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Ground Breaking Study Reveals Importance of Combining Supported Employment with Mental Health Services NAMI
E-News "Mental health service models and vocational rehabilitation are among the many issues that will be addressed at our convention this year," said NAMI executive director Richard Birkel. "This study is an important one, with implications for how all mental health service programs should be structured. Across the board, the convention offers opportunities for discussions of key importance to consumers, families, and professionals." Funded by the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) through the Massachusetts Employment Intervention Demonstration Project (MA EIDP), the study focused on adults living in Worcester, Massachusetts, assigned to supported employment services in either a PACT or Clubhouse program. Stated interest in work and the actual receipt of vocational services were significant predictors of whether a person would work and how long it took to get a job. Two-thirds of those interested in work, and almost half of those who had no initial interest, ultimately obtained competitive jobs. Once employed, the two groups held comparable jobs for the same length of time. The results highlight the importance of integrating vocational support with routine mental health care as a critical key to rehabilitation for people with mental illness who might not ordinarily enroll in a supported employment program. Integrated, multi-service programs like PACT and Clubhouses can offer immediate, practical help in initiating a job search, anytime a consumer becomes interested. Informal, spontaneous assistance can bypass fears that may accompany application to specialized supported employment programs. It also helps to foster non-exclusionary policies and ensure that supported work opportunities are not reserved for people who need the least assistance, the authors maintain. The study is available on line at www.fountainhouse.org. Correspondence should be addressed to Cathalene Macias, Ph.D., Additional information about NAMI's convention on July 11-15 is available at http://www.nami.org ----------------------------------------------------------- The NAMI E-News is an electronic newsletter delivering the latest in federal action alerts, legislative and policy updates, and NAMI press releases. Provided free of charge as a public service, the NAMI E-News is read by more than 14,500 NAMI members, policymakers, federal and state legislators, media, providers, health care policy experts, and others interested in improving the lives of individuals with severe mental illnesses and their families. Contributions to support the NAMI E-News are welcomed and can be made online; via mail (make check payable to NAMI and send to NAMI, P.O. Box 79972, Baltimore, MD 21279-0972); or through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC #0538). Currently, NAMI Members number 220,000. Thank you. ----------------------------------------------------------- Click here to add your name to this mail listing. |
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