Willingness of Housing First Participants to Consider Supported-Employment Services

OBJECTIVE:

People who had a recent history of homelessness and had mental illness were studied to determine how many wished to be employed and were willing to accept supported-employment services and the factors associated with a decision to decline services.

METHODS:

People (N=194) with mental illness receiving Housing First were assessed at three-month intervals over 24 months. Analyses determined variables that were associated with accepting or declining randomization to supported-employment services. A regression model was used to determine the odds of obtaining employment.

RESULTS:

Of the 133 (69%) participants who wanted work, 75 (56%) accepted and 58 (44%) declined randomization to services. Those who declined had lower odds of obtaining employment (OR=.42, p=.022), less education, and fewer arrests and had spent less time homeless.

CONCLUSIONS:

People with a recent history of homelessness who have a mental illness want work. People who declined randomization to supported-employment services had fewer barriers to employment but had reduced odds of obtaining employment.

Purchase full article at:   http://goo.gl/dE7ypP

By:   Poremski D1, Hwang SW1.

• 1The authors are with the Centre for Research on Inner City Health, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (e-mail: daniel.poremski@mail.mcgill.ca ). Dr. Poremski is also with the Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Dr. Hwang is also with the Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario. 
• Psychiatr Serv. 2016 Jan 4:appips201500140

More at:  https://twitter.com/hiv insight

And: http://twitter.com/Prison Health