A Controlled Trial of Supported Employment for People With Severe Mental Illness and Justice Involvement

Objective:Employment is a key to participation in community life for people with severe mental illness, especially those who have been involved in the criminal justice system. Although the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment has been established as an evidence-based practice for helping people with severe mental illness attain competitive employment, little is known about whether IPS is effective for people with severe mental illness who have a history of arrest or incarceration. This study examined this question.Methods:A randomized controlled trial examined competitive employment outcomes for 85 participants with severe mental illness and justice involvement who were assigned to IPS or to a comparison group that offered a job club approach with peer support.Results:At one-year follow-up, a greater proportion of participants in the IPS group than in the comparison group had obtained competitive employment (31% versus 7%; p<.01). The IPS and comparison groups did not diffe...