REGIONAL VARIATION IN COMPETITIVE EMPLOYMENT FOR PERSONS WITH SEVERE MENTAL-ILLNESS

The supported employment approach offers the potential to increase rat es of competitive employment for persons with severe mental illness, b ut implementation and outcomes vary considerably. The authors examined regional variation in rates of employment across one state to ascerta in the factors that affect outcomes. Mental health centers that emphas ized supported employment programs achieved higher rates of competitiv e employment than centers that continued to offer pre-employment progr ams, such as day treatment and sheltered workshops. Mental health cent ers that attained high rates of competitive employment spent a larger proportion of their total budget on vocational services than other cen ters. Rural centers were also more likely to attain high employment ra tes than urban centers.