Approaches to Improving Employment Outcomes for People with Serious Mental Illness

Work participation for people with severe mental illnesses: An integrative review of factors impacting job tenure

“…Also referred to as social enterprises or affirmative businesses, they operate as viable community businesses providing employment at market wages in supportive, integrated work settings (Corbière & Lecomte, ; Gilbert et al ., ). Social firms designed to create job opportunities and supportive workplaces for people with mental illness need to give particular consideration to integration, so as to provide community employment (Krupa, ). Nevertheless, as with IPS supported employment, the desired outcome is paid jobs in the community with fair and equitable remuneration, and the practice principles aim to be client‐centred and inclusive (Krupa, ).…”

“…Social firms designed to create job opportunities and supportive workplaces for people with mental illness need to give particular consideration to integration, so as to provide community employment (Krupa, ). Nevertheless, as with IPS supported employment, the desired outcome is paid jobs in the community with fair and equitable remuneration, and the practice principles aim to be client‐centred and inclusive (Krupa, ). While relatively little is known about employment outcomes in this sector compared with IPS outcomes, one UK survey has reported more than half of social firm employees with mental illnesses maintained their jobs for over two years (Gilbert et al ., ).…”

Stigma and discrimination: A socio-cultural etiology of mental illness.

“…These policies affect legal rights, housing, employment opportunities, and access to medical treatment (Krupa, 2011a(Krupa, , 2011bKrupa et al, 2009). The broad implication of these studies is that people who suffer from mental illness may hardly eschew stigmatizing attitudes and discriminatory reactions while negotiating mainstream social functions.…”

“…Outside the realm of public views, stigma and discrimination manifest in structural forms, as indicated by institutional policies that restrict rights or limit opportunities for people with mental illness (Corrigan, Markowitz, & Watson, 2004;Corrigan & Wassel, 2008;Krupa, 2011aKrupa, , 2011bKrupa, Kirsh, Cockburn, & Gewurtz, 2009;Michalak, Yatham, Maxwell, Hale, & Lam, 2007). These policies affect legal rights, housing, employment opportunities, and access to medical treatment (Krupa, 2011a(Krupa, , 2011bKrupa et al, 2009). The broad implication of these studies is that people who suffer from mental illness may hardly eschew stigmatizing attitudes and discriminatory reactions while negotiating mainstream social functions.…”

Psychosocial Functioning in Bipolar Disorder from a Social Justice Perspective

“…In the U.S., private and public institutions play critical roles in perpetuating stigma against people with MI across multiple domains (Krupa, Kirsh, Cockburn, & Gewurtz, 2009;Krupa, 2011aKrupa, , 2011b. In the legal realm, the Americans with Disabilities Act (Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990) and Fair Housing Act (Fair Housing Amendments Act, 1988) have largely failed to protect people with MI, as indicated by judicial rulings over many years that greatly favored employers (Petrila, 2009) and landlords (Carter, 2010;Swanson, Burris, Moss, Ullman, & Ranney, 2006).…”