Strategies for integrated employment and mental health services.
OBJECTIVE
Individual placement and support (IPS) supported employment for people with mental illness is most effective when mental health and employment services are fully integrated within teams in a single agency. Despite this evidence, there are times when separate mental health and employment agencies must collaborate rather than integrate. This article examines how 3 state implementation teams helped separate agencies to partner on IPS supported employment.


METHODS
The authors used qualitative interviews and direct observations to examine successful collaborations in 3 states. We visited IPS programs on multiple occasions, interviewed multiple stakeholders, and evaluated adherence to the principles of IPS.


RESULTS
Leaders used 4 strategies to promote successful collaborations: (a) ensuring that employment specialists, and in some cases, vocational rehabilitation counselors, attended mental health treatment team meetings; (b) providing office space for employment staff at the mental health agency; (c) involving supervisors from both agencies in the implementation; and (d) using fidelity reviews to assess the quality of collaboration.


CONCLUSIONS
Practitioners from separate agencies can coordinate services effectively, but successful coordination requires leadership at the state and local levels.
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center.
Sarah J
SJ
Swanson
Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development-Vocational Rehabilitation Services.
Claire T
CT
Courtney
Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education, University of Wisconsin.
Robert H
RH
Meyer
Office of Adult Services, Mental Hygiene Administration, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Steven A
SA
Reeder
D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D016832:Employment, Supported / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008396:Maryland; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008910:Minnesota; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D014922:Wisconsin