Vocational Rehabilitation for Individuals with Schizophrenia

Opinion statement Contrary to popular belief, many individuals with schizophrenia and other severe mental illnesses want to work, but up to 80 % remain under- or unemployed. Traditional vocational models, which often withhold, or never offer help in finding competitive work until prevocational training, noncompetitive work positions, and other requirements, have been met, ultimately provide little or no benefit in helping people achieve their work goals. To address the need for effective work services, the supported employment model of vocational rehabilitation focusing on rapid attainment of competitive employment has emerged as a compelling alternative to traditional models. Substantial evidence derived from over 30 randomized controlled trials indicates supported employment’s vocational and clinical benefits. More recent research on supported employment has focused on issues of expansion and dissemination. However, access to supported employment remains limited with a substantial need to scale up services in routine clinical and rehabilitation services and to overcome systemic and policy barriers to the funding of supported employment and to fostering work in serious mental illnesses.
Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research