Congratulations to ISK’s supported employment program, Action Employment Services (AES)!
AES uses the Individual Placement and Supports (IPS) model for individuals 16 and up who have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness. Through IPS, staff help participants secure competitive, integrated employment with an employer who is a good match for their individual skills, strengths, interests, and preferences.
In May at the 2022 International IPS Summit, AES received the International IPS Learning Community Achievement Award. (To give some perspective, there are 26 accredited IPS sites in the State of Michigan, and 857 internationally.)
AES earned this honor by achieving an outstanding increase in number of people working in competitive jobs. “While many programs were unable to continue providing services and job loss was devastatingly high during the pandemic, AES was able to adapt to the crisis in the community and continue providing the services that were needed,” says Emily Welch-Boyd, ISK Employment Specialist /Job Developer.
And that’s not all: At the 2022 Michigan IPS Summit in June, ISK’s Supported Employment Supervisor, Carrie Morris, was awarded the Michigan IPS Supervisor Award for outstanding work in advancing the Michigan IPS model.
The AES program has consistently scored an “exemplary” fidelity score, the highest rating possible within the model.
“AES loves to share our passion for the work we do and celebrate the success of the people we serve,” Emily says. “We’re excited to be part of the ISK family and to have the support of ISK in maintaining and improving our ‘exemplary’ program!”
