Helping traumatically brain injured patients return to work with supported employment: three case studies

Three case studies illustrating the use of supported employment methods to help individuals with severe head injury are presented. Before supported employment intervention, these individuals were unable either to obtain or maintain employment. Neuropsychologic evaluation revealed many intellectual impairments which contributed to diminished employment potential. Through intervention, all three persons were able to obtain and maintain employment. Consecutive number of months employed ranged from 17.5 to 35, and hours worked per week ranged from 30 to 40. Current hourly earnings exceed the minimum wage, ranging from +5.00 to +5.16 per hour. These cases represent a subset within a larger supported employment program, which assists patients with severe traumatic brain injury to reenter the labor force and maintain employment.