IPS Supported Employment Consulting

Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is the gold-standard, evidence-based model of supported employment for people living with serious mental illness — including schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, and depression.

IPS helps people living with behavioral health conditions gain and maintain real, competitive jobs of their choosing — with no artificial time limits, no exclusions, and ongoing personalized support.

Unlike traditional vocational programs, IPS integrates directly with mental health treatment teams and prioritizes rapid job search based on each individual's unique preferences and strengths. Mainstream education and technical training are also included as pathways to career advancement.

Employment isn't just a goal — it's a vehicle for recovery. Research consistently shows that people who work experience improved self-esteem, greater social connection, better symptom control, reduced hospitalizations, and a higher quality of life.

I'm Sofia Mendoza, LCSW. Since 2015, I've been in the role of Mental Health Clinical Supervisor for Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, leading and coordinating the CalWORKs Employment Focused Mental Health Program where the goal is to help Department of Social Services participants remove mental health barriers to employment. I led a multidisciplinary team comprised of therapists (social workers and psychologists), psychiatrist, and employment specialists.

The therapists and I treated trauma, depression, anxiety and other mental health issues that impede clients in obtaining or maintaining employment using evidence-based practices such as DBT, CBT, ACT, EMDR, Solution focused therapy and Motivational Interviewing. The employment specialists focused on job readiness by assisting clients with resume building, job brainstorming, and eventually with job placement using the evidence-based practice Individualized Placement and Support (IPS) Supported Employment. I've achieved a 100% pass rate during IPS audits and site visits. Read more about IPS here.

I have served as a consultant and provided technical assistance for IPS throughout other county and county contracted mental health programs and teams.

I have created systems, documents, spreadsheets that assist with all the tracking to help IPS programs achieve and maintain fidelity. For many programs, this also means maintaining funding for continued IPS Supported Employment Programs.

Too much information all at once! I will help your organization and teams easily and painlessly implement the model.