PROMISE: Lessons learned from six model demonstration projects through the Promoting Readiness of Minors in Supplemental Security Income Project

The lead agency for New York PROMISE was the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH), with nine additional state agencies forming the project’s interagency steering committee. Day-to-day leadership and program oversight were provided by the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene (RFMH) and Cornell University’s K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability. RFMH and Cornell served New York PROMISE youth and families in two ways.  First, they had contracts with: (1) research demonstration sites (RDS) to provide case management to youth; (2) parent centers to provide case management and training to parents/guardians; and (3) service providers to deliver employment services, benefits counseling, and financial literacy training to youth and parents/guardians. Second, RFMH directly employed case management and employment staff in New York City to serve in the role of the RDS and as service providers. New York PROMISE website  

Youth participants total	1900
Treatment group	931
Control group	969

Final participation numbers from projects as of September 30, 2019

Average youth age at enrollment: 15.3

**Demographics from MPR 18-month interim report

Male	68.2 percent
Female	31.8 percent

*Final participation numbers from projects as of September 30, 2019

Pie chart describing primary impairment

Developmental disability	26.5 percent
Other or unkown	22.5 percent
Autism spectrum disorder	17.9 percent
Intellectual disabilities	14.5 percent
Physical disability	11.4 percent
Other mental impairment	7.2 percent
Deaf or blind	.9 percent

*Final participation numbers from projects as of September 30, 2019

Black	45.5 percent
Hispanic or Latino	35.5 percent
White	8.7 percent
Not disclosed	5.6 percent
Other/multiple races	3.1 percent
Asian	1.6 percent

*Final participation numbers from projects as of September 30, 2019

Either parent/guardian employed at any time in the 12 months before project: 62 percent

Average monthly earnings in 12 months before project: $1,186

**Demographics from MPR 18-month interim report

Youth employed in 12 months before project: 6.4 percent

Average annual earnings in 12 months before project: $51

**Demographics from MPR 18-month interim report

Either parent/guardian employed in month before the 18-month checkpoint

Control group	44.7 percent
Treatment group	42.2 percent

Earnings in month before the 18-month checkpoint

Control group	$736
Treatment group	$723

Control group	29.6 percent
Treatment group	39.5 percent

Youth had any earnings in year before the 18-month checkpoint

Control group	16.8 percent
Treatment group	21.3 percent

Earnings in year before the 18-month checkpoint

Control group	$571
Treatment group	$590

Control group	91.4 percent
Treatment group	94 percent

Preliminary outcomes for participants who completed the 18-month survey from MPR 18-month interim report

Unique features 

• Formation of a steering committee with representatives from nine state agencies
• Technical assistance and support from two key agencies: OMH/RFMH and Cornell University
• Hybrid Model: Utilization of three different types of organizations for the provision of services, as well as directly employed RFMH staff
• Organizations providing services were chosen from organizations already serving transition-age youth (18–21) in order to build capacity into the existing system to support additional transition-age youth (14–24) and to allow for sustainability after the end of the PROMISE project

Partnerships

• New York State Office of Mental Health
• New York State Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation
• New York State Department of Health
• New York State Department of Labor
• New York State Developmental Disability Planning Council
• New York State Education Department, which oversees ACCES-VR
• New York State Office of Children and Family Services, which oversees the Commission for the Blind
• New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities
• New York State Office for Temporary and Disability Assistance
• New York Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs)