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Employment Rates in Flexible Assertive Community Treatment Teams in The Netherlands: An Observational Study

Community Mental Health Journal volume 55, pages 350–359 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

We determined the proportions of clients treated in Flexible Assertive Community Treatment teams who were unemployed and gained employment and who were employed and lost employment. Secondly, we explored the demographical and clinical factors associated with employment. Data were collected during routine outcome monitoring. We calculated differences in employment rates over a year and explored differences in demographic characteristics at baseline between patient groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the role of clinical predictor variables on employment status. Over time, 10% remained employed, 5% lost their employment, 3% gained employment and 82% remained unemployed. Clients who found employment were younger, more often male, and had significantly fewer psychosocial problems and a higher subjective quality of life during follow-up than those who remained unemployed. Problems with motivation for treatment at baseline were related to losing employment or remaining unemployed. Better implementation of vocational services is very important for increasing the number of clients gaining employment.

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Acknowledgements

We thank David Alexander who provided medical writing services of on behalf of the investigators listed in this project.

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Affiliations

  1. Bavo-Europoort, Prins Constantijnweg 48-54, 3066 TA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Hans E. Kortrijk & Niels L. Mulder

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Epidemiological and Social Psychiatric Research Institute, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Niels L. Mulder & Astrid M. Kamperman

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Astrid M. Kamperman

  4. Dijk en Duin mental health centre, Castricum, The Netherlands

    Jaap van Weeghel

  5. Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tranzo Scientific Centre for Care and Welfare, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands

    Jaap van Weeghel

Authors
  1. Hans E. Kortrijk
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  2. Niels L. Mulder
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  3. Astrid M. Kamperman
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  4. Jaap van Weeghel
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Correspondence to Hans E. Kortrijk.

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Kortrijk, H.E., Mulder, N.L., Kamperman, A.M. et al. Employment Rates in Flexible Assertive Community Treatment Teams in The Netherlands: An Observational Study. Community Ment Health J 55, 350–359 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-018-0233-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-018-0233-0

Keywords

  • Employment
  • Severe mental illness
  • Flexible Assertive Community Treatment
  • Vocational services