Social Service Provider'S Perceptions Of Financial Education For Adults With Mental Illness And/Or Cognitive Impairments

This study assessed the needs of social service providers (n = 187) who completed a Train the Trainer session on financial literacy and evaluated their perceptions of the appropriateness of a financial toolkit for adults with mental illness and/or cognitive impairment. Using the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection's Your Money, Your Goals (a financial empowerment resource for adults), the following key needs were identified: financial assistance, job training, and medical services. Transportation and access to financial services were barriers identified by providers. Eighty percent of providers would recommend the training to other social service providers. Recommended adaptations included providing shorter, hands on approach multi-sessions, and infusing real life examples. Differences in needs, barriers, or adaptations were not observed for rural versus urban areas. In conclusion, the financial empowerment toolkit, with minimal modifications, may be a viable resource for providers to use with adults who have mental health/cognitive impairments.