Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Model of Supported Employment

IPS is an evidence-based model of Supported Employment (SE) that helps people with serious mental illness find regular jobs of their choice with individualized and long-term support.

The 8 Principles of Supported Employment

1. Individual Preferences. The individual’s preferences determine:

· the type of job that is sought

· the nature of support provided by the employment specialist

· the decision about disclosing one’s disability to an employer

2. Zero Exclusion

• No one is excluded who wants to work. 
• All individuals who want to participate in supported employment are eligible regardless of symptom status, substance use, work history, etc.

3. Integration of Vocational and Mental Health Treatment Services

• Frequent communication between a person’s team members is crucial to a successful supported employment model that insures coordinated treatment and integrated planning.
• Communication among team members will support the person served in making informed choices about his or her employment options.
• Who are the Team Members?  They are case managers, psychiatrists, counselors, substance abuse specialists, nurses, and sometimes family members or friends.

4. Competitive Employment

• Supported Employment emphasizes assisting individuals to obtain community-based competitive jobs.
• Competitive jobs are:
• Regular jobs that anyone can apply for (not employment set aside specifically for people with disabilities)
• Part-time or full-time hours
• Pay at least minimum wage
• Have equal pay and benefits as other employees in the same position

5. Benefits and Work Incentives Planning

·  Fear of losing one’s benefits is a primary reason that people choose not to work.  

· It is essential that persons who receive benefits receive personalized benefits and work incentives planning when they are considering employment.

· Consider having Benefits Specialists from Project IMPACT, 800-734-7475 or BenePLAN, 877-937-9675, provide the Benefits Counseling.    

· Benefits planning also occurs whenever a person who is already working has a change in pay, or decides to look for another job.

6. On-going Assessment and Rapid Job Search

· Vocational Assessment starts immediately and is continuous. Assessment includes identifying the job, the work environment, locations that match the person’s transportation options, hours, and the type and level of supports the person desires.

· All employment experiences in supported employment are part of the on-going assessment.

· The process of looking for work begins soon after the individual starts meeting with an employment specialist.

7. Follow-along Supports

· Individualized assistance is available as long as needed and desired.

· Examples of follow-along support include:

Assisting person to insure consistent transportation (bus routes, bus passes, buying a car, etc.)

Identifying accommodations (flex hours, more breaks, job carving, etc.)

Job skills training and supervision

Support with problem solving

Consultation and support for employee and employer

Assistance with job changing and career development

Peer support

8. Systematically Develop Relationships with Employers

· Employment specialists systematically develop relationships with employers based upon each individual’s work preferences and to develop local employer contacts .

· “Systematically” is defined in the IPS Fidelity Scale as:

► 90% of employer contacts reflect client preference

► 6 or more “face to face” employer contacts weekly (2 contacts per person)