The Importance of Service Integration in Developing Effective Employment Services for People with Severe Mental Health Conditions

Abstract

Introduction: This report examines the importance of integrating mental health services with supported employment services for people with severe mental health conditions and psychiatric disabilities. Integrated mental health and employment services are considered a key principle of evidence-based practices in supported employment for this group. Method: The importance of this principle was tested by examining both the service practices and the employment outcomes attained by 270 clients of a segregated employment service in Christchurch, New Zealand. Service practices were examined using an established scale to assess the fidelity of evidence-based practices in supported employment. Employment outcomes were benchmarked to a range of employment outcome variables reported in national and international studies of specialised supported employment services. Results: Despite only a fair overall fidelity score of 64/75, 73.7% of clients commenced competitive employment within a mean of 86 days from programme entry. The mean hours worked by those employed was 22 hours per week, and 41.5% of those who commenced employment worked for 26 weeks or more. Conclusion: These promising results confirm that very good implementation of evidence-based practices other than service integration practices can compensate for the disadvantages of service segregation.