Converting day treatment centers to supported employment programs in RhodeIsland

Objective: The purpose of the study was to compare vocational and non-vocat ional outcomes of clients of two community mental health centers that under went conversion from day treatment programs to supported employment program s with outcomes of clients of a center that delayed conversion until after the study was completed. Methods: As part of a statewide effort in Rhode Is land to convert day treatment programs to supported employment programs, th e authors assessed 127 day treatment clients with severe mental illness in three community mental health centers. Two of the centers converted to supp orted employment, and one continued its rehabilitative day program. Partici pants were assessed prospectively for 30 to 36 months, with special attenti on to vocational and social outcomes. Results: Former day treatment clients in the converted centers attained higher rates of competitive employment t han those in the comparison group (44.2 percent and 56.7 percent versus 19. 5 percent). Other employment outcomes also improved, and hospitalization ra tes and overall social functioning were unchanged. Conclusions: This study supports findings of previous studies suggesting that replacing rehabilitat ive day treatment programs with Supported employment programs yields improv ements in employment outcomes without adverse effects.