Employment Outcomes of a Distance Learning System for Formerly Incarcerated Veterans With Mental Illness.

OBJECTIVE: People with previous incarceration and a mental disorder, a substance use disorder, or both are less likely to obtain employment than are those without these characteristics. Distance learning and education (DLE) systems are increasingly being integrated into clinical care and provide a pathway to disseminate vocational services. DLE systems can help reach people with barriers to accessing services, including people without transportation, experiencing homelessness, living in rural areas, or who are homebound. This study evaluated the effectiveness of one DLE system, the COMPASS program, in assisting formerly incarcerated veterans with a mental or substance use disorder to obtain employment. METHODS: The authors used a randomized controlled trial to compare employment outcomes of 39 U.S. veterans receiving the COMPASS intervention with those of 43 veterans receiving a paper self-study vocational manual. All participants had previous legal convictions and had a mental disorder, a substance use disorder, or both. The COMPASS system provided vocational services through asynchronous (online practice assignments, reading, and videos) and synchronous (video and telephone practice interviews and live chats) methods. No in-person vocational services were provided in the COMPASS intervention. RESULTS: At 6 months, participants assigned to receive the COMPASS intervention were more likely to have found employment, defined as 1 day of competitive employment, compared with those assigned to receive the self-study manual (64% vs. 35%, respectively)-and to have found employment faster. CONCLUSIONS: This study's findings provide evidence for the effectiveness of the COMPASS system in providing employment services and suggest that these services may benefit other vulnerable populations.

Individualized Placement and Support Supported Employment for Justice-involved Homeless and Unemployed Veterans.

BACKGROUND: Homelessness is a significant issue affecting the general US population. Two subsets of the population overrepresented in the US homeless population are justice involved individuals and Veterans. However, relatively little research has addressed alleviating homelessness in justice-involved Veterans (JIV). One direction for addressing homelessness in this population is facilitating employment. OBJECTIVE: This study examined differences in housing and employment outcomes between homeless JIV enrolled in 2 different vocational rehabilitation conditions. METHODS: This study evaluates vocational outcomes of Veterans experiencing homelessness enrolled in a larger US Department of Veterans Affairs-funded study. Participants were randomized into 2 groups: those who participated in a job search group, the About Face Vocational Program (AFVP) and those who received AFVP plus Individualized Placement and Support, Supported Employment (AFVP+IPS-SE). RESULTS: Participants who received supported employment plus group were significantly more likely to secure employment compared with group alone. This significant difference was also found in individuals who identified as chronically homeless. Furthermore, participants who secured employment were significantly more likely to exit homelessness and secure housing, suggesting group membership had an indirect effect on housing status though improved employment outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Vocational rehabilitation groups combined with supported employment is appropriate and effective for homeless, JIV seeking employment and may also improve downstream housing outcomes.

Blending Traditional Vocational Services and Individualized Placement and Support for Formerly Incarcerated Veterans.

OBJECTIVE: This study compared two vocational programs: the About Face Vocational Program (AFVP), a traditional group-based vocational program created for formerly incarcerated veterans, and a hybrid program combining the AFVP with principles of individual placement and support-supported employment. METHODS: The study evaluated 111 veterans with at least one felony conviction who had a mental illness, substance use disorder, or both. Veterans were randomly assigned to either vocational condition. RESULTS: Veterans in the hybrid condition, compared with the AFVP alone, were more likely to find employment, had higher rates of full-time employment, and earned significantly more money over the course of the study. A comparison of only participants who found employment showed higher rates of full-time employment for veterans in the hybrid condition but similarities between the two groups in other measures of employment success. CONCLUSIONS: Blended models of vocational services for veterans with mental illness, substance use disorders, or both are effective at returning formerly incarcerated veterans to competitive employment.

Vocational rehabilitation for veterans with felony histories and mental illness: 12-month outcomes.

Lack of employment is an important barrier to successful reintegration encountered by those released from prison with mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders. This study compares 3 different vocational reintegration modalities for a veteran population: (a) basic services; (b) self-study using the About Face Vocational Manual; and (c) the About Face Vocational Program, a standardized group program focused on the About Face Vocational Manual. One-hundred eleven veterans with a history of at least one felony conviction and a mental illness and/or substance use disorder were recruited from a large urban Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center. Veterans were assigned to 1 of the 3 conditions and followed for 12 months. At the end of the 1-year follow-up period, veterans in the group condition had superior competitive and stable employment rates, as well as faster times to employment compared with both the basic and self-study conditions. The self-study condition was generally indistinguishable from the basic services condition. Overall, new employment during the last 6 months of the follow-up period was relatively low. The findings support the use of standardized group vocational reintegration programs such as the About Face Vocational Program. Limitations and implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

Incorporating Individualized Placement and Support Principles Into Vocational Rehabilitation for Formerly Incarcerated Veterans.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the six-month outcomes of incorporating the principles of supported employment, specifically Individual Placement and Support (IPS), into the About Face program, an existing standardized group-based vocational program for previously incarcerated veterans. METHODS: Participants (N=84) with a history of at least one felony conviction and a substance use disorder (88%) or mental illness or combination (59%) were recruited from a large urban veterans hospital. Veterans were randomly assigned to either the About Face program (AF) or to that program plus a modification of IPS (AF+IPS). Veterans were followed for six months. Employment outcomes, including time to employment, hours worked, and income earned, were evaluated with survival analyses and nonparametric tests. RESULTS: Rates of employment over the follow-up period were significantly higher for those receiving AF+IPS, with 21 of 46 (46%) finding employment, compared with only eight of 38 (21%) who received AF alone. As a group, those receiving AF+IPS worked more hours and earned more wages than those receiving AF alone. CONCLUSIONS: Incorporating many of the principles and techniques of IPS into an existing vocational program was associated with improved employment outcomes over the six-month follow-up period and should be considered a viable rehabilitation option when working with this vulnerable population.

Effects of structured vocational services in ex-offender veterans with mental illness: 6-month follow-up.

With more than 200,000 veterans incarcerated, a significant need exists for the development of technologies that help veterans with felony histories return to employment. This study evaluated the effect of three methods of vocational assistance on competitive employment over a 6 mo follow-up period: (1) basic vocational services, (2) self-study using a vocational manual designed for formerly incarcerated veterans, and (3) a group led by vocational staff using the vocational manual. We evaluated 111 veterans for time to obtain and total time of competitive employment. The group format was expected to be superior to the self-study and the self-study superior to basic services. Findings indicated that the group format was associated with quicker employment and more total employment than the basic and self-study conditions. Limitations and directions for future refinement are discussed.

Effects of structured vocational services on job-search success in ex-offender veterans with mental illness: 3-month follow-up.

With the high number of incarcerated veterans with mental illness and substance dependence returning to the community annually, a significant need exists for technologies that will help them return to employment. This study evaluates three methods of assistance: (1) basic vocational services, (2) self-study of a vocational manual designed for formerly incarcerated veterans, and (3) a group led by vocational staff using the vocational manual. We evaluated 69 veterans to determine the number finding employment within 3 months after enrollment in the study. The group format was expected to be superior to self-study, and self-study was expected to be superior to basic services. Though the group format was found to be superior to both self-study and basic services, the results for self-study and basic services were statistically similar. Limitations and directions for future refinement are discussed.