• Individual Placement and Support clients smiling with awards

Individual Placement + Support

Employment support for individuals with severe and persistent mental health challenges

Easterseals UCP’s Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is an evidence-based model of supported employment for individuals with serious and persistent mental illness. IPS supported employment helps individuals work at regular jobs of their choosing

We believe everyone deserves an opportunity to work. IPS specializes in helping individuals with severe and persistent mental illness find and keep a job. Our employment support professionals are well connected with employers in the community and keep abreast of local job openings. These relationships help us find jobs for individuals that are conveniently located, interesting and can offer them the right work schedule.

If an individual chooses to disclose with their potential employers that they are receiving our support, we help advocate for open positions on their behalf. Once the individual is hired, we work with them to ensure they are happy and can be successful in their new job. In addition, we provide personalized education and technical training to help them along every step of their career path. Maintaining employment can be challenging. If a job doesn’t work out, our employment support professionals help the individual find another job.

IPS provides a team approach to services. Individuals in our IPS program work with an employment support professional, an employment peer mentor, a certified benefits counselor, the integrated behavioral health services team and the North Carolina Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors.

Woman smiling in Individual Placement and Support

We offer ongoing individual placement support and resources

We believe individuals with mental health challenges deserve great opportunities for employment. Participants in our Individual Placement and Support (IPS) program receive ongoing professional support and access to a wide variety of employment resources to help navigate employment opportunities. Additionally, we support individuals throughout their employment journey to help create a career development plan that increase their chances for success and potentially being promoted within their role. The IPS program is based on eight workplace principles:

  • Career development
  • Competitive employment opportunities
  • Health benefits planning
  • Integrated health services
  • Ongoing professional support
  • Personalized education and training
  • Specialized job search
  • Zero exclusion

STAR Awards recognize IPS client accomplishments

Our North Carolina teams work tirelessly to motivate and encourage adults with mental health challenges to obtain meaningful employment. Every quarter, we recognize several recipients for reaching their personal goals. To do this, the IPS teams created the STAR Awards (which stands for Skill, Talent, Achievement and Recognition) for individuals. This great award acknowledges participants who have acquired jobs and maintained them using the skills they learned through the IPS program.

Individual Placement and Support clients receive award

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