Supported Employment for People with Co-Occurring Disorders.

Abstract

Research shows that people with dual disorders (i.e., a co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorder) are successful in supported employment programs and that employment can be a crucial step in their recovery. Based on experience observing supported employment services for 15 years, we propose practice guidelines for people with dual disorders. Successful programs share several approaches: 1) encourage employment, 2) understand substance abuse as part of the vocational profile, 3) find a job that supports recovery, 4) help with money management, and 5) use a team approach to integrate mental health, substance abuse, and vocational services.

Mixing Oil and Water: Integrating Mental Health and Addiction Services to Treat People with a Co-occurring Disorder

“…This community model, as a way of providing mental health services, is merely another 'care model' that institutionalizes and makes helpless the people the system is trying to rehabilitate (Lunt 2004). By including the concept of "recovery" as it is understood in the addiction field, in the treatment of people with a co-occurring disorder, the therapeutic message is exactly the opposite from the message conveyed by a paternal philosophy (Becker et al 2005).…”

Reabilitação Psicossocial de Pessoas com Esquizofrenia: Estudo de Caso

“…Ter um emprego proporciona uma estrutura ao dia-a-dia, objectivos com significado, auto-estima, rendimentos, alargamento da rede social e outras mudanças que ajudam os pacientes a desenvolver esperança e mudança na auto-imagem (Becker, Drake & Naughton, 2005).…”

“…Os técnicos de emprego ajudam as pessoas a encontrar empregos competitivos onde os utentes recebam, pelo menos, o ordenado mínimo e onde estejam integrados em serviços de mercado normal, não passando por experiências de emprego protegido, segregado e pré-vocacional (Becker, Drake & Naughton, 2005).…”

Mixing Oil and Water: Developing Integrated Treatment for People with the Co-Occurring Disorders of Mental Illness and Addiction

“…The more recent development of the 'community model,' as a way of providing mental health services outside of institutions and facilities has turned out to be merely another 'care model' that institutionalizes and makes helpless the people the system is trying to rehabilitate (Lunt, 2004). By including the concept of "recovery" as it is understood in the addiction field, in the treatment of people with a cooccurring disorder, the therapeutic message is exactly the opposite from the message conveyed by a paternal philosophy (Becker, Drake, & Naughton, 2005). Practitioners in the field of medicine have a different view of treatment and care when it comes to physical injuries and illnesses.…”