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April 2008 MIM Meeting: Rise- What makes it so special?
MIM speakers have inspired, informed and connected with us and the speakers from Rise did not disappoint. Three Rise employees, Beth DePoint, Public Relations Manager; Chuck Loban, Psychologist and Robert Reedy, Mental Health Employment Coordinator, spoke on April 14th at MIM’s 2nd Monday Event. They quietly wowed us with their philosophy of person-centered services; meet the client wherever s/he is and move from there in collaboration with the client. Even today this is not the typical philosophy followed in mental health systems.
The Rise story is lived information, not just words that sound good in brochures. This is an organization which does what it says it will do. Their story was told with passion; their heart, their dedication was palpable. The 2008 Annual Celebrate Rise! was the same kind of experience. The joy in the room was alive. What makes Rise so special?
Rise stands for Recovery, Individual Choice, Self-Management and Evidence-Based Practices. Rise’s mission is to support people who have disabilities and other barriers to employment in attaining their personal measure of safe and affordable housing, vocational achievement, self-sufficiency and belonging in their community. In doing the work of their mission, Rise practices the disability movement’s motto, “Nothing about us without us.” Their work is all about collaboration with clients and providers and employers.
December 2006, Rise was the first-ever nonprofit to be named a Small Business Success Story by Twin Cities Business magazine and Associated Bank. No surprise! Since 1971 Rise has helped more than 15,000 Minnesotans who have disabilities and other barriers to employment. One key to that success is that Rise believes all people can work, and with that belief, they get to know their clients and the clients begin to believe in themselves.
Employment counselors have a case load of about 20 clients so that each can receive the initial help and supportive help to achieve success. Rise works with each client to design an individualized, personal employment plan. Together they discuss areas of interest and appropriate jobs, transportation issues, work history, and any barriers to successful employment. Rise serves thousands of people in its 16 office locations in the Twin Cities area, St. Cloud outstate areas and the Chisago Lakes.
Many Rise employees have worked at Rise for more than twenty years. Beth DePoint has worked at Rise for 30 years and loves what she does and the people with whom she works. They are a family and have shared the ups and downs and the great moments in their lives. Longevity and strong belief in their work has given Rise a foundation upon which they continue to build dreams. Is that what makes Rise so special?
Jean Mills opened the gathering with a reading about work from Khalil Gibran’s The Prophet in which Gibran said that work is love made visible. Chuck Loban said the reading said it all. He spoke of the social attitude toward people with mental illness and work. The belief still exists even among some providers, that work is too stressful for people living with mental illness. Loban suggests we think about how stressful a life of poverty is. What the system is condemning people with mental illness to is a life of poverty. If society changes its beliefs, attitudes and expectations about mental illness and work, we will find ways to help people find employment. The mental health systems need to collaborate with employment systems. If a person can’t work, we have to ask what has the mental health system done to support that person in finding suitable work.
Some other myths in society are that people with mental illness can’t handle their symptoms at work, won’t show up for work, aren’t responsible, aren’t intelligent. Rise continues to disprove these myths. They believe in collaborating with clients to find work that maximizes their skills. They offer whatever support a client needs on the job. Is this what makes Rise so special?
Robert Reedy said that employment and mental health coordination at Rise changes the old model of segregated employees, employees all grouped together doing the same work—sheltered employment. The large network of employment resources amazed him when he began to work at Rise. All systems working together and following evidence based practices helps people find suitable work and stay at work. This empowers recovery. Rise’s goal is that each person receives the best possible services from all providers. Is this what makes Rise so special?
One barrier to work is a prison record. People with misdemeanors or felonies can get a job. Rise will work with a client to find the right job with the right employer. Again, if someone believes in you, you can start to believe in yourself. Is this what makes Rise so special?
Reedy said that it’s much harder to keep a job than it is to find a job. Supportive employment is essential. He suggests studying the supportive employment research of Robert E. Drake, MD, Ph.D, Director of New Hampshire-Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center. He’s well known for his work in psychiatric rehabilitation and mental health services research. What I’ve read of Drake’s research on supportive employment is like reading about the work of Rise.
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www.rise.org; Award article: About Rise; History of Rise; Small Business
dms.dartmouth.edu/prc; Robert E. Drake, MD, Ph.D
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