Mental Health Awareness Month: Five Employment Support Resources for People with a Mental Illness

Every year, millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness. Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. - 43.7 million, or 18.6% - experience mental illness in a given year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

For those who are able, work can be a way to help. Multiple studies, such as those by the World Health Organization (PDF), the London School of Economics (PDF) and the Center for Reintegration, have found that employment can promote mental well-being by providing structure, social contact, purpose, identity and activity.

As we observe Mental Health Awareness Month in May, Ticket to Work is spreading the word about the tools and resources available for people with mental illnesses to help them start their journey to financial independence.

If you or someone you know has a mental illness and is interested in work, the following resources may help them find work options that work for their situation.

•    Register for a webinar, Ticket to Work for People Who Have a Mental Illness: Support on Your Journey to Employment taking place May 27. Register online at www.choosework.net/wise or call 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY).

•    Download Temple University's Collaborative on Community Inclusion of Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities "A Practical Guide for People with Mental Health Conditions Who Want to Work" (PDF). The guide is designed for those with mental health conditions, and their families, as they prepare to enter the workforce.

•    Take a look at the Job Accommodation Network's list of common job accommodations for employees with mental illness.

•    Read Success Stories of Cherie Cummings, Jason Faust and Megan Riggs, who have managed their mental illnesses, and taken advantage of the Ticket to Work program and its Work Incentives.

•    Visit Ticket to Work at the 2015 NAMI National Convention in July, where people living with a mental illness and their families will provide their own important perspectives on recovery and how we can improve the lives of all people living with mental illness.

The Ticket to Work program has helped many people with mental illnesses find the services and support they need to find a path to employment. If you receive disability benefits from Social Security and want to work, call 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) to learn how Ticket to Work can help you.

*Image above is unchanged via the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).