This blog post from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services profiles a program in New Orleans called Bridge/Grace House. Bridge/Grace House offers comprehensive long-term residential treatment for men and women who suffer from substance use disorders. Part of the program provides vocational counseling and workforce services designed to ensure lasting recovery and success after treatment; 96% of program participants who complete their full treatment leave the program employed. Additional links are provided in the post to learn more.

Research states that 60-80 percent of job openings are never advertised; the jobs of the future go to youth who are well connected. Social capital building is about creating a set of program principles and practices that assist job seekers in developing the tools, skills, and opportunities to build and sustain these connections. Social capital building focuses on connection rates, not only placement rates. Connections are the tool that help job seekers move up economically and achieve long-term economic self-sufficiency. Join national youth workforce development expert and author Edward DeJesus for an exciting professional development opportunity that will prepare you and your staff to use social capital to drive positive outcomes for young job seekers. Registration for the first in a series of webinars, Social Capital 101, May 8, 2-3 p.m. EDT, is open now. A registration fee is required prior to attendance.

 

Webinar One: Social Capital Building 101

While networking is an activity, social capital is an outcome. It is the tangible value of each connection made and translates to increased economic opportunity. During this webinar, Ed will:

• Describe the different forms of social capital
• Examine what contemporary research says about social capital impact on the success of youth
• Identify the top five barriers to social capital building and ways to overcome them

The second of the webinars will focus on Utilizing Social Capital for Summer Program Success and Developing a Social Capital Strategy for Your Organization. Registration will open soon!

Social anxiety disorder is characterized by fear of “social or performance situations involving exposure to unfamiliar people or to possible scrutiny.” Fearing embarrassment or humiliation, individuals with social anxiety disorder may avoid exposure to new people or situations. Examining measures of social anxiety disorders and employment barriers among urban vocational rehabilitation participants, researchers found that these individuals had higher rates of self-reported barriers to employment, including lacking interview skills, training, work experience, and education. They were also more likely to say they lacked skills associated with employment in the hospitality, service, and health care environments and thus expressed less interest in those jobs. Researchers note that access to mental health services could help job seekers with social anxiety disorder overcome their fears and consider jobs they might not otherwise.

This article attempts to answer whether moving into poor quality employment (i.e., low security, low wages, low autonomy) is better for one’s physical and mental health than staying unemployed. Researchers examined employment outcomes and health assessments of about 1,500 English adults. While physical health indicators improved regardless of the quality of work obtained, researchers identified worse mental health indicators (chronic stress-related biomarkers) among those who moved into poor quality work than those who stayed unemployed. Those who moved into higher quality work experienced better health outcomes overall, indicating the importance of considering job quality when helping individuals obtain employment.

Researchers interviewed unemployed individuals with mental health problems about their perspectives on seeking mental health services. They spoke of barriers, such as stigma, discrimination, and ineffective mental health services, that prevent them from accessing mental health services. They also recognized facilitators for accessing services, such as society’s growing acceptance of using mental health services and encouragement from employment agency staff.

This journal article from the journal Psychiatric Services describes a study which tested the hypothesis that social anxiety disorder impedes self-sufficiency in women receiving welfare by hindering their employment efforts. Study results showed an association between social anxiety disorder and less time worked among mothers on welfare. Other barriers that posed a significant concern for women in this economic group include poor physical health of mothers and their children, inadequate transportation, low educational attainment, and lack of literacy.

This journal article from the journal Psychiatric Services describes a study that identified Temporary Assistance for Needy Family (TANF) recipients who use mental health services, compared them with Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients, and estimated the number of TANF recipients who could qualify for SSI. Results found that 13 percent of TANF beneficiaries and 32 percent of SSI beneficiaries with Medicaid claims had a mental disorder. The study concluded that the proportion of TANF recipients using mental health services was lower than those identified through surveys as having a mental disorder, most likely because some TANF recipients had undiagnosed and untreated mental disorders.

This article from Partnership for Drug-Free Kids highlights a recent research finding that shows that the opioid epidemic is concentrated in high-poverty counties, particularly those in Appalachia. This finding provides significant information to guide stakeholders and policymakers as targeting resources to address the crisis are discussed. The article links to the findings published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

This article from Tribal College: Journal of American Indian Higher Education highlights the practice of "nativization" – training and hiring Native workers to meet the workforce needs of a Tribal community. The article points to the role that Tribal colleges and universities can play in the process and highlights the success of the Oglala Lakota College on the Pine Ridge Reservation in meeting the community's demand for qualified nurses and teachers.

A new HHS series “Self Sufficiency Series: Solutions from the Field” will highlight programs that promote employment for those with substance abuse disorders. The series will feature blog posts and profiles on programs that are working well in local communities, especially those working with low-income and hard-to-service families. "Putting People at the Center" is the first blog in the series.