Supported Employment: Assessing the Evidence
Abstract
Objective
Methods
Results
Conclusions
Feature | Description |
---|---|
Service definition | Supported employment is a direct service with multiple components that provides a person with a mental or substance use disorder, for whom employment is difficult to secure, with specialized assistance in choosing, acquiring, and maintaining competitive employment. Supported employment services may include rapid job search, integration of rehabilitation and mental health services, job development, benefits counseling, and individualized follow-along supports that are necessary to sustain employment. |
Service goals | Help participants achieve competitive employment in socially integrated community settings and in jobs held directly by consumers rather than provider agencies |
Populations | Adults with mental disorders or co-occurring mental and substance use disorders |
Settings of service delivery | Generally, outpatient mental health facilities |
Description of the service
Methods
Search strategy
Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Strength of the evidence
Effectiveness of the service
Results
Level of evidence
Study | IPS sample | Control sample | Comparison condition | Outcomes measured | Findings |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Drake et al., 1996 (22) | 73 | 67 | Group skills training | Competitive employment, hours per week, wages, weeks in the longest job, global functioning, quality of life, self-esteem, psychiatric symptoms | IPS participants were more likely to be employed competitively, work more total hours, and earn more total wages. |
Drake et al., 1999 (23) | 74 | 76 | Enhanced vocational rehabilitation | Type of employment (competitive, sheltered, or other); hours worked; hourly wage; satisfaction with income, job, and vocational services; global functioning; quality of life; self-esteem; psychiatric symptoms | IPS participants were more likely to be employed competitively and work at least 20 hours per week. The comparison group had higher rates of sheltered employment. |
Lehman et al., 2002 (30) | 113 | 106 | Psychosocial rehabilitation | Competitive employment, hours worked, monthly wage, quality of life, self-esteem, work motivation, attitudes toward medications, general health | IPS participants were more likely to work, be employed competitively, work more cumulative hours, and earn more wages. |
Mueser et al., 2004 (32) | 68 | 136 | Psychosocial rehabilitation and brokered supported employment | Competitive employment, type of job, hours worked, wages earned, job tenure, job satisfaction, psychiatric symptoms, overall functioning, social functioning, social networks, quality of life, self-esteem | IPS participants were more likely to work competitively or in any paid work. |
Gold et al., 2006 (25) | 66 | 77 | Sheltered workshop | Type of jobs per worker, earned income, weeks worked, hours worked, weeks per job, weeks for longest job, weeks to first job, hours per week per job, wage rate by job, psychiatric symptoms, quality of life, hospitalizations | Assertive community treatment–IPS participants held more competitive jobs and earned more income. |
Latimer et al., 2006 (29) | 75 | 74 | Traditional vocational services | Competitive employment, hours worked, salary conditions, type of work, quality of life, social network, self-esteem, psychiatric symptoms, overall functioning | IPS participants were significantly more likely to obtain competitive employment and work more hours. |
Bond et al., 2007 (20) | 92 | 95 | Diversified placement | Competitive employment, job tenure, job satisfaction, social networks, hospitalizations, independent living, psychiatric symptoms, quality of life | IPS participants had significantly better competitive employment rates over two years. No differences were found for paid employment. |
Burns et al., 2007 (19) | 156 | 156 | Train-place model | Competitive employment, hours worked, days employed, job tenure, service duration, hospitalization, clinical and social functioning, quality of life | IPS was more effective for every vocational outcome. Individuals in the comparison group were significantly more likely to drop out of services and be readmitted to the hospital. |
Killackey et al., 2008 (28) | 20 | 21 | Treatment as usual | Competitive employment, number of jobs, number of education courses, hourly wage, hours worked per week, job tenure, symptoms, quality of life | IPS participants had significantly better outcomes on level of employment, hours worked per week, jobs acquired, and longevity of employment. |
Kin Wong et al., 2008 (35) | 46 | 46 | Sheltered workshops | Competitive employment, time to first job, total days employed, total earnings, psychiatric symptoms, quality of life | IPS participants were more likely to work competitively, hold a greater number of jobs, earn more income, work more days, and sustain longer job tenure. |
Twamley et al., 2008 (34) | 28 | 22 | Vocational rehabilitation referral | Competitive employment, time to first job, job tenure, wages, quality of life | IPS participants were more likely to work competitively, work more weeks, and earn more wages. |
Frey et al., 2011 (24) | 1,121 | 1,117 | Usual care | Employment rate, general health status, mental health status, quality of life | Participants in the intervention were more likely to find paid employment and reported better mental health and quality of life. |
Heslin et al., 2011 (26) | 93 | 95 | Usual care | Competitive employment, time to first job, number of jobs, hours worked, wage, type of job, overall costs, service costs, medication costs | IPS participants were significantly more likely to obtain competitive employment. |
Michon et al., 2011 (31) | 71 | 80 | Traditional vocational services | Competitive employment, days worked, service use | IPS participants were significantly more likely to find competitive or paid work and to work more days in competitive jobs. |
Davis et al., 2012 (21) | 42 | 43 | Standard Veterans Affairs vocational rehabilitation | Competitive employment; weeks, days, and hours worked; wage | IPS participants were significantly more likely to find competitive work, work more weeks, and earn a higher income. |
Hoffman et al., 2012 (27) | 46 | 54 | Traditional vocational rehabilitation | Competitive employment, time to first job, job tenure, weeks worked, wage, psychiatric symptoms, global functioning, hospitalizations, coping with stress, quality of life | IPS participants were significantly more likely to find competitive work and work more weeks. |
Nuechterlein et al., 2012 (33) | 46 | 23 | Brokered vocational rehabilitation | Competitive employment or continued education, type of job, type of continued education | IPS participants who also received skills training in a group setting were significantly more likely to return to work or school than those in the comparison group. |
Effectiveness of the service
Employment outcomes.
Nonvocational outcomes.
Effectiveness of individual service components.
Specific populations.
Discussion and conclusions
Acknowledgments and disclosures
References
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