Enhancing supported employment services for individuals with a serious mental illness: A review of the literature

Supported Employment (SE) has consistently shown to be more effective at helping individuals with a serious mental illness acquire a competitive job compared to other models of vocational rehabilitation. Nonetheless, approximately 50% of individuals who receive SE services fail to acquire even one competitive job and another 25% are unable to sustain a job. Barriers to work that limit the impact of SE are reviewed. Three levels of barriers are examined: (1) sociological barriers, (2) agency and programmatic barriers, and (3) disease-based impairments. Numerous interventions have been developed that could enhance the impact of SE and help individuals overcome these three barriers to work. These interventions are reviewed and classified under the three levels of barriers. Recommendations to enhance SE are provided based on the literature review.