REHABILITATIVE DAY TREATMENT VS SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT .2. CONSUMER, FAMILY AND STAFF REACTIONS TO A PROGRAM CHANGE

Following the conversion of a rehabilitative day treatment program to a supported employment program, consumers demonstrated improved vocati onal outcomes. Because of concerns that the most vulnerable consumers might have suffered negative outcomes due to the loss of a structured day program, those consumers who had been regular utilizers of rehabil itative day treatment services prior to the change, as well as their f amilies and service providers, were interviewed about positive and neg ative reactions to the program change. Stakeholders in all three group s reported positive reactions to the program change and identified ben efits such as increased community integration and independence, in add ition to improvements in vocational status. Many consumers were clearl y better off with supported employment services. Stakeholders also con sistently identified the loss of social opportunities as the primary n egative effect of eliminating rehabilitative day treatment services. A small number of consumers may have been worse off because of the loss of a structured daily activity, but none suffered serious negative ou tcomes.