Work is KEY!

1
Work is KEY!

• Represents engagement in ones FUTURE
• Goes hand-in-hand with other FUTURE-related
  activities including self-care, prevention,
  adherence, recovery from addiction and/or mental
  health difficulties, stabilization of housing,
  development of relationships, etc.

2
Why HIV-specific Employment Services?

• PLHA have unique work-related issues and needs
  that are not well-understood by generic
  vocational service providers
• Current research indicates that employment
  services work best when integrated with other
  rehabilitative and support services

3
And

• Current HIV service systems are glutted and need
  to find ways to move people towards reasonably
  healthy and stable self-sufficiency

4
Employment Support Services are especially needed
for

• Individuals from impoverished backgrounds
• Individuals who have not worked or have
  significant gaps in their work histories
• Individuals who do not qualify for disability
  benefits
• Individuals who are working when they learn their
  status, and wish to work for as long as possible

5
Evidence-based effective practices include

• Making services available to anyone who wants to
  work
• Individualized services geared to help people
  define and pursue their own goals, and deal with
  the barriers they face
• Disability management education
• Development of job-related problem-solving and
  coping skills

6
Effective practices contd

• Access to accurate information about benefits,
  legal issues, finances, and employee rights (ADA,
  etc.)
• Opportunities to test the waters IN VIVO
• Recognition that there are many positive
  outcomes
• Recognition that vocational development is not
  linear

7
Project KEEP

• 3 year Service Demonstration Project
• Served primarily African-American and Latino
  individuals with HIV in Philadelphia
• N148 Age 20-65 yrs.dx 2-16
• 60 m 38.5 f 1.5 tg
• Approx. ½ on SS benefits, ½ not
• 26 AIDS dx
• Multiple barriers MH, SA, DV, low ed, jail,
  interrupted work hx, language, etc.

8
KEEP results

• 77 achieved employment, ALL in competitive jobs
• 63 remained in job gt 90 days (compare to VR
  general rates of 18!)
• Most impactful service was post-employment
  vocational counseling (problem solving,
  disability mgt, coping skills)
• Avg. 2.4 jobs/person, most jobs with small local
  employers

9
Implications

• Populations served in KEEP are the same high
  risk populations
• They ARE employable
• Work provides structure, future orientation,
  reasons for self-care, etc
• Work can provide mechanism for increased
  stability of income, housing, sobriety,
  adherence and possibly health
• Work can provide positive alternatives to high
  risk behaviors