Alaska Mental Health Trust Employment Initiative

2016

This application will bring a demonstrated approach to systems change and technical assistance in collaboration with the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority (AMHTA) and its beneficiary stakeholders in Alaska to increase employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities targeted by the Beneficiary Employment Initiative. The Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) is uniquely positioned for this application given its extensive experience working with state Behavioral Health, Vocational Rehabilitation, and IDD (in Alaska, the SDS) agencies to support increased employment outcomes. Over the past 25 years, ICI has conducted research on trends in employment outcomes and has developed the High Performing States Model (Hall, Butterworth, Winsor, Gilmore, Metzel, 2007) that will frame the proposed activities. While this model was originally designed for services to the IDD population, it has been used in states with cross-disability initiatives and provides significant overlap with the technical assistance and systems change initiatives that ICI staff have used in assisting state Behavioral Health and VR systems. The project will partner with the AMHTA and be buttressed by earlier efforts in Alaska in which ICI has been involved with both Behavioral Health (Marrone) and the Alaska Integrated Employment Initiative (Butterworth: Governors Council on Disabilities and Special Education, SDS, and other partners) as well as by the continuing efforts currently being undertaken by the DEI project. Targeted document review (policy and funding instruments), state-level employment outcome definitions and data, and focus groups in 2 areas of Alaska with key informants in the state culminating in an Employment Summit in May 2014 will all help form a state strategic plan. This plan will become the basis for moving ahead with activities to enhance employment activities serving the Trust beneficiaries over the next few years. This array of consultative efforts will in sum provide a comprehensive study of Alaskas experience, strengths, and needs in the employment arena. This approach will ensure broad participation from Alaskan stakeholders and support a sustainable implementation plan that can contribute to greater employment opportunities for the Trust beneficiaries.

Employment policy, employment services, transition

Performing Research or Evaluation

Employment-Related Activities

Professionals and Para-Professionals, Adults with Disabilities, Legislators/Policy Makers

Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Disadvantaged Circumstances, Geographic Areas, Reservation, Rural/Remote

State

N/A