CURRENT PRACTICE IN PSYCHIATRIC VOCATIONAL-REHABILITATION

The number of patients suffering from chronic mental disorders but liv ing outside the psychiatric hospital is undergoing a steady increase, which is reflected in an increasing demand for appropriate vocational and occupational facilities. This demand is met primarily by outpatien t work therapy, self-help enterprises and enterprises providing jobs t o supplement pensions, and by special departments for the mentally ret arded in workshops for the handicapped. Within the framework of a pros pective study on vocational rehabilitation of the mentally ill, 502 re habilitants forming a representative sample for the Westphalia-Lippe r egion of Germany were examined. This sample comprised 313 male and 189 female probands with an average age of 36, almost two-thirds of them suffering from schizophrenic disorders. Only 12,8% of those questioned are able to cover their living expenses primarily from their earnings . Half of them are living in sheltered accommodation, one quarter with their parents, and only one quarter on their own. Most are resigned t o remaining in sheltered employment. Only 16,7% expect to change to th e open labour market. The level of subjective job satisfaction is high in general. Together with other complementary facilities, sheltered e mployment permits chronically ill patients to live outside the psychia tric hospital and offers them positive social and psychological aspect s of work. With few exceptions, it does not offer an opportunity to co ver living expenses. Our follow-up investigations will provide informa tion on the further course of vocational rehabilitation.