Key Messages:  

Assisting people back into the workforce can be challenging at an individual and policy level, with or without mental illness.

However, people with mental health problems have a lower level of employment than others in the community, including others with physical limitations.

One of the difficulties faced by people with mental health problems who want to enter or rejoin the workforce is that mental health agencies and employment agencies are usually separate, leaving the person with the mental illness trying to bridge the gap between the two support services.

Programs that help to bridge this gap are most successful when there is a focus on:

• Building links and fostering collaboration between the mental health and employment agencies;
• Training agency and workplace staff in mental health and employment issues; and
• Seeking input from people with mental illness.

The principles identified in this study are relevant across many levels – from small workplaces, to national policy formation – but in order to be truly effective require widespread implementation. The basics of assisting people with mental health problems to find work – collaboration, training and participation – are similar to the basics of workplace-based and individual rehabilitation.

Why the research matters:  

The employment rate for people with mental illness is low compared to individuals with other types of disabilities. Assisting people with mental illness to find and retain a job is challenging.

The study sought to review ways that job seeking systems could work in partnership with mental health systems to maximise employment for job seekers with mental illness.

What the research involved:  

The authors reviewed a number of programs available within the United States, and evaluated common successful approaches.

The programs were selected by consulting those who work in the field, and coming to a consensus about the best practice sites. The sites were then assessed by interviewing senior people within the programs, reviewing the program’s documentation and reviewing the program’s outcomes.

Summary of research findings:  

Three major themes emerged as successful approaches:

1. The creation of liaison position and teams specifically focused on collaboration;
2. Training staff on the impact of mental health on work force issues; and
3. Involving people with mental health problems in program development.

1. Encouraging collaboration
Successful programs created hope for people with mental health issues by developing a broad range of community partnerships. They did this by creating liaison positions, and teams specifically focused on collaboration between job seeking agencies and people with experience in work force issues.

The authors point out that building partnerships is not an easy or simple matter, and requires considerable focus, attention, and follow-up. Activities that assisted this approach included:

• Joint finding of staff positions;
• Industry skills panels;
• Developing memoranda of understanding;
• Cooperation in developing a policy;
• Collaboration in developing and designing programs;
• Acknowledging each partner’s expertise;
• Creating a shared vision;
• Regular meetings - round tables; and
• Cross training events.

2. Training
Formal and informal training methods were used to keep agency staff informed about employing people with mental illness, including:

• Training employment agency and workforce staff in mental health issues; and
• Training mental health staff in employment issues.

The authors point out that tight schedules are always a challenge, and that training should be incorporated into regular staff activities, such as monthly mandated training or regular, pre-existing staff meetings.

3. People with mental illness having input at all levels
The authors recommend that consumers - people with mental health issues – are involved at all levels, including program design, administration and implementation.

This is because people with mental health issues have direct experience of what actually occurs for them in the workplace, and knowledge about what would – or has – made a positive difference. They also often have considerable experience in navigating many different service systems. In fact, individuals with mental health problems can build bridges between the mental health and job seeking agencies.

Individuals with mental illness can also act as peer support, however identifying appropriate people to undertake this role can take time.