[Implementation of the principle of supported employment in Germany : Position paper of a task force of the DGPPN]

[Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Individual Placement and Support (Ips) in Germany - A Controlled Trials with Individuals with Psychosis]

OBJECTIVE

To establish the effectiveness of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) to integrate people with mental illness into the general labor market, controlled comparisons with usual rehabilitative practice in terms of employment rates and cost-effectiveness are needed.

METHODS

20 IPS participants with psychoses (primarily schizophrenia spectrum disorders) were compared with 20 controls who were offered usual rehabilitative practices in adjacent counties (rehabilitation as usual, RAU) over 18 months.

RESULTS

IPS was significantly superior to RAU on all job-related criteria with moderate to high effect sizes, with no differences in absenteeism, hospital days, or dropout rates. IPS was significantly superior to RAU on cost-effectiveness.

CONCLUSION

This study provides evidence that IPS is an effective and cost-efficient addition to existing vocational rehabilitation services for people with psychoses.

[Work and Employment Situation of People with Mental Illness Receiving Independent Supported Housing: An Analysis of Routine Data from a Community Psychiatry Service]

OBJECTIVES

Due to insufficient empirical data on the occupational participation of people affected by severe mental illness receiving integration assistance, routine data from a community psychiatry service were evaluated.

METHODS

Reference workers filled out a short questionnaire on different occupational and employment aspects of their clients from supported housing/floating outreach. In addition to descriptive and exploratory analyses, overall results from previous survey rounds were also evaluated.

RESULTS

N=1418 individuals (M=47.6 years) could be included, of whom approximately 45% had no job, sheltered employment, or daytime service. This percentage has remained almost unchanged over the last decades.

CONCLUSION

Overall, there is an urgent need for action to improve occupational participation opportunities for people with mental illness and substance addiction.

["Psychiatry on Tour": what Remains, what Must Change - Now?]

Spätestens seit der Corona-Pandemie hat das Thema Krise in der Versorgungslandschaft in Deutschland, so auch in der Psychiatrie, Konjunktur. Und wir erkennen, an welchen Stellen die Psychiatrie eher robust oder eher „anfällig“ aufgestellt war – und heute noch ist.

Fit for Work and Life—an eight-week program for improvement of functionality and quality of life

Background

The current two-stage study focused on work integration and quality of life of patients in an acute psychiatric day care unit. There is evidence that a longer absence from work due to illness negatively affects job retention, life satisfaction and clinical prognosis. Furthermore, there are individual supportive methods that proved to be effective in work integration. We therefore developed a specific group program Fit for Work and Life (FWL) for patients in an acute psychiatric day care unit focusing on work integration in the first labor market (in contrast to work in institutions for people with disabilities/second labor market).

Methods

Between 2018 and 2020, 62 patients (intervention group; IG) were enrolled in an 8‑week prospective job integration program and compared to 74 patients (control group; CG) who received treatment as usual (partly retrospective survey). Patients of both groups held a job when entering treatment. Main outcome was defined as their working status 4 weeks after the end of treatment as well as self-reported life satisfaction.

Results

At the end of treatment (i.e. the week prior to discharge), the IG participants reported higher overall life satisfaction as well as higher health-, self- and living condition-related satisfaction than controls. Functional and clinical improvement during treatment was linked to subsequently returning to work. Functional improvement was further linked to higher life satisfaction. Mediational analysis revealed an indirect path from functional improvement on life satisfaction via working status, i.e. the higher functional improvement during treatment, the higher the chance of successfully returning to work, which in turn increased life satisfaction.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that programs such as FWL are useful interventions for employed patients to improve reintegration into work and life and to help to increase life satisfaction.

Evaluation of a supported education and employment program for adolescents and young adults with mental health problems: A study protocol of the StAB project

The majority of mental illnesses begins in childhood, adolescence and young adulthood before the age of 25. The transition from adolescence to adulthood is a particularly vulnerable time for adolescents with mental illness, affecting psychosocial functioning and participation in work life. Therefore, they need—in contrast to classic standard vocational interventions—a long-term, holistic and individually oriented vocational rehabilitation program. With the innovative model project "Start in education and employment (StAB)”, adolescents and young adults with mental illnesses are to be supported with regard to their vocational perspectives and participation by a new type of individualized, holistic, long-term job coaching. It follows the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) concept, as a manualized form of the Supported Employment Approach and is based on the "first place–then train" principle. In order to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of the StAB program, a double-centre prospective single arm evaluation study in a mixed-methods design will be conducted. The focus is on quantitative research analysing pre-post-effects of the StAB intervention in a two-year observational study. Young people between 15 and 25 years with a psychiatric diagnosis who are currently in receipt of means-tested benefits or are entitled to them will be recruited. The study will take place in two major cities in the north-western part of Germany, Bielefeld and Dortmund. We expect to contribute to gain more empirical data about the implementation of Supported Employment and Education to severely mentally ill adolescents and young adults in German settings. Moreover, these results may also provide the scientific foundation for future measures focusing the improvement of vocational rehabilitation for young people with mental illness.

The study was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00027576) on March 10, 2022.

[Vocational Perspectives for People with Mental Illness Under Corona Conditions: An Exploratory Brief Survey]

OBJECTIVE

Exploratory study of corona-related impacts on vocational perspectives of people with mental illness.

METHODS

Short survey with quantitative and qualitative questions among employees from vocational rehabilitation.

RESULTS

More than 90 % of the n = 76 participants stated that the situation regarding vocational reintegration or job search had worsened due to corona. Moreover, 75 % considered that there would still be a negative impact on vocational rehabilitation in the longer term. In addition to the main problem of a lack of job offers, open responses on obstacles also referred to increased psychological stress among clients as well as problems in reaching cooperation partners or in dealing with online processes.

CONCLUSIONS

Under Corona conditions, the work-related perspectives and participation opportunities of people with mental illness have been additionally worsened.

Leipzig - Individual Placement and Support for people with mental illnesses (LIPSY): study protocol of a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Individuals receiving means-tested benefits are at a higher risk of being diagnosed with a psychiatric illness compared to those who are employed, and the rate of those working in the first labor market is low. The intervention (Individual Placement and Support, IPS) aims at maintaining or regaining working ability and at facilitating reintegration into the (first) labor market following a "first place, then train"-approach. The objective of the study is to conduct the first RCT in Germany that addresses a broad group of long-term unemployed individuals with severe mental illnesses that receive means-tested benefits, and to test the effectiveness of the IPS intervention.

METHODS

In this randomized controlled trial, about 120 eligible participants aged between 18 years and local retirement age will be randomly allocated to an intervention group (IG) or to an active control group (CG) using a parallel arm design. The IG will receive IPS + high quality treatment as usual (TAU), the active CG will receive TAU + a booklet on integration measures. A block-randomization algorithm with a targeted assignment ratio of 1:1 for participants in IG and active CG will be used, stratified by sex and three age groups. Assessments will take place before the intervention at baseline (t0), and 6 (t1), 12 (t2), and 18 (t3) months later. Primary outcome will be the proportion of participants having worked at least 1 day in competitive employment since baseline, as assessed at t3. Secondary outcomes will be related to employment/ vocation and mental health. In addition, there will be a process evaluation. Treatment effects on outcomes will be tested using appropriate panel-data regression models, and acceptability, uptake and adherence will be evaluated using descriptive statistics and appropriate inference testing.

DISCUSSION

The results of this trial are expected to generate a better understanding of the efficiency, feasibility, acceptance, and relevance of the IPS intervention in a German setting. They could be a first step towards the implementation of the method and towards improving the situation of long-term unemployed individuals with severe mental health problems.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

German Clinical Trials Register ( DRKS00023245 ), registered on 22.02.2021.