Partners in CARE
Community Access to Recovery and Empowerment

Fast Track to Employment is an innovative employment training, placement and support service for consumers of mental health services. Sponsored by the Mental Health Association of New York City, Inc., Fast Track's staff and trained mental health professionals provide comprehensive vocational assessment, job placement and supportive services to individuals with mental health needs.

Mission

Fast Track aims to help individuals with mental illnesses re-enter the workforce and resume productive lives in society. The program staff use a personalized approach to match employers' needs with employees' skills and goals.

Population Served

Fast Track provides services to individuals living in New York City with serious mental illnesses. Some of these individuals have histories of homelessness and/or substance abuse. Fast Track screens all program participants to ensure employment readiness. Individuals must demonstrate:

• The capability to receive feedback concerning realistic placement goals and an interest in that feedback;
  
• An understanding of how their transferable job skills can be utilized in the existing competitive job market;
  
• Good attendance and punctuality habits;
  
• The ability to participate in their own job search and placement; and
  
• Appropriate behavior. (Program participants must not have demonstrated violent behavior within the past year. Individuals with a history of substance abuse must have a least one year of sobriety.)
  

Philosophy

Employment is a critical aspect of recovery for individuals with serious and persistent mental illnesses. Fast Track's strategy creates an array of competitive job opportunities for people with mental illnesses and ensures successful job matches with reasonable accommodations. The program builds a bank of job opportunities for these individuals by recruiting businesses and other employers to participate in the program. Because the employees in the Fast Track program receive ongoing support throughout their job placements, employers are assured of competent employees and good work products. The peer support provided by Fast Track increases the probability of job retention.

Program Highlights

Fast Track assesses program participants' clinical and medical status, interests, education and skills - including life skills, work skills and interpersonal skills. The program staff emphasize these factors when matching individuals with employers. As a result, the program has higher-than-average rates of successful job placement.

Before applying for competitive employment, individuals participate in an internship program that gives them the opportunity to earn money and gain work experience.

Fast Track gives program participants support and training during their internships and paid employment experiences. The program sets realistic expectations for participants and allows them to move forward at their own pace.

Fast Track has peer support groups for all program participants in every stage of the employment process. Individuals always know who to call for support and mentoring.

Staff focus on individuals' clinical issues as they relate to functioning in the workplace. The program works with other provider agencies to ensure that all program participants receive appropriate case management.

Fast Track allows individuals with mental illnesses to discover and develop their identity in the context of the employment experience.

Contact Person:
Arthur Brown, Program Director
Fast Track to Employment
120 Wall Street, 16th Floor
New York, NY 10005
PH: (212) 809-0796