The contribution of IPS to recovery from serious mental illness: a case study

Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is an effective, evidence-based intervention to support transition to paid work for individuals who have a serious mental illness. Currently, there is a lack of qualitative reporting from the people receiving IPS and their support networks.

A case study of a 42-year-old-man who has schizophrenia and who attends a community mental health team in a Canadian urban centre is presented. His experience and that of his mother, employer, and clinical supports are shared through semi-structured interviews. The authors of this paper include a peer researcher who has been a participant in an IPS program.

The enduring and individual support of IPS is credited with being central to the study subject's successful acquisition and maintenance of paid employment. His involvement in paid work is also associated with improved health outcomes, including a significant reduction in the frequency of medical appointments to monitor his mental health. Improved social skills and self-efficacy are also reported.

Provision of IPS services within a multidisciplinary mental health team can promote the acquisition of durable employment for individuals in recovery from serious mental illness. Clinicians are reminded to check their assumptions regarding which individuals could benefit from IPS, and are encouraged to take their lead from clients in determining whether to commence or continue employment services.