IPS: Vocational Services Providers
A win-win for vocational services providers
Vocational services providers are integral in helping people interested in employment and living with mental health and substance use disorders become a part of their community. With IPS, you get a proven model that has consistently shown to be more effective than other types of employment models. Providers across Wisconsin have already successfully implemented IPS and are seeing the benefits.
Saving money
A 10-year follow-up study of clients with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders found an average annual savings of $16,000 per client in treatment costs for steady workers, compared to clients who remained unemployed.
Providing stability for clients
People who obtain a job with IPS services become steady workers and stay in their jobs longer. When working, people with mental health and substance use disorders feel better about themselves and their job role improves their self-esteem and life satisfaction.
Improving the quality of life for many populations
IPS is not just for people with mental health and substance use disorders. The IPS model can work with other populations, such as people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and veterans. IPS Wisconsin only focuses on supporting people with mental health and substance use disorders.
How IPS works for vocational services providers
Once IPS is successfully implemented in your community, you will receive ongoing support from the IPS Wisconsin team. Continuing support helps to ensure high-quality services are delivered by every organization using the IPS. Vocational services providers offering services using the IPS model are required to:
- Follow the evidence-based model of IPS supported employment to provide best practice employment services and outcomes.
- Establish a steering committee and set implementation goals with other community partners.
- Meet with state trainers for new employment specialist training and on an ongoing basis.
- Provide services in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and treatment teams connected to your county or tribal mental health agency.
- Track and update goals on an ongoing basis.
- Provide quarterly data for the International IPS Learning Community.
- Participate in quarterly meetings.
- Attend training sessions, including the annual IPS Wisconsin conference.
- Participate in ongoing fidelity reviews.
Bring IPS to your community
IPS is expanding across Wisconsin. If IPS is not available in your community, you can talk to the managers of your county or tribal mental health agency and ask them to implement IPS. The IPS Wisconsin team makes implementing the IPS model easy. They will guide counties and tribes through every step of the process.
Wisconsin IPS Learning Collaborative
IPS is all about working together. That's what the Wisconsin IPS Learning Collaborative is all about. The learning collaborative brings together people using the IPS model across the state to share ideas on how to serve people better.