J R Community Access, home of Blueprint Supported Education, is hosting the first symposium on Supported Education in New York City. This will take place Tuesday May 28th at 17 Battery Place, Suite 1326, New York, NY, 10004.

Among students with disabilities, those with a mental health condition have the poorest school attendance, lowest grade point averages, and highest drop-out rates (US Department of Education, 2004; Ringelsen et al., 2015). Supported Education is a promising community mental health practice, emerging from the field of psychiatric rehabilitation, that can play a pivitol role in addressing these disparities. Blueprint began providing Supported Education services in 2015 and is funded by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. It is the first program in NYC dedicated to supporting the education goals of students experiencing mental health concerns, with a focus on students who also have a history of criminal justice involvement.

Correctional facilities in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago currently act as the three biggest providers of mental health services in the country (The Center for Prisoner Health and Human Rights). Research has repeatedly shown that education programs reduce recidivism rates; with a 2013 RAND study citing 43% less chance of recidivating after completion of a prison education program, and a 13% increase in likelihood of employment post-release. Supported Education services are well placed to support the needs of students within the criminal justice system and rentry process.

This symposium is focused on promoting equity in access to education and developing improved supports for students with a history of mental health concerns, including those with justice involvement. The primary objectives of the day are: sharing best practices, network building, and identifying a policy agenda for Supported Education in New York City.

Representatives from ImpulSE, founders of the European Network on Supported Education (ENSEd), will present a keynote on the development of their network, and suggest strategies for initiating a similar network in New York.

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