Monday, June 14, 2021 2:56 PM
The US Department of Labor selected seven states, including Iowa, to participate in its Advancing State Policy Integration for Recovery and Employment (ASPIRE) initiative This was announced by the Iowa Department of Human Services. The program aims to align government policies and funding to improve competitive integrated employment for people with mental illness. The initiative will help Iowa expand its individual placement and support model of supported employment, an evidence-based approach that promotes a philosophy of “rest while at work”. In 2020, Iowa received technical assistance from the Office of Disability Employment Policy to develop a funding model for the provision of IPS services. Through ASPIRE, Iowa will now add three more IPS teams through 2022. Continuous expansion is planned to provide access to an IPS team in each of the 14 Iowa Mental Health and Disability Services regions. In Iowa, the initiative includes a leadership team made up of several government officials, people with mental illness and their families, and representatives of the National Alliance on Mental Iowa-Iowa and employment services providers. To learn more about MHDS ‘efforts to increase employment for people with disabilities, visit DHS website.
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