SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT FOR PEOPLE WITH MENTAL-ILLNESS - MYTHS AND FACTS

This article examines Supported Employment (SE) concepts, philosophy, mythology and methodology as they apply to people with serious mental illness. The authors explore some attitudes, particularly prevalent am ong mental health practitioners, that can hinder the expansion of this service to potential users. The historical and philosophical developm ent of SE is examined to identify the factors that make it more tradit ional and appropriate for people with mental illness than commonly per ceived. Other elements are also considered that have unique ramificati ons for serving people whose primary problem is psychiatric, not cogni tive. The intent is to weave the strands of various community psychiat ric rehabilitation approaches together to demonstrate how SE is a natu ral link in a developmental chain, not a radical departure from that e volutionary path.