Abstract
Cumulative employment rates published by randomized trials are based on each enrollee’s pre-planned 18–24-months of study participation. By contrast, community programs typically report employment rates for clients active in services during a calendar quarter. Using data from three supported employment programs in randomized trials, we show that trial cumulative employment rates are about twice as large as quarterly employment rates for the same program. Therefore, we recommend that administrators, service networks, and mental health authorities begin to publish quarterly employment rates, and quarterly median earnings, to allow policymakers to set realistic performance expectations for supported employment programs.
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Acknowledgments
This research was supported by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health to the first and second authors (MH01903 and MH62628, respectively). We thank Suzanne Senn-Burke of PACT, Inc. at Mendota Mental Health Center in Madison, WI for her provision of quarterly employment data for the original vocationally-integrated PACT program.
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Gold, P.B., Macias, C., Barreira, P.J. et al. Viability of Using Employment Rates from Randomized Trials as Benchmarks for Supported Employment Program Performance. Adm Policy Ment Health 37, 427–432 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-009-0258-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-009-0258-3