As part of its October 2006 Consent Decree Plan, the Office of Adult Mental Health Services (OAMHS) is required to "make reasonable efforts to fund, develop, recruit and support an array of vocational services to meet class members' needs as identified in their ISPs." In that plan, OAMHS committed to fund an Employment Specialist, to be located within a community support agency, for each Community Service Network (CSN). In August 2007, OAMHS issued a Request For Proposal (RFP) for this service. Maine Medical Center's Department of Vocational Services was the only organization to submit a letter of intent to bid on the RFP, and OAMHS therefore contracted with us to hire, train and co-supervise the seven Employment Specialists.

The Employment Specialist in each CSN will be jointly supervised by personnel in the selected community support agency and Maine Medical Center's Department of Vocational Services regional Project Coordinator. The primary role of the Employment Specialist will be to provide Supported Employment and Education Services to consumers receiving or eligible for Section 17 (MaineCare regulations) Community Support Services. The Employment Specialist will participate in CSN meetings and will be responsible for presenting an employment dashboard at those meetings.

Additionally, the CSN Employment Specialist will become an integral part of an Employment Service Network (ESN) in each CSN. The ESN will consist of the following people:

1. The CSN Employment Specialist
2. The Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Team Employment Specialist
3. A Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) counselor designated by that agency
4. A Disability Program Navigator designated by the Bureau of Employment Services in the Maine Department of Labor
5. A consumer designated by the Statewide Consumer Council
6. A Community Work Incentives Coordinator designated by Maine Medical Center
7. The OAMHS Long Term Employment Support Coordinator in your region

Competitive employment assists in the overall recovery of the consumers with psychiatric disabilities and consequently, offsets the frequency, intensity, and duration of case management and other mental health services. Employment is a unique intervention in that its outcomes are like no other intervention provided. Employment is the most effective form of community integration that exists today.

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