This study informs new strategies that promote integration of peer providers into the staff of social service agencies. Executive directors, human resource managers, supervisors and co-workers at 27 agencies in New York City were interviewed in-depth. Focus groups with peers were conducted. Consistent with previous research, respondents identified attitudes toward recovery, role conflict and confusion, lack of policies and practices around confidentiality, poorly defined job structure and lack of support as problems that undermined integration. Emerging from the data are strategies related to human resource policies and practices and workgroup relationships and operations that can improve employment of peer staff.

Findings demonstrate that a strategy of training, goal setting and consultation can positively affect perceptions of inclusion, and promote implementation of practices associated with inclusive workplaces.

Most efforts to achieve employment for people with mental illness focus on individual enhancement -building behavioral coping skills and task ability so that the individual will manage symptoms, and the job, in a manner acceptable to a particular work site. This paper argues that this strategy has resulted in excessively low employment rates. A preferable intervention would identify and build on those characteristics o f the employment site designed to celebrate diversity in a work force and to create an environment that meets the unique needs o f each employee. These characteristics are identified and strategies for marshalling them in support o f persons with mental illness are suggested.

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