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Supported Employment

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Textbook of Community Psychiatry

Abstract

Most clients with severe mental illnesses (SMI) such as schizophrenia and treatment refractory major mood disorders want to work, but fewer than 15% within the public mental health system are currently employed. Most identify employment as a primary goal because working is a normal adult role and it provides meaning, social contact, community integration, self-esteem, increased income, and better quality of life. In this chapter we describe the individual placement and support model of supported employment, one practice that has demonstrated effectiveness in helping clients with SMI gain competitive employment. We describe the eight principles of this model: zero exclusion, focus on competitive work, integration of vocational and clinical services, personalized benefits counseling, attention to client preferences, targeted job development, rapid job search, and individualized follow-along supports.

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Bond, G.R., Mueser, K.T. (2022). Supported Employment. In: Sowers, W.E., McQuistion, H.L., Ranz, J.M., Feldman, J.M., Runnels, P.S. (eds) Textbook of Community Psychiatry. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10239-4_37

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