Assessing Supported Employment With Veterans With Felony Convictions and Mental Illness or Substance Abuse

Assessing Supported Employment With Veterans With Felony Convictions and MI or SA

This study continues to develop and refine best practices in the delivery of vocational services to veterans with histories of felony convictions and mental health/substance abuse difficulties. There are currently over 225,000 incarcerated veterans and it is estimated 64,000 veterans are released from prisons annually. These veterans encounter significant difficulties in finding employment due to stigma, intrapersonal difficulties, and out-dated work skills. Additionally these veterans are more likely to be homeless than other population., Previous work has found that manual based, vocational groups led by trained vocational staff led to quicker employment compared to traditional vocational services and manual based self studies. To attempt to improve on previous results, this study adds principles and components of supported employment including ongoing follow-up, treatment team coordination, and community based assistance.

Inclusion Criteria:

• history of at least one felony conviction
• diagnosis of a mental illness including substance use disorders

Exclusion Criteria:

• dementia
• active psychosis