Enhancing Individual Placement and Support: Promoting Job Tenure by Integrating Natural Supports and Supported Education

Abstract

Competitive employment represents a normalized and valued social role for adults in this culture. Individuals with psychiatric disabilities often desire this role and frequently express that employment is a goal in their recovery process. Despite this, they have historically had very low rates of competitive employment and when work is obtained, the employment tenure is alarmingly short. This article proposes the addition of two service enhancements to the most recognized Supported Employment (SE) model, Individual Placement and Support (IPS), -to increase job tenure. The first enhancement is the development of natural support networks to normalize individuals' roles in the workforce and decrease their reliance on paid support. The second enhancement is the establishment of a career ladder by increasing access to and success in post-secondary education and training institutions through Supported Education (SEd). This article identifies the major limitation of the IPS model, short job tenure, and outlines the potential for the proposed service enhancements to address this limitation for people with psychiatric disabilities.