Tri-County Employment Program Leads Missouri in Unique Effort

A new program at Tri-County Mental Health Services is the first in Missouri to use the latest techniques for something many can relate to — finding work.

Tri-County’s Employment Services was among the first of six community mental health organizations in Missouri to adopt a new, “evidence-based” employment strategy developed by Johnson and Johnson Health Care Products along with Dartmouth College. Although the effort utilizes proven techniques to find employment for mental health consumers, several aspects are typical for everyone facing today’s job market.

“This focuses more on the front end of job development,” Employment Services Manager Amy Ginnings Roberts said. “We work more on building better relations with employers and letting them know that we have employees who are ready to work.”

The new program also emphasizes one of the original strengths of traditional employment programs. “The employers know that we will be there to make sure the program works,” Roberts said. “They see this as a plus because there’s a third party who can help that they’re not paying. We’re someone who can step in and help if there’s a problem. That’s an advantage for both the employer and our consumers.”

Such support is a major advantage in today’s market. “The economy is a challenge for employers, too,” she said. “They sink a lot into training and if someone walks off, that’s a big loss.”

When the new program began last year, Roberts was prepared for resistance but has found a generally positive reception. “It’s a lot of cold calling,” she said. “I imagined everyone shutting the door in my face. But the response has been overwhelmingly warm and positive.”

The challenges are also worth it. Roberts noted that while employment is important for everyone, people with a mental illness especially benefit from the confidence and self-satisfaction of holding a job.

“It is good for the community,” she noted. “Giving people an opportunity to be part of something is good for the individual, and it’s also giving this population a part of something that’s really positive.”

Roberts brings another strength as well. Along with her degree from College of the Ozarks, she may have an above average level of competitiveness as evidenced by her participation on a national level roller derby team. “It’s a lot of fun,” she commented. “You work hard, but it’s a great way to let off steam. Plus, the teamwork is great. We enjoy ourselves.”

She also relies on a good team at Tri-County, including case managers and psychiatrists who see the importance of employment. She and her staff of three employment specialists serve from 45 to 60 consumers at any one time, spending a great deal of their effort with employers and at job sites.

“We have a waiting list so we work hard to see people placed,” she concluded. “If they say they want to go to work, we will find a job.”

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