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A Pan-Canadian Evaluation of Supported Employment Programs Dedicated to People with Severe Mental Disorders

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Abstract

Supported employment (SE) is an evidence-based practice that helps people with severe mental disorders obtain competitive employment. The implementation of SE programs in different social contexts has led to adaptations of the SE components, therefore impacting the fidelity/quality of these services. The objective of this study was to assess the implementation of SE services in three Canadian provinces by assessing the fidelity and describing components of SE services using the Quality of Supported Employment Implementation Scale. About 23 SE programs participated in this study. Cluster analyses revealed six profiles of SE programs that varied from high to low level of fidelity with a stronger focus on a particular component, and reflected the reality of service delivery settings. Future investigations are warranted to evaluate relationships between the levels of implementation of SE components and work outcomes while considering individual characteristics of people registered in SE programs.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge the contributions of the directors and employment specialists from supported employment services implemented in three Canadian provinces (i.e., British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec) for kindly taking part in this study. This study was supported by a research grant from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) received by Drs. Corbière, Reinharz and collaborators.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rehabilitation School, University of Sherbrooke, Longueuil, QC, Canada

    Marc Corbière

  2. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Longueuil, QC, Canada

    Nathalie Lanctôt

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Tania Lecomte

  4. Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Eric Latimer

  5. Health Systems Research and Consulting Unit at Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Paula Goering

  6. Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Bonnie Kirsh

  7. Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada

    Elliot M. Goldner

  8. Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada

    Daniel Reinharz

  9. Department of Social Medicine and Prevention, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada

    Matthew Menear

  10. Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Jane Mizevich

  11. CARMHA, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada

    Tanya Kamagiannis

  12. Centre d’Action en Prévention et Réadaptation de l’Incapacité au Travail, 1111, Saint-Charles Ouest, Suite #101, Longueuil, QC, J4K 5GA, Canada

    Marc Corbière

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  1. Marc Corbière
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Correspondence to Marc Corbière.

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Corbière, M., Lanctôt, N., Lecomte, T. et al. A Pan-Canadian Evaluation of Supported Employment Programs Dedicated to People with Severe Mental Disorders. Community Ment Health J 46, 44–55 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-009-9207-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-009-9207-6

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