Features of Traditional Vocational Services

• screening for work readiness
• gradual stepwise program services
• brokered services
• short-term assistance

Transcript

Supported employment substantially differs in its basic assumptions from traditional vocational services. Traditional vocational services include a number of features that are not supported by the research literature. In addition, in contrast to supported employment, most traditional vocational approaches have been poorly defined and not adequately studied. Research on traditional approaches has not found long-term success in employment. We need to discontinue these practices in order to assist individuals with severe mental illness in obtaining and maintaining employment. Let’s look at some of the practices that have not been found to contribute to long-term employment success.

The first practice is screening for work readiness. There has been a deeply held belief that with proper testing, we could identify people who are best suited for vocational services. However, we need to stop trying to screen people who are “ready” for work and instead put our efforts into identifying the supports needed for individuals to be successful in competitive employment.

The second practice is the delivery of gradual stepwise program services. In many traditional approaches, consumers are first required to complete training or sheltered work in order to become work ready. The research tells us that individuals do not need to complete pre-training or sheltered work in order to be successful in competitive employment.

The third practice that has been used in traditional vocational programs is brokered services. Rehabilitation professionals have long believed that separate agencies should provide vocational and mental health services. However, supported employment as an evidence-based practice integrates vocational programs with the person’s treatment plan.

The fourth and last practice that we will discuss is the concept of short-term assistance. The state-federal vocational rehabilitation system is conceptualized as time-limited assistance. Consequently, consumers receiving VR services have been “closed” with their formal support from a rehabilitation program ending soon after they have been employed for a prescribed period of time. However, on-going support that is not time-limited is a feature of evidence-based supported employment practice.