  The contract calls for Viability to serve 197 individuals annually. This new program will create positions for 10 employment and training specialist, and one Program Manager.We are currently hiring and training staff to offer the services starting August 1st, 2022.   To date we have 7 Specialist and the program manager hired. The participating  individuals for the employment program will be referred to Viability from the Southeastern Mental Health Authority (SMHA) and Capitol Region Mental Health Center.
 
The program uses the Individual Placement and Support model of supported employment that is based on the following 8 principles:

1. COMPETITIVE EMPLOYMENT – Jobs anyone can apply for that pay at least minimum wage/same pay as coworkers with similar duties.
2. SYSTEMATIC JOB DEVELOPMENT – Employment Specialists systematically visit employers who are selected based on the job seeker’s preferences, to learn about their business needs and hiring practices.
3. RAPID JOB SEARCH – Programs use a rapid job search approach to help job seekers obtain jobs rather than assessments, training, and counseling. The first face to face contact with the employer occurs within 30 days.
4. INTEGRATED SERVICES – Programs are integrated with mental health treatment teams.
5. BENEFITS PLANNING – Employment Specialists help people obtain personalized, understandable, and accurate information about their Social Security, Medicaid, and other government entitlements.
6. ZERO EXCLUSION – People are not excluded on the basis of readiness, diagnoses, symptoms, substance use history, psychiatric hospitalizations, homelessness, level of disability, or legal system involvement.
7. TIME-UNLIMITED SUPPORTS – Job supports are individualized and continue for as long as each worker wants and needs the support.
8. WORKER PREFERENCES – Program services are based on each job seeker’s preferences and choices.

 
For more information about this program please contact Gregg Thompson, Regional Vice President gthompson@viability.org 

For employment opportunities for these positions contact humanresources@viability.org or visit https://www.viability.org/careers