A supported competitive employment programme for individuals with chronic mental illness

Authors: 
Wong, K., Chiu, L. P., Tang, S. W., Kan, H. K., Kong, C. L., Chu, H. W.,& Chiu, S. N.
Year Published: 
2001
Publication: 
Hong Kong Journal of Psychiatry
Volume: 
11
Number: 
2
Pages: 
13-18
Publisher: 
Hong Kong Academy of Medicine Press
Background: 

Supported employment has emerged in recent years as a viable employment service alternative for individuals with chronic mental illness. Numerous reports demonstrate enhanced vocational outcomes in the areas of employment rate, job retention rate, job tenure, and earnings for individuals with chronic mental illness. Not much is known about the program outcomes and applicability in Hong Kong.

Purpose: 

The objective of this study was to ascertain the vocational outcomes of individuals with chronic mental illness participating in a supported employment program.

Setting: 

The setting included supported Employment Services in a hospital in Hong Kong.

Sample: 

The sample was 388 individuals with chronic mental illness.

Data Collection: 

Referral forms were used to collect demographic data. A job placement and follow up record was used to assess job retention rate, job tenure, nature of job placement and earnings. A job termination form was used to evaluate the reasons for the termination of employment.

Intervention: 

The intervention was the Individual Placement and Support model of supported employment.

Control: 

The comparison condition was traditional vocational rehabilitation services.

Findings: 

Of the 388 patients, 267 (68.8%) obtained competitive employment. The mean job tenure was 133 days. The mean salary was HK$4,737 for full-time jobs and HK$2,329 for part-time jobs. The majority of the patients (59.6%) sustained their job placement for more than 30 days, 69 patients (25.8%) worked for more than 6 months, and 35 (13.1%)maintained the job for more than 1 year.

Conclusions: 

This study concluded that a supported competitive employment program could be an effective approach to enhancing vocational outcomes for individuals with chronic mental illness. Recommendations for future research for evaluation of the effectiveness of the supported competitive employment program are suggested.

URL: 
https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1G1-169678962/a-supported-competitive-employment-programme-for-individuals
Disabilities: 
Emotional disturbance
Populations: 
Male & Female
Outcomes: 
Employment acquisition
Increase in hours worked
Increase in tenure
Wages
NIDILRR Funded: 
No
Research Design: 
Quasi-experimental
Peer Reviewed: 
Yes

Vocational outcomes of individuals with psychiatric disabilities participating in a supported competitive employment program

Authors: 
Xu, Y.W., Chan, C. C., Lam, C. S., Li-Tsang, C. W., Lo-Hui, K. Y., & Gatchel, R. J.
Year Published: 
2000
Publication: 
Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation
Volume: 
14
Number: 
3
Pages: 
247-256
Publisher: 
IOS Press
Background: 

Supported employment has emerged in recent years as a viable employment service alternative for individuals with chronic mental illness. Numerous reports demonstrate enhanced vocational outcomes in the areas of employment rate, job retention rate, job tenure, and earnings for individuals with chronic mental illness.

Purpose: 

This study provides information about vocational outcomes of individuals with psychiatric disabilities participating in a supported competitive employment (SCE) program.

Setting: 

The setting was a community based supported competitive employment program.

Sample: 

The sample was 458 individuals with chronic mental illness.

Data Collection: 

Demographic and employment data was collected by the employment specialists during the study.

Intervention: 

The intervention was the Individual Placement and Support model of supported employment.

Control: 

The comparison condition was traditional Vocational Rehabilitation.

Findings: 

Of the 458 subjects, 308 (67.3%) obtained competitive employment. The mean job tenure was 134 days. The mean salary was $4,740 for full-time jobs and was $2,321 for part-time jobs. The majority of subjects (59.4%) could sustain their job placement for more than 30 days, 74 (24.0%) subjects could work for more than six months, and 38 (12.3%) could maintain the job for more than one year.

Conclusions: 

Subjects who became employed were compared to those who did not gain employment on a variety of demographic variables. Significant differences were found between two groups in terms of sex and source of referral. The rate of employment in the current study was slightly higher, but the job retention rate was lower than in earlier studies. Recommendations for future research on evaluation of the effectiveness of SCE program are suggested.

URL: 
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12441521
Disabilities: 
Emotional disturbance
Populations: 
Male & Female
Outcomes: 
Employment acquisition
Full-time employment
Increase in tenure
Part-time employment
Wages
NIDILRR Funded: 
No
Research Design: 
Quasi-experimental
Peer Reviewed: 
Yes

Neurocognitive enhancement therapy with vocational services: Work outcomes at two-year follow-up

Authors: 
Berthoud, R.
Year Published: 
2008
Publication: 
Schizophrenia Research
Volume: 
105
Number: 
1
Pages: 
18-29
Publisher: 
Elsevier
Background: 

Neurocognitive enhancement therapy (NET) is a remediation program for the persistent and function-limiting cognitive impairments of schizophrenia. In a previous study in veterans, NET improved work therapy outcomes as well as executive function and working memory.

Purpose: 

The present study aimed to determine whether NET could enhance functional outcomes among schizophrenia and schizoaffective patients in a community mental health center receiving community-based vocational services.

Setting: 

The study setting was a Community Mental Health Center serving individuals with psychiatric disabilities.

Sample: 

Seventy-seven stable outpatients with diagnoses of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were recruited at a large urban community mental health center. Participants met diagnostic criteria based on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (First et al., 1996) from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association & Task Force on DSM-IV, 1994), conducted by research psychologists, and were eligible if they were clinically stable (i.e., GAF > 30, no housing changes, psychiatric medication alterations, or psychiatric hospitalizations in the 30 days prior to intake). Exclusion criteria included history of traumatic brain injury, known neurological diseases, developmental disability, and active substance abuse within the past 30 days

Data Collection: 

The statistical consultant compared hours worked by condition across quarters over the course of the two-year study using mixed models, repeated measures ANOVAs. Analyses were performed separately for total hours of community-based work activity (transitional and competitive payment combined), and hours of community-based work activity paid exclusively by the employer (competitive payment). Because of significant skew introduced by non-working participants in each quarter, analyses were repeated using ranked data as a nonparametric check of the results. Except where corrected for multiple comparisons, alpha was set at .05 and all tests were two-tailed.

Intervention: 

Patients (N = 72) participated in a hybrid transitional and supported employment program (VOC) and were randomized to either NET + VOC or VOC only. NET + VOC included computer-based cognitive training, work feedback and a social information information-processing group. VOC only also included two weekly support groups. Active intervention was 12 months with 12 month follow-up. Follow-up rate was 100%.

Control: 

The control condition was VOC only.

Findings: 

NET + VOC patients worked significantly more hours during the 12 month follow-up period, reached a significantly higher cumulative rate of competitive employment by the sixth quarter, and maintained significantly higher rates of employment.

Conclusions: 

NET training improved vocational outcomes, suggesting the value of combining cognitive remediation with other rehabilitation methods to enhance functional outcomes.

URL: 
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18715755
Disabilities: 
Emotional disturbance
Populations: 
Hispanic or Latino
Asian
Black / African American
White / Caucasian
Male & Female
Outcomes: 
Employment acquisition
Increase in hours worked
Wages
NIDILRR Funded: 
No
Research Design: 
Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs)
Peer Reviewed: 
Yes