Developing high performing employment services for people with mental illness.

HAWKE'S Bay (N.Z.); NEW Zealand

Aims: This analysis examined employment outcomes achieved by a supported employment service in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. The evaluation aimed to identify opportunities and challenges for ongoing service development, and to demonstrate how other employment services can use these methods and benchmarks in service development. Methods: Service performance over 4 years was examined on multiple levels, and compared with outcomes recently reported by published international controlled trials with high fidelity to evidence-based practice in supported employment. Findings: As a segregated supported employment service, there were no formal arrangements to coordinate employment services with local mental health services. Despite this limitation, the service was high performing on a range of employment outcome variables. Conclusions: With challenging economic times ahead, this analysis provides a timely framework for allied health professionals, supported employment and vocational rehabilitation service providers, to review their operations in comparison to established evidence-based practices and international performance benchmarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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