Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

LIVE: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)
Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research
Published in: Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research 6/2010

01-11-2010 | Original paper

Desirable Characteristics and Competencies of Supported Employment Specialists: An Empirically-Grounded Framework

Authors: Rob Whitley, Kristin M. Kostick, Philip W. Bush

Published in: Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research | Issue 6/2010

Login to get access

Abstract

The Individual Placement and Support model of supported employment is one of the most robust interventions available for people with severe mental illness. Supported employment specialists deliver this intervention. There has been little research on what influences specialists’ performance in the field. This paper redresses this deficit by documenting characteristics and competencies self-reported by specialists as influential to proficient performance in the field. Twenty-two qualitative interviews were conducted with specialists and their supervisors. Content analysis suggested the importance of eight factors: (1) initiative; (2) outreach; (3) persistence; (4) hardiness; (5) empathy; (6) passion; (7) team orientation (8) professionalism.
Literature
Anthony, W. A. (2008). Supported employment in the context of psychiatric rehabilitation. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 31, 271–272.CrossRefPubMed
Aubry, T. D., Flynn, R. J., Gerber, G., & Dostaler, T. (2005). Identifying the core competencies of community support providers working with people with psychiatric disabilities. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 28, 346–353.CrossRefPubMed
Becker, D. R., & Drake, R. E. (2003). A working life for people with severe mental illness. New York: Oxford University Press.CrossRef
Becker, D., Swanson, S., Bond, G., et al. (2008). Supported employment fidelity scale. Lebanon, NH: Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center.
Blankertz, L. E., & Robinson, S. E. (1996). Who is the psychosocial rehabilitation worker? Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 19, 3–13.
Bond, G. R. (2004). Supported employment: Evidence for an evidence-based practice. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 27, 345–359.CrossRefPubMed
Bond, G. R., Becker, D. R., Drake, R. E., et al. (2001). Implementing supported employment as an evidence-based practice. Psychiatric Services, 52, 313–322.CrossRefPubMed
Bond, G. R., Drake, R. E., & Becker, D. R. (2008). An update on randomized controlled trials of evidence-based supported employment. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 31, 280–290.CrossRefPubMed
Clasen, C., Meyer, C., Brun, C., Mase, W., & Cauley, K. (2003). Development of the competency assessment tool—mental health, an instrument to assess core competencies for mental health care workers. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 27, 10–17.CrossRefPubMed
Cook, J. A. (2006). Employment barriers for persons with psychiatric disabilities: Update of a report for the President’s Commission. Psychiatric Services, 57, 1391–1405.CrossRefPubMed
Coursey, R. D., Curtis, L., Marsh, D. T., Campbell, J., Harding, C., Spaniol, L., et al. (2000a). Competencies for direct service staff members who work with adults with severe mental illnesses: Specific knowledge, attitudes, skills, and bibliography. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 23, 378–392.
Coursey, R. D., Curtis, L., Marsh, D. T., Campbell, J., Harding, C., Spaniol, L., et al. (2000b). Competencies for direct service staff members who work with adults with severe mental illnesses in outpatient public mental health/managed care systems. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 23, 370–377.
Drake, R. E., & Bond, G. R. (2008). Supported employment: 1998–2008. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 31, 274–276.CrossRefPubMed
Gowdy, E. A., Carlson, L. S., & Rapp, C. A. (2003). Organizational factors differentiating high performing from low performing supported employment programs. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 26, 232–239.CrossRefPubMed
Gowdy, E. A., Carlson, L. S., & Rapp, C. A. (2004). Organizational factors differentiating high performing from low performing supported employment programs. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 28, 150–156.CrossRefPubMed
Hoge, S., Paris, M., Adger, A., Collins, F. L., Finn, C. V., Fricks, L., et al. (2005). Workforce competencies in behavioral health: an overview. Administration and Policy in Mental Health Services Research, 32, 593–631.CrossRef
Kvale, S. (1996). Interviews: An introduction to qualitative research interviewing. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Marshall, T., Rapp, C., Becker, D., & Bond, G. (2008). Key factors for implementing supported employment. Psychiatric Services, 59, 886–892.CrossRefPubMed
Silverman, D. (2001). Interpreting qualitative data. Thousand Oak, CA: Sage.
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1980). Basics of qualitative research. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Strickler, D., Whitley, R., Becker, D., & Drake, R. (2009). First person accounts of long-term employment activity among people with dual diagnosis. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 32, 261–268.CrossRefPubMed
Swanson, S., Becker, D., Drake, R., et al. (2008). Supported employment: A practical guide for practitioners and supervisors. Kearney, NE: Morris Publishing.
Young, A. S., Forquer, S. L., Tran, A., Starzynski, M., & Shatkin, J. (2000). Identifying clinical competencies that support rehabilitation and empowerment in individuals with severe mental illness. Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, 27, 321–333.CrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
Desirable Characteristics and Competencies of Supported Employment Specialists: An Empirically-Grounded Framework
Authors
Rob Whitley
Kristin M. Kostick
Philip W. Bush
Publication date
01-11-2010
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research / Issue 6/2010
Print ISSN: 0894-587X
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3289
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-010-0297-9

Other articles of this Issue 6/2010

Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research 6/2010 Go to the issue

Original Paper

The Eye of the Beholder: Youths and Parents Differ on What Matters in Mental Health Services

Original Paper

Parent Advocates in Children’s Mental Health: Program Implementation Processes and Considerations

Original Paper

How Should we Implement Psychiatric Advance Directives? Views of Consumers, Caregivers, Mental Health Providers and Researchers

Original Paper

The Relationship Between Outpatient Mental Health Treatment and Subsequent Mental Health Symptoms and Disorders in Young Adults

Original Paper

Components Associated with Adequacy of Help for Consumers with Severe Mental Disorders