From investment to impact
Six years later, a Transformation Grant is redefining mental health and workforce opportunity
In 2019, the Quad Cities Community Foundation awarded a Transformation Grant to Vera French Community Mental Health Center to launch Individual Placement and Support (IPS), an evidence-based model of supported employment for people living with serious mental illness. Six years later, the investment continues to deliver life-changing impact for individuals, employers, and the region’s workforce system.
“Mental health challenges touch all of us; our families, our friends, even ourselves,” said Rich Whitaker, Ph.D., CEO of Vera French. “Recovery is real, and meaningful employment can be a strong driver of that recovery. This program has touched hundreds of lives, and it would not exist without the Community Foundation’s support.”
Before the grant, Vera French had already built a continuum of evidence-based services for adults and children, including same-day access, outpatient counseling and medication, community-based outreach, housing, and 24/7 Assertive Community Treatment. What was missing was a comprehensive, person-centered employment model fully integrated into mental health care.
“Earlier approaches helped connect people to jobs, but they didn’t look at the whole person or their long-term goals,” said Angi Tracy, director of the Vera French Carol Center. “Now, clients set goals, and our team can fully support them through the employment process and beyond.”
IPS participants receive benefits counseling, job coaching, and coordination with their clinical care team—addressing some of the social determinants of health that make employment sustainable.
“We’re helping people find jobs they actually want, based on their strengths and interests,” said Mindi Yost, employment manager for IPS services. “Our team builds relationships with employers, advocates alongside clients, and stays connected well after someone is hired. That ongoing support is critical.”
The Transformation Grant provided startup funding to hire staff, support training, and establish partnerships—including with Transitions Mental Health—allowing Vera French to launch the program, the first of its kind in Iowa. Since its launch, the program has grown from one staff member serving 15 clients a year to a three-person team receiving referrals from across the Quad Cities. Client enrollment has steadily grown. To date, the IPS team has served 235 clients.
Kelly Thompson, the Community Foundation’s vice president of strategic initiatives, said that the project exemplifies the goals of the Transformation Grant. “This program was field-leading when it launched, and it continues to grow, impact our region, and act as a model to other communities. That’s exactly what the grant was designed to do.”
Dr. Whitaker said he sees that impact every day. “Our clients come in, and many don’t think employment is even possible. When they hear that getting a job is a very real goal, it’s incredibly empowering. This program is lifting clients, helping employers, and making the whole community stronger.”
For more than a decade, Community Foundation Transformation Grants have addressed local issues such as housing and homelessness, education, mental health resources, cultural opportunities, economic development, neighborhood revitalization, and much more. The grants are made possible by gifts to the Community Impact Fund.
To learn more and support transformative programs, contact Anne Calder at 563-326-2840 or annecalder@QCCommunityFoundation.org.