The relationship between substance use disorder and vocational functioning among people with severe mental illness

Substance use disorder is commonly believed to be a barrier to work, and vocational rehabilitation for people with severe mental illness. We examined the relationship between substance use disorder and vocational functioning in people with severe mental illness using data from five studies: two studies of supported employment, one study of assertive community treatment, and two studies of community support programs. Our analyses show few significant associations between substance use disorder and competitive employment in the five studies. We conclude that the presence of substance use disorder should not be used to exclude clients from vocational rehabilitation or supported employment programs.