The Employment and Income program consists of three key components designed to support individuals experiencing homelessness seeking increased income. These components adopt a holistic and integrated approach, addressing the individual’s employment needs, supporting their recovery, and connecting them to essential benefits.
- Employment Navigation
- Individual Placement and Support (IPS)
- Benefits Acquisition
Participating Projects:
- All Chicago - Employment and Income - Legal Aid Chicago (1934)
- All Chicago - Employment and Income - Legal Council for Health Justice (1935)
- All Chicago - Employment and Income - Of Color Inc (1936)
- All Chicago - Employment and Income - Phalanx Family Services (1937)
- All Chicago - Employment and Income – ScaleLIT (1938)
Employment Navigation
The Employment Navigation Program is dedicated to supporting job seekers in achieving their employment goals through comprehensive and trauma-informed assistance. Employment Navigators conduct thorough assessments of job seekers to understand their needs and aspirations, collaborating closely with them to develop personalized employment plans. With a deep understanding of the workforce system, Employment Navigators prioritize matching job seekers with interventions that best meet their needs, ensuring access to the most appropriate support services. Employment Navigators ensure holistic support for job seekers, addressing both employment and supportive service needs.
Individual Placement and Support (IPS)
The Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model provides individuals with behavioral health and substance use challenges with ongoing support in securing and maintaining employment. By integrating employment as both a recovery intervention and a pathway long-term stability and independence, the model ensures comprehensive support for individuals seeking employment. Employment Specialist prioritize matching job seekers with interventions that align with their needs, contributing to their recovery journey and overall well-being regardless of their symptoms or diagnosis.
Benefits Acquisition
The Employment and Income Supports project will connect individuals experiencing homelessness to benefit acquisition supports. The program will utilize benefits advocates to help individuals apply for SSI/SSDI through the SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) model. The SOAR model is a SAMSHA and Social Security Administration supported model utilized nationwide as a best practice for connecting vulnerable individuals to public benefits. The model also may include support around other mainstream benefits including food, cash and medical.
Eligibility
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Employment Navigation |
Individual Placement and Support (IPS) |
Benefits Acquisition |
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Experiencing Homelessness |
Experiencing Homelessness |
Experiencing Homelessness |
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Express interest in Employment and/or Education |
Express interest in Employment and/or Education |
·Express interest in benefits support |
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Mental Health/Substance Use Disability |
FOR SSI/SSDI: Must have Disability |
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Medicaid/Health Insurance |
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