Generalisability of the individual placement and support model of supported employment: results of a Canadian randomised controlled trial.
BACKGROUND
Studies conducted in the USA have found the individual placement and support model of supported employment to be more effective than traditional vocational rehabilitation at helping people with severe mental illness to find and maintain competitive employment.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the effectiveness of the individual placement and support (supported employment) model in a Canadian setting.


METHODS
A total of 150 adults with severe mental illness, who were not currently employed and who desired competitive employment, were randomly assigned to receive either supported employment (n = 75) or traditional vocational services (n = 75).


RESULTS
Over the 12 months of followup, 47% of clients in the supported employment group obtained at least some competitive employment, v. 18% of the control group (P < 0.001). They averaged 126 h of competitive work, v. 72 in the control group (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Supported employment proved more effective than traditional vocational services in a setting significantly different from settings in the USA, and may therefore be generalised to settings in other countries.
Latimer
Eric A
EA
Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 6875 LaSalle Blvd, Verdun, Québec, Canada H4H1R3. eric.latimer@douglas.mcgill.can
Lecomte
Tania
T
Becker
Deborah R
DR
Drake
Robert E
RE
Duclos
Isabelle
I
Piat
Myra
M
Lahaie
Nicole
N
St-Pierre
Marie-Sylvie
MS
Therrien
Claude
C
Xie
Haiyi
H
D000328:Adult; D016832:Employment, Supported / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational / Q000379:methods; D012649:Self Concept