Often, persons served by CNS Healthcare get referred to the Individual Placement & Supports Employment Program (IP & S) after being released from prison or having an extensive record in criminal justice.  Persons with a record of criminal justice involvement face significant barriers to obtaining competitive employment. Persons with criminal background are often turned away by employers who may not want to take a chance or are afraid to hire individuals with a criminal background.

Employment Specialists are trained to focus on a person’s strengths to find appropriate jobs for each client, and to provide guidance through all steps of the employment process.  They also work hard to identify employers in the community who are willing to hire persons with a criminal history. Some of these employers include Aluminum Blanking, On Demand Mail Service, Eagle Industries, Popeyes, Walmart, Meijer, and Home Depo.

Employment can help a person rebuild their self-esteem and aide persons with mental illness and criminal justice involvement in achieving their personal goals. Using the strategies of finding good job matches, relationship building with employers in the community, and providing self-assurance to the customers we serve, IP & S strives to increase employment opportunities for people with a criminal history & mental illness.

-Jeffrey Segnitz, BS, CADC-M

IP&S Department Supervisor