Practices In Supported Employment Research Articles

An Evaluation of Career Opportunity Readiness Experience (CORE): An Enhancement to Supported Employment for Transition Age Youth with Serious Mental Health Diagnoses.

Transition-age youth (TAY) diagnosed with serious mental health diagnoses have low employment rates. Supported Employment (SE) is a widely adopted evidence-based approach. However, SE engagement and outcomes are mixed with TAY, who have unique developmental needs. This study evaluates the "Career Opportunity Readiness Experience" (CORE), a TAY transitional employment SE add-on. CORE runs in 15-week cycles with 6-8 TAY, supported by Vocational Peer Mentors. CORE includes: (1) workshops, (2) paid internship, and (3) SE transition. CORE participation, key outcomes and feedback were tracked over nine cycles, and for six-months post-CORE participation. Most (97%; 55 of 57) experienced positive outcomes: 74% enrolled in SE, 42% secured employment and 23% enrolled in an education program. Most (82%) reported positive CORE experiences. CORE workshops, internships and vocational peer mentoring are promising TAY SE practices. More research is needed to understand CORE implementation barriers and facilitators and key change mechanisms.

Supported employment coaches’ difficulties and facilitators with clients diagnosed with personality versus other disorders: A qualitative study

AimPeople with severe mental illnesses (SMI) face different occupational challenges than those diagnosed with personality disorders (PD). Supported employment (SE) has been validated for SMI patients but its effectiveness for individuals with PD remains unclear, and the reasons for this potential difference have not been explored. This study aimed to identify differences in SE practice for clients with SMI and those with PD. MethodsSix SE job coaches were interviewed about their experiences. A thematic analysis was run. ResultsMore difficulties and facilitators were mentioned regarding clients with PD than regarding clients with other SMI. For both, patients’ symptoms were reported to negatively affect their (re)integration into the job market. However, in contrast to that of clients with SMI, the relation between symptoms and SE success for clients with PD involved difficult behaviors and their negative impact on the therapeutic relationship. ConclusionIn summary, SE practice seems to be undermined by PD and could benefit from adaptations, such as specific training for SE teams to help them in managing clients with this disorder.

Implementation and Challenge of Supported Employment for People With Disabilities in China.

The Chinese government initiated a pilot program to implement supported employment for people with disabilities in 2014. Since then, policies have been enacted to promote supported employment. This study explored how practitioners understand and implement supported employment for people with disabilities in China. It was found that non-governmental service organizations have mainly implemented supported employment with financial support provided by local disabled persons' federations; without a governmental guide, the small-scale folk practice presented many difficulties and unstable factors. Results indicated that the Chinese government should actively establish and improve the supported employment system and further expand supported employment practices at the governmental level.

Growth of IPS Supported Employment Programs in the United States: An Update.

Individual placement and support (IPS), an evidence-based supported employment practice, is a core service in community mental health in the United States. Several factors promote the growth of IPS, including a network of 24 states participating in a learning community devoted to expanding IPS services. This study examined growth of IPS in the United States from 2016 to 2019, comparing growth rates for states within and outside the learning community. This national survey included telephone interviews with 70 representatives from state mental health and vocational rehabilitation agencies in 50 states and the District of Columbia, replicating methods of a 2016 survey. The primary outcomes were the number of IPS programs and clients served. The survey inquired about four indicators of state-level support for IPS implementation and sustainment: collaboration between state agencies, independent fidelity reviews, technical assistance and training, and funding. In 2019, 41 (80%) of 50 states and the District of Columbia had IPS services, with 857 IPS programs serving an estimated 43,209 clients. Between 2016 and 2019, the number of programs increased from 272 to 486 in 22 learning-community states and two learning-community counties, and from 251 to 371 in 18 states outside the learning community. State-level support for IPS was significantly greater in learning-community states, compared with non-learning-community states. IPS services expanded substantially in the United States between 2016 and 2019. Learning-community states had more rapid growth and provided greater implementation support, facilitating implementation, expansion, and sustainment of high-fidelity IPS. Nevertheless, access to IPS remains limited.

A qualitative study of supported employment practices in Project SEARCH

Project SEARCH is a unique program for young adults with intellectual disabilities to transition from high school to work. This program teaches individuals with intellectual disabilities (interns) job skills in an inclusive work environment, such as a hospital. The purpose of the study is to understand the involvement and perceptions of supported employment within Project SEARCH for coworkers of the interns and Project SEARCH staff. Qualitative research methods were employed in this study. The data were collected by interviewing two groups separately, Project SEARCH staff and coworkers of the interns. The results indicated that the participants had provided an inclusive work environment to the interns through positive attitudes and support. The results have important implications for research in the field of inclusive and supported employment.

Current practices in job matching: A Project SEARCH perspective on transition

BACKGROUND: Individuals with disabilities are employed at rates significantly lower than those without disabilities. Job matching has been an integral part of supported employment practices for individuals with disabilities for over 30 years. However, no research examines the specific practices of key stakeholders who make job matching decisions with, or on behalf of, individuals with disabilities. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the: a) current practices in job matching, b) outcomes of the job matching process, and c) tools used by Project SEARCH professionals to inform job matching decisions. METHODS: This study used a mixed-methods sequential-explanatory research design to examine the practices of key stakeholders involved in job matching. Stakeholders were students and professionals participating in transition using the Project SEARCH model. Quantitative and narrative data were collected by survey during the first phase of the study. A second, qualitative phase employed a multiple case study design using focus groups to evaluate the perspectives of key professional and consumer stakeholder groups. Integration of quantitative and qualitative data revealed that: a) job matching is a collaborative process, b) stakeholders consider many different types of data when job matching, c) current practices in job matching are variable and lack consistency, and d) outcomes of the job matching process are poorly defined. CONCLUSIONS: Additional resources are needed to support the efforts of stakeholders who make job matching decisions with, or on behalf of, individuals with disabilities. In the absence of formal resources, key stakeholders who utilize a collaborative, consistent, data-driven process for job matching are most likely to observe positive outcomes.

The Evidentiary Basis for Supported Employment Practice for Workers with Schizophrenia: A Thematic Analysis

The authors have conducted a thematic review of the literature on the evidence of, and enquiry into, individualized placement and support (IPS) efficacy as an intervention for people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders. Eight studies were identified that met all inclusion criteria. Explicit themes in the research included (a) investigation of the impact of schizophrenia sequelae on IPS efficacy and the differential impact of neurocognitive enhancement therapy in minimizing psychiatric symptoms and improving IPS outcomes and (b) IPS as an alternative to treatment-as-usual in different age demographics (older and younger clients). Implicit themes coalesced around a general theme of dealing with change, in practice and research, that implementing IPS implies. Each theme represents a challenge or confound to the research corpus and included (a) vaguely defined rationale for the issue of return on investment, (b) practical burden of overstressed and unprepared service structures, (c) diffuse outcom...

Strengthening the role of the employee: An analysis of supported employment using social role valorization theory

At the age of thirty, supported employment has given rise to significant accomplishments, but much of its promise remains unfulfilled. Wolfensberger's Social Role Valorization (SRV) theory offers a substantive method for analyzing and strengthening supported employment practices while describing principles for addressing patterns of social devaluation imposed on people with disabilities. Using formal SRV theory, this paper will explore the power of the role. Improved clarity about the role of employee, when it exists and when it does not (i.e., my employee versus your client) represents one way to bolster supported employment and increase positive possibilities in life for people with disabilities.

Supported-employment practice in the UK: Evidence about an emerging occupational group

Purpose. This paper reports the findings from a UK survey of 519 practitioners of employment support and rehabilitation for disabled people.Method. A structured examination of where practitioners worked, who their clients were and what models they operated. It explored training needs, attitudes to disability and current practice in terms of an ‘adherence scale’ based on supported employment principles.Results. Respondents were from a wide range of agencies, and the supported-employment model was common. The majority of respondents worked in the voluntary sector, where both perceived needs for training and adherence to supported-employment principles were relatively high. Staff subject to output targets were less optimistic about the potential of all disabled persons to work. There was a lack of confidence in dealing with benefits issues, changing structures and systems, and in delivering cognitive behaviour therapy, which has attracted much attention in the UK.Conclusion. Our findings begin to remedy the lack of information about the individuals who deliver supported employment in the UK, and offer a comparator for similar enquiries in other countries. They raise questions concerning professionalisation and the role of government departments versus the role of the third sector; these issues call for further investigation.

Evaluation of Conceptual Selling® as a job development planning process.

Job development is integral to evidence-based supported employment practice. This paper reviews the limited research on job development and critically examines various definitions of job development. The authors describe Conceptual Selling, an existing method currently used in sales that can be adopted for use in job development. An exploratory evaluation of Conceptual Selling as a method for job development is described and implications discussed.

Return to Work for Persons with Traumatic Brain Injury

Individuals with traumatic brain injuries experience an array of physical, cognitive, and emotional changes that often make return to preinjury employment unlikely and locating new employment difficult. The authors review the literature related to the return to work for persons with traumatic brain injuries. This includes return to work outcomes, factors influencing return to work, and vocational programs that enhance employment, including a supported employment approach. Guidelines for professionals engaged in supported employment practices are also provided.

Squeezing Long-Term Supports Out of a Short-Term Program: Independence Issues and Supported Employment

The current dilemmas associated with the philosophy behind independence and supported employment are presented. In particular the authors define the concept of independence in rehabilitation in several ways: independence as productivity, Independence as the absence of barriers, independence as autonomy, and independence as the absence of support. These various definitions are consistent with many supported employment practices but have been narrowly defined for the purposes of funding and regulations. Additionally, the authors present one state's implementation of supported employment, as an example of the competing goals of state funding formulas and the need for long-term supports. A need for new funding formulas and regulations directed at ongoing and natural support is explained.