Outcomes of an individual placement and support programme incorporating principles of the collaborative recovery model

Abstract

Introduction Engaging in employment enhances mental health recovery and is therefore of central focus for many occupational therapists working in mental health. Individual placement and support (IPS) is an evidence‐based, supported employment model specifically designed for individuals with severe mental illness who have the desire to work. Despite strong support for IPS in Australia, implementation challenges have been encountered. This study evaluates outcomes achieved by participants engaged with WorkWell, an IPS programme delivered by a large Australian non‐government organisation. In addition to following IPS principles, WorkWell was informed by principles of the collaborative recovery model (CRM). Method De‐identified outcomes data for each participant were analysed by an independent research team. The proportion of individuals engaged with the programme who achieved a competitive employment placement was calculated. Average employment duration and weekly wages were calculated for individuals who achieved a competitive employment placement. Finally, the proportion of individuals who achieved some form of vocationally relevant outcome was calculated. Results Ninety‐seven participants were engaged with the programme. Forty‐eight participants (49.5%) gained a competitive employment position. Average employment duration was 151 days (21.6 weeks) and average weekly wage was $478. Overall, 62 participants (63.9%) were supported to achieve some kind of vocationally relevant outcome (e.g. competitive employment, education, work trial or voluntary work) as a result of their engagement with the programme. Conclusion While the addition of CRM principles appears to have supported positive outcomes for participants, especially in terms of employment duration, results for employment placement rates were lower than expected. While the employment placement rate compares favourably to results from the international literature and numerous programmes in Australia, more development is required to increase the proportion of individuals who are supported into competitive employment positions. Future research should focus on the specific elements of CRM that most contribute to enhancing IPS processes.

Community‐based social interventions for people with severe mental illness: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of recent evidence

“…We identified 20 studies that addressed interventions targeting employment or voluntary work, of which 15 were quantitative [51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65] , one used mixed methods 66 and four were qualitative [67][68][69][70] .…”

“…Seven studies were conducted in the US 52,54,55,[57][58][59]64 , three in the UK 63,66,69 , two each in China 65,70 , Denmark 51,67 , Norway 56,60 and Spain 61,68 , and one each in Australia 62 and the Netherlands 53 .…”

Vocational Service Models and Approaches to Improve Job Tenure of People With Severe and Enduring Mental Illness: A Narrative Review

“…Certain employment specialist characteristics and competencies appear to facilitate employment outcomes for clients with mental illness (66). Australian research described how recovery focused principles (98) supported the relational and strengths-based practice of employment specialists, arguing this contributed to positive employment outcomes, including sustained employment (65). Employment specialists' competency to build and maintain relationships with employers was significantly correlated with job acquisition and job retention (66).…”

Effect of community mental health care programs in Australia: a systematic review

“…drug and alcohol therapy, case management, housing and welfare payments; Beere et al 2019). Individual Placement and Support, which assisted individuals in finding employment through a dedicated vocational worker, was assessed in three studies (Waghorn et al 2014;Williams et al 2015;Scanlan et al 2019).…”

“…Eighteen case-management programs found significant improvements in psychosocial functioning, such as social support, independent living and broader needs being diminished. Specifically, the Individual Placement and Support program, where participants had regular contact with a dedicated vocational worker, yielded significant improvements in employment outcomes (Waghorn et al 2014;Williams et al 2015;Scanlan et al 2019). Further, the coordination of services in the Partners in Recovery program was effective in meeting participants' health and social needs, improving their overall psychosocial functioning (Urbis 2015;Gulliver et al 2018;Hancock et al 2018;Isaacs et al 2019).…”