A pan-Canadian evaluation of supported employment programs dedicated to people with severe mental disorders

Supported employment (SE) is an evidence-based practice that helps people with severe mental disorders obtain competitive employment. The implementation of SE programs in different social contexts has led to adaptations of the SE components, therefore impacting the fidelity/quality of these services. The objective of this study was to assess the implementation of SE services in three Canadian provinces by assessing the fidelity and describing components of SE services using the Quality of Supported Employment Implementation Scale. About 23 SE programs participated in this study. Cluster analyses revealed six profiles of SE programs that varied from high to low level of fidelity with a stronger focus on a particular component, and reflected the reality of service delivery settings. Future investigations are warranted to evaluate relationships between the levels of implementation of SE components and work outcomes while considering individual characteristics of people registered in SE programs.