Conclusions About the SE Fidelity Scale

The SE Fidelity Scale is a practical and widely used scale.
The Scale is grounded in evidence-based principles.
The use of the SE Fidelity Scale can improve program implementation.

Transcript

This lecture on the Supported Employment Fidelity Scale is intended as an introduction on the philosophy behind this scale and the evidence that this scale works. The evidence for asserting that supported employment is an evidence-based practice has been briefly examined and some of the reasons why it is important to monitor fidelity of implementation have been discussed. Next, a general method to measure fidelity was outlined as well as an explanation of the development of the SE Fidelity Scale, with evidence that it is a viable scale. Finally, a few practical applications for practitioners were presented.

As a concluding comment, it is important to note that the emerging evidence base on supported employment is clear and consistent. Use of supported employment has achieved improved employment outcomes across many different types of settings and populations. No other vocational rehabilitation approach for people with severe mental illness has attained the status of evidence-based practice found in supported employment, despite a half century of program innovations and experimentation by many psychiatric rehabilitation programs. Supporters of vocational approaches other than supported employment have failed to either empirically investigate their methods or to find strong evidence. It is also true that many vocational approaches that are not effective continue to be widely practiced.

Supported employment services characterized by the evidence-based practices described in this lecture have demonstrated effectiveness in achieving improved employment outcomes for individuals with severe mental illness. The Supported Employment Fidelity Scale is an excellent tool to use in association with supported employment services.

There are three important “take-home” or “must remember” messages about the Supported Employment Fidelity Scale.

The SE Fidelity Scale is a practical and widely used scale.
The Scale is grounded in evidence-based principles.
The use of the SE Fidelity Scale can improve program implementation.