Supported Employment

Embarking on a job search is difficult for anyone and it’s even harder for individuals with mental health or substance use disorders. Laurel House’s Supported Employment program helps individuals with mental health or substance use disorders find and keep competitive jobs. These are jobs that are open to any qualified candidate, not positions that are set aside for individuals with disabilities. All of the jobs are in settings where the majority of the workforce is non-disabled and pay at or above minimum wage.

Supported Employment Success Story

Jason came to Laurel House seeking a full-time job in the construction field. A year later, Jason has 8 months at his full-time job in the concrete testing business, has earned a testing certificate, and is projected to move to a higher position. Working with his Supported Employment Specialist, Jason revised his resume, prepared for interviews, learned how to use online job search platforms such as Indeed, and effectively followed up with prospective employers. He was concerned about the employment gap on his resume, working as a caregiver for his mother until she passed away, and having justice involvement in his background. With the support and guidance he received from the Supported Employment program, Jason overcame those concerns and achieved his goal.

Our Individual Placement and Support Model

“After years of not working I was determined to find productive employment. With the help of my employment counselor, I created an updated resume, applied to jobs, followed up with employers and was hired because these tasks were accomplished with my counselor’s involvement. She has also been there to follow up post hiring to assure my successful transition.”

~Bob

We accomplish this job placement through the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) evidence-based model created by Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center. In fact, Laurel House is one of the longest-operating private providers of this service in Connecticut.

The IPS model helps program participants obtain competitive employment in fields of their choice and provides support for them to successfully stay employed. Our Supported Employment Specialists create vocational assessments and individualized job search plans for each of their clients. We place clients in a wide array of occupations, such as administration, data entry, hospitality, customer service, finance, food service, information technology, retail sales, distribution, education and counseling.

Once a client finds a job, we continue to follow up with the program participant at least weekly for one month following placement to ensure job satisfaction. After that, we continue to follow up at least monthly for a year or more, followed by a transition to a step-down support system to ensure sustainable employment.

Our program produces impressive results.

In FY2025:

  • We helped 150 clients in the job search process.
  • 67% of them attained competitive employment.
  • 77% of clients sustained employment over 12 months.

“I’ve worked with my employment counselor for over a year and it’s been an unforgettable journey. I have been successful because he was incredibly patient with me; he knew my limits, but also when to encourage more from me. There has never been any judgement from the first day in the program.”

~Crystal

“With Laurel House’s help I went from feeling adrift and being unemployed to a working professional and feeling like I was in control of my own life. The counselors were kind and supportive every step of the way”

~Jon

Mobile Employment Services (MES)

In addition to our Supported Employment program at our Stamford office, we also offer a Mobile Employment Services (MES) program that provides onsite employment services to individuals in recovery from substance use disorders, particularly opioids, living in DMHAS-funded recovery homes, halfway houses, and supported recovery housing. The goal of MES is to help individuals 18 and older with substance use disorders, or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, quickly find employment and re-integrate into the community. 71 individuals received MES services from Laurel House in FY25.

Employer Benefits

Laurel House clients and their employers benefit from our Supported Employment program.

Benefits to employers include:

  • Gaining access to a reliable pool of motivated, qualified job candidates
  • Recruiting and retaining dependable, skilled employees
  • Building a diverse and dynamic workplace
  • Receiving ongoing support from trained Laurel House Employment Specialists
  • No fee to employers
  • No contractual obligations

Does Laurel House’s Supported Employment Program Sound Like a Match for You?

To learn if you or a family member may be a candidate for Laurel House’s Supported Employment program or to learn more about partnering with Laurel House to fill job openings at your business, contact:

Lisa Shapiro, LCSW
Supported Employment Manager
lshapiro@laurelhouse.net
203-487-1636