Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation

Increasingly, supported employment is an available alternative for people with disabilities all over the world. However, there remains a great deal more segregated and non-inclusive employment than inclusive jobs for people with significant disabilities. In European countries, there is a lack of legislation at a national level, unlike the United States. Ongoing research on the benefits derived from supported employment show that people with disabilities realize better economic and social benefits than in non-integrated work settings. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationships between supports and outcomes in supported employment in an international context. 448 participants (aged 18--40+ years) from Australia, Germany, and the United Kingdom were included in this study. Data was obtained from an instrument developed by Mank et al. [26,27,28] which included demographic, disability, and employment information. Results provide evidence that (1) less natural support strategies during the entry process correspond to less typical job outcomes, (2) more typical interventions during the job development correspond to better social, economical, and performance outcomes, and (3) economical, social, and performance outcomes are strongly related. The authors stress the need for developing supportive work environments, where natural agents provide supports, in order to obtain quality outcomes.

The fiscal aspects of supported employment programs are well explored from the perspectives of the supported employee, taxpayer, and society in general. However, little has been written regarding the economic advantages or disadvantages experienced by employers who hire supported employees. A potential cause for this lack of emphasis on the employer's perspective may be the convoluted nature of the issue. This manuscript proposes an economic, cost-accounting, framework that could help determine whether hiring supported employees is a good financial decision for businesses.

An on-line job information system facilitating the vocational rehabilitation process for use by rehabilitation professionals, people with psychiatric disabilities, and their relatives are to be developed in Hong Kong. The preferred functions and features of the system were collected by a questionnaire survey among 90 occupational therapists, social workers, and nurses as the potential end users. The preferred functions included job matching, providing information on job vacancies relevant to people with psychiatric disabilities, and making suggestions on areas of improvement on clients'abilities.

A national survey of training and information needs of organizations and individuals involved with vocational rehabilitation service provision was conducted. A total of 277 surveys were received from 46 states and the District of Columbia, with at least one survey received from each responding state. The purpose of the survey was to establish a benchmark for training, technical assistance and information needs on how to support persons with disabilities in gaining employment.

To what extent have states implemented supported employment in a manner consistent with the Rehabilitation Act? Why is there such a variation across states in supported employment outcomes? Why have some states developed progressive systems of supported employment, while others maintain more restrictive policies and practices? This article highlights the values and principles embodies in the Rehabilitation Act and explores the extent to which state supported employment policies and practices reflect the spirit of the law. Examples of state policies and practices that exemplify the key values of the Rehabilitation Act are discussed, and challenges and choices faced by states are presented in the context of systems change.