A demonstration project involving peers as providers of evidence-based, supported employment services

The present demonstration project involved development of a training program designed to teach recovering consumers employed as peer advocates how to provide evidence-based supported employment services to consumers with severe mental illness.

A training curriculum was developed to teach the core competencies of the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment. Three peers participated in training and provided work outcome data from their caseloads. Assessments were conducted of peers' competence in implementing IPS and effectiveness in promoting job placements. Peer competency was assessed by the following: (a) a formal IPS fidelity review performed by two external reviewers to evaluate service implementation, and (b) the Kansas Employment Specialist Job Performance Evaluation, an objective measure of employment specialist attitudes and skills. Program efficacy was assessed by examining the number of job placements and corresponding tenure.

The fidelity review revealed that peers met IPS standards of implementation on 7 of 14 items assessing service delivery. The Kansas scale results revealed attitudes to be a relative strength and job performance competency ratings fell in the average to above average range across skill areas assessed (e.g., vocational assessment, job development). Thirty-three percent of consumers from the peers' caseloads got competitive jobs; mean tenure was 26.1 weeks.

This demonstration project provides a starting point for future efforts aimed at expanding the role of peers as providers of evidence-based mental health services and provides a measured degree of optimism that this is a realistic, attainable goal.