The Thing About Supported Employment-IPS – It WORKS!
Research tells us that 60-70% of people with serious mental illness want to work. However, fewer than 15% of these individuals are employed. These figures are troublesome because having a job helps people manage their symptoms, rejoin their communities and decrease their reliance on the social service system.
The good news is that this evidence-based approach helps people with serious mental illness to find and keep regular jobs in their communities. There are many types of vocational programs for people with mental illness; however, people who participate in IPS supported employment programs are almost three times more likely to gain employment than those who engage in other types of vocational programs. (See graph below from Dartmouth’s IPS Supported Employment Center) Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is an employment service that helps more people with mental illness obtain employment than any other type of vocational program.
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To find supported employment providers near you, click here.
To find help with jobs, housing and living independently in Washington State, click here.
