The Challenge of Social Inclusion: A Basis for Enclave Community Approaches

Abstract

U.S. efforts to promote the social inclusion of persons with serious mental illnesses have relied primarily on individualistic models, exemplified by the individual placement and support (IPS) model of supported employment. As little attention has been paid to social outcomes other than employment, the study examined the objective and subjective outcomes of IPS in terms of social inclusion by critically reviewing the research literature. A little over half of IPS users are likely to obtain competitive jobs; work, on average, for less than 6 months; and earn less than $5000 per year over the first few years. IPS appears limited in promoting broader social inclusion, calling into question the wisdom of limiting service user choices solely to individualistic approaches to what may be considered more of a social challenge. A social model of “enclave communities” may improve social inclusion outcomes and establish a more solid foundation for employment programs, including IPS.