Supported education for individuals with psychiatric disabilities: Long-term outcomes from an experimental study

Research indicates that many individuals with psychiatric disabilities ofte n experience the onset of mental illness in young adulthood. This fact, as well as educational discrimination, unmet needs for support, personal fears of failure, and the cyclical nature of their illness causes many of these individuals not to pursue higher education, despite their intellectual qual ifications. Supported education programs have arisen as psychosocial rehabi litation interventions in response to these circumstances. The Michigan Sup ported Education Research project was unique in using open enrollment for e ligible participants from a targe urban area and testing the intervention w ith a true experimental design. The article discusses the appropriateness o f supported education as a social work intervention.