Affiliations: Career Support Services, Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts | Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia | Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia | Department of Rehabilitative Services, Richmond, Virginia
Abstract: Participation in paid work in competitive industry through placement in supported employment is compared and analyzed for two populations: 212 persons with a primary psychiatric disability and 1,588 persons with a non psychiatric primary disability. Results are organized in two areas: service patterns through an analysis of types of interventions, and outcomes from supported employment services. Results indicate differences in the types and amounts of interventions provided, with the majority of interventions for both populations studied provided at the job site. Persons with a psychiatric disability consistently earn higher wages across a variety of service models than do persons in the other group. Differences between the two populations were also found in types of jobs, job retention, and reasons for separation from employment. Results represent an expansion of the limited data base available to evaluate the design and effectiveness of supported employment services for persons with a psychiatric disability.
