The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #69179

Alexandra Bowers, MPH, MSW and Dori S. Hutchinson, ScD. Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 940 Commonwealth Ave WEst, Boston, MA 02215, 617-353-3549, abowers@bu.edu

This presentation will describe Jump Start, a school-to-work mentoring demonstration program at Boston University’s Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation for young adults (ages 16-26) with psychiatric disabilities. Historically, young adults have been on the fringes of the mental health and rehabilitation systems. They are often left to navigate the difficult attitudinal, social, and environmental barriers to successful and satisfying adult roles and careers on their own. Failure to succeed with this transition can contribute to unemployment, substance abuse, delinquency, and poverty. Jump Start assists young adults who have psychiatric disabilities in their recovery and career development processes by helping them gain the skills, confidence, and education they need to maximize their potential as learners, citizens and valuable members of the workforce. An integral part of Jump Start is to provide each of our students with a mentor who has a serious psychiatric disability, has experienced their own recovery process, and is currently working in a career of his/her choice. The Jump Start program combines individualized mentoring support with skills training classes in career development, computers, and wellness. The presentation will briefly describe the challenges facing young adults who are transitioning out of the youth mental health and secondary school systems. We will subsequently present the rationale and structure of the Jump Start program including: mentor recruitment and training, youth recruitment, mentor/youth matching, class development, program evaluation, and strategies for dissemination of program materials. Jump Start is offered in collaboration with the Rehabilitation Services Administration.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will understand the challenges facing young adults with psychiatric disabilities as they transition into adulthood.
• Participants will understand the barriers to successful career development experienced by young people with psychiatric disabilities and the social costs of poor educational/career achievement.
• Participants will learn the components of the Jump Start program offered to young adult participants.
• Paricipants will learn the value of mentoring to promote career development and recovery from mental illness for young adults.
• Participants will gain knowledge of program evaluation strategies used in the Jump Start program.

Keywords: Sever Mental Illness, Youth

Related Web page: www.bu.edu/cpr/services/jumpstart

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Boston Univeristy, Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: I work at the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation.