Financial Education for Persons in Recovery

The curriculum, Financial Education for Persons in Recovery, was designed to help people with serious mental illnesses acquire financial management skills to promote their economic wellness. Comprised of three sections: 1) facilitator’s notes; 2) a curriculum with six classroom sessions; and 3) homework assignments, it was part of a Center project to help people in mental health recovery build assets and economic wellness. This curriculum is no longer available.

Please visit these web sites for free or low-cost financial education and financial wellness resources:

1. MoneySmart Financial Education Program
A free online class that offers information, fun activities, and quizzes to build financial literacy. You must register to take this interactive class.
http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/moneysmart/mscbi/mscbi.html

2. My Money.Gov
This U.S. government web site teaches the basics about financial education, including useful information, practical tips, and games:
http://www.mymoney.gov/Pages/default.aspx

3. Hands-On Banking
These online financial courses are for kids, teens, adults, and elders, with free instructor guides containing classroom lessons and activities that use real-life scenarios and group discussions to teach money management skills:
http://www.handsonbanking.org/en/

4. A Provider’s Guide to Promoting Economic Self-Sufficiency: A Recovery-Oriented Approach
This workbook provides practitioners with information and tools to support adults in mental health recovery as they develop economic self-sufficiency, create an individualized plan of action, and reinforce their financial skills:
http://www.nyaprs.org/community-economic-development/toolkit/documents/WSSproviderfinal2012_003.pdf

5. The National Disability Institute
This web site has resources to help individuals with disabilities and their families increase income, save money, and build assets:
https://www.realeconomicimpact.org/Resources/Links.aspx