P&P October 2016

Empowering Jobseekers with Mental Illness Dependency and Substance

By Kerry Desjardins and Katlyn Riggins

T he connection between employment and psycho- social well-being is well established. Meaningful work contrib- utes to mental health and well-being because it facilitates social inclusion and is intimately linked to self-esteem and identity. 1 At the same time, mental health and well-being are important factors for success in the workforce. Mental illness and substance dependency can hinder a person’s ability to attain and retain employment. The United States has staggering rates of mental health and substance abuse conditions: almost half of all Americans will develop a mental health or addictive condition at some point in their lifetime. 2 While not all mental health or substance abuse conditions are chronic or debilitating, they can be, especially when they are not identified or sufficiently addressed. Considering the rates of mental health and substance abuse conditions within the general population, it should be no surprise that a large number of human service customers deal with these issues as well. Thus, it is not surprising that many human service administra- tors cite behavioral health issues and related barriers as some of the most persistent and difficult issues for their customers to overcome. 3

Illustration via Shutterstock

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October 2016 Policy&Practice