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Employment for individuals with a mental health diagnosis

Guiding our thinking in how to shift from a medical model of treatment to a recovery model that includes employment as an integral part of wellness.

Indiana is working on increasing competitive employment for individuals with mental health diagnosis because we know that employment leads to better health, and, unemployment leads to poor health and social disconnection. At least 85% of people with mental health diagnosis in our public systems are unemployed. Research also shows that people with mental health diagnoses in these systems lose 10 to 25 years of life from modifiable health conditions.

Employment is a health intervention

The Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction and Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation jointly applied for and received 300 training and technical assistance hours through the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy, for the Visionary Opportunities to Increase Competitive Employment project. A critical priority for DOL/ODEP is to invest in systems change efforts that result in increased community-based, integrated employment opportunities for individuals with significant mental health disabilities. The Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning has also joined in this multi-agency collaboration.

A collaboration of three FSSA agencies to better support employment for individuals with mental health diagnosis

Indiana launched a video series in October, 2020 with information that supports increased awareness around employment for individuals with a mental health diagnosis.

Video series

Additional resources