Date of Paper

5-2012

Type of Paper

Clinical research paper

Degree Name

Master of Social Work (M.S.W.)

Department

Social Work

First Advisor

Felicia Sy

Department/School

Social Work

Abstract

Employment is an essential function in the process of recovery for persons with serious and persistent mental illness. Unfortunately the SPMI population has had a static unemployment rate of 90% since the 1970’s. This rate appears to be as such due to the difficulty many people have in retaining their employment and managing their symptoms. An intervention that has been shown to be successful is the integration of mental health supports in vocational programming for the mentally ill. With such supports clients have shown a higher likelihood to be able to maintain their job.

Many mental illnesses are chronic and symptoms can be cyclical, due to this factor long term support without time limitation has shown to be the most successful model in supportive employment. The purpose of this project was to evaluate long term supportive employment from a professional’s opinion. This project evaluated the opinions of professionals who were employed at a long term supportive vocational program. The project asked the mental health workers if they feel that their client’s job retention had increased due to the support. It also asked the workers if they felt the client’s reliance on other supports has changed since entering their program. The project evaluated on whether their clients appear to have improved feelings of self-efficacy and autonomy. In closing the project discussed how the professionals felt their client’s opinions were valued in their roles as workers.

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