Affiliations: Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Supported Employment, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Note: [1] This work was supported by Cooperative Agreement No. H133B80052 from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, U.S. Department of Education. The opinions expressed in the article are strictly those of the authors and no official endorsement by NIDRR should be inferred.
Note: [2] Address reprint requests to John Kregel, Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Box 2011, Richmond, VA 23284-2011.
Abstract: Supported employment has emerged as a viable alternative to conventional rehabilitation approaches for tens of thousands of individuals previously excluded from employment opportunities. However, the ability to retain a job in business or industry for an extended period of time remains a challenge for many supported employment participants. An exploratory investigation of the reasons for job separation of 1,484 individuals participating in supported employment programs in eight states was completed to investigate behavioral characteristics that facilitate or hinder employment retention. Results illustrate that employment retention is affected by a wide variety of vocational, behavioral, economic, and external factors. A number of different approaches currently used to address behavioral difficulties in employment settings are discussed, including compensatory strategies, self-management, and co-worker supports.
