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The purpose of this qualitative project was to explore employment-related considerations through the perspectives of supported employment consumers with both psychiatric disabilities and criminal offense histories. Fourteen individuals participated in semi-structured interviews. Resulting themes included the importance of nonvocational services; relationship between mental illness and criminal activity; impact of mental illness and offense history on employment; helpful elements of supported employment; and recovery and advice to others. These findings help to explain how supported employment can mitigate social underachievement and social decline in an especially high need population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acquiring and maintaining employment is often challenging for individuals with psychiatric disabilities, and for those with a history of criminal offenses additional obstacles exist. This project used focus groups to identify ways in which supported employment providers deliver effective services to persons with mental illness and offense histories. Successful providers report that a sense of hope, a trusting relationship, realistic and sincere expectations about work, and optimism on the part of both the consumer and provider are key ingredients, as are the consumer's remorse for past criminal activity and an action-oriented attitude toward change. Barriers to success with this population include stigma, which varies based on psychiatric symptoms and the nature of the criminal offense, and inadequate support. Successful employment reflects persistence, clinical and law enforcement supports as needed, lifestyle adjustments, face to face meetings with employers, effective disclosure strategies, and documenting work readiness using portfolios. Providers also cited many contributions of employment to recovery, including increased financial resources, pride, social connections to the community, and quality of life. Training of future professionals should promote skills in advocacy, helping consumers develop work portfolios and other assets, and a view of employment support that is holistic and individualized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]