Earnings

Earnings

Working toward Wellness had the largest effects on long-term annual earnings (an average of $1,276 per year). Through intensive telephonic outreach from care managers, Working toward Wellness aimed to increase the use of mental health services and to improve employment outcomes for parents with low income who suffered from depression.

About Face

Intervention (standard name)

The intervention provided access to supplemental resources in the Veterans Employment Resource Center (VERC). The standard VERC services included internet and phone access for job search activities, resume writing supports, video training for applying to and interviewing for jobs, and two video-recorded practice interviews. In addition, the program provided intervention participants with the About Face vocational manual and in-person classes during the week following study enrollment.

About Face—Self Study

Intervention (standard name)

The About Face—Self Study intervention provided participants with a vocational manual titled About Face in addition to standard services from the Veterans Employment Resource Center (VERC). The standard VERC services included internet and phone access for job search activities, resume writing supports, video training for applying to and interviewing for jobs, and two video-recorded practice interviews.

Individual Placement and Support (IPS) (as compared with Social Enterprise Intervention [SEI])

The IPS model provides customized and long-term vocational, case management, and mental health services to youth experiencing homelessness to help them get a job and maintain their employment. The model follows eight supported-employment principles, all of which relate to theories of psychiatric recovery. IPS participants were assigned to an employment specialist, case manager, and clinician at study enrollment. All study staff were co-located to integrate mental health services with job search supports.

Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment (DMIE)

The intervention included enhanced behavioral, medical, and dental services that augmented participants’ standard county health benefits. Services included treatment for chemical dependence, psychological and neuropsychological assessments, and prescription medications above the three-per-month Medicaid limit. The intervention eliminated co-payments for prescription drugs and outpatient services and improved participants’ access to mental health services.

Next Generation of Enhanced Employment Strategies Project

Submitted by swissel on

To further build the evidence around effective strategies for helping individuals with low incomes find and sustain employment, OPRE contracted with Mathematica to conduct the Next Generation of Enhanced Employment Strategies (NextGen) Project. This project will identify and test innovative, promising employment interventions designed to help individuals facing complex challenges secure a pathway toward economic independence. These challenges may be physical and mental health conditions, substance misuse, a criminal history, or limited work skills and experience.

Behavioral Day Treatment Plus Abstinence-Contingent Housing and Work Therapy (DT+) (as compared with Behavioral Day Treatment Alone [DT])

The DT+ intervention served people experiencing homelessness who had (1) a diagnosis of cocaine or multisubstance dependence that included cocaine use and (2) a coexisting nonpsychotic mental disorder. Participants had access to (1) eight weeks of behavioral day treatment, including lunch and transportation, followed by weekly group therapy; (2) housing; (3) support with setting goals related to employment and housing; (4) vocational counseling; and (5) referrals to job opportunities.