Projects

Advocacy is a fundamental element of Projects on Purpose Inc.'s mission and vision, as it directly supports the organization’s commitment to empowering individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). By advocating for these individuals, Projects on Purpose Inc. ensures access to comprehensive services, meaningful employment, secure housing, and equitable healthcare. This advocacy helps break down barriers, reduce stigma, and protect the rights of people with SMI, allowing them to live self-sufficient, purposeful lives in a supportive, inclusive community. Advocacy aligns with the organization’s values of accountability, dignity, and sustainability, fostering long-term well-being for individuals by securing the resources, policies, and social support they need. It also empowers individuals with the tools and opportunities to navigate systems that can often be challenging, reinforcing the vision of a future where mental health support is transformative, resilient, and equitable, enabling all individuals to thrive with dignity and fulfillment.

Securing stable housing for individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) requires a collaborative, multi-step approach that involves both direct service providers and community partners. At Projects on Purpose Inc., we focus on building partnerships, leveraging current research, and following key steps to ensure individuals have access to safe and sustainable housing: 1. Assessment of Individual Needs: The first step is a comprehensive assessment of each individual’s unique needs, including mental health, social support, financial stability, and housing preferences. This helps tailor housing solutions to their specific circumstances. 2. Collaboration with Housing Providers and Community Partners: Projects on Purpose plans to work closely with local housing agencies, landlords, and supportive housing programs to identify available housing options. Collaborating with community partners, such as mental health professionals, social service agencies, and legal advocates, ensures that individuals have access to the resources they need to maintain housing stability. 3. Leverage Current Research and Best Practices: Projects on Purpose uses the latest research on supportive housing models, such as the "Housing First" approach, which prioritizes providing stable housing without preconditions. Research shows that individuals with SMI have better outcomes when they are not required to meet specific behavioral or treatment goals before securing housing. By integrating evidence-based practices, the organization enhances the effectiveness of its housing solutions. 4. Provide Financial Support and Housing Assistance: For many individuals with SMI, securing housing is a financial barrier. Projects on Purpose aims to help individuals access rental assistance programs, subsidies, and other financial support to ensure they can afford stable housing. This might include helping clients navigate benefits programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Section 8 housing vouchers. 5. Ongoing Support and Advocacy: Once housing is secured, Projects on Purpose strives to provide continued support, including case management, mental health services, and advocacy to ensure that individuals maintain housing and remain connected to necessary resources. This includes regular check-ins, peer support groups, and helping individuals navigate landlord relationships and any legal issues that may arise. 6. Building Community Connections: To promote long-term stability, Projects on Purpose focuses on building connections to local support networks, such as social groups, employment opportunities, and community organizations. This helps individuals feel integrated into their community and provides the social support necessary for long-term mental health and housing stability. By taking these steps, Projects on Purpose Inc. uses a holistic, research-driven approach to ensure that individuals with SMI not only have access to secure housing but also the necessary support to thrive in their new environments. This approach aligns with the organization's mission to promote equity, foster resilience, and support lasting well-being for individuals with severe mental illness.

Therapeutic day programming for individuals with severe mental illness provides a structured and supportive environment designed to address their complex needs through a combination of therapeutic modalities and skill-building activities. POPI will offer 2-3 hours of specialized group activities designed to support various aspects of recovery in addition to unstructured therapeutic milieu time to support community connections and social opportunities. Services offered will include: - Process Groups focus on skill development related to problem-solving, emotional regulation, and behavioral adaptation, offering valuable tools and support for daily challenges. Examples of these groups can include: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Seeking Safety, NEW-R, and Cognitive Remediation, offering diverse therapeutic strategies to address various aspects of mental health. - Skill Building Groups aim to identify and overcome barriers related to severe mental illness (SMI), facilitating the development of adaptive behaviors through targeted interventions. Focus areas include Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), cooking, mindfulness, Weight Watchers, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)/Dual Diagnosis Anonymous (DDA)/Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Recovery Dharma, and Red Road to Wellbriety, among others, providing practical tools and support for personal growth and recovery. - Adjunctive Therapy provides non-traditional therapeutic experiences such as art, dance, music, and recreation, allowing individuals to explore self-expression and creativity as part of their healing journey. Activities such as gardening, baking, music making, collage, sewing, painting, games and cards, and construction/building offer opportunities for creative expression and skill development, enriching the therapeutic experience and enhancing overall well-being. -Day Treatment Intensive: For a more intensive approach, this program includes psychotherapy groups led by licensed clinical staff. Participants receive individualized attention with one weekly individual session and 1-2 psychotherapy/process groups, complemented by elective adjunctive therapies. This comprehensive approach ensures that individuals with severe mental illness receive a well-rounded support system, promoting their recovery, personal growth, and integration into the community.

Vocational rehabilitation through supported employment services is critical for individuals with severe mental illness (SMI). These services provide critical support that helps overcome barriers to employment and fosters greater independence and integration into the community. By offering tailored job coaching, skills training, and ongoing support, we can empower individuals to achieve meaningful work, enhance their quality of life, and promote recovery. Investing in supported employment not only addresses their unique challenges but also affirms their potential and contributions to the workforce. Vocational rehabilitation through Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services is a transformative approach for individuals with severe mental illness. Eligibility is based on client choice, with no exclusions due to prior work history, hospitalization, substance use, or other personal factors. This approach encourages all interested individuals to explore employment opportunities, aiming for competitive jobs that offer equal pay and direct employer compensation, free from artificial time limits. Key to IPS is the rapid job search process, where employment specialists make direct contact with employers within 30 days of program entry, bypassing unnecessary pre-vocational activities. Specialists also engage in targeted job development, forming relationships with employers to match client interests with job openings. Support is continuous and individualized, with job supports extending until employment stability is achieved or clients no longer require assistance. This support is closely integrated with mental health treatment services, ensuring a holistic approach to client needs. The growth and sustained success of IPS programs—evidenced by a 64% increase in programs between 2016 and 2019—demonstrate the effectiveness of this model. By integrating IPS with mental health services and focusing on client preferences and competitive employment, we empower individuals with severe mental illness to achieve meaningful and fulfilling work, enhancing their quality of life and promoting their full participation in the workforce.