Vocational services offered to people with severe mental illness

Abstract

Background: Vocational services offered to people with severe mental illness represent a cornerstone for their social integration. Differences in terminology and the adaptations or modifications in vocational services make it difficult for stakeholders to have a clear understanding of the goals and content of the vocational services offered to people with severe mental illness.Aims: To facilitate comparisons of vocational services worldwide; this paper describes the most common types of vocational services identified in the literature.Conclusion: An empirical investigation of the effectiveness of specific vocational services components is warranted in order to determine which types or combinations of services work best for which individuals with severe mental illness.