[Using Employment Support to Foster Social Inclusion for Patients With Mental Disorders]

Social inclusion is a concept that is being widely discussed within the realms of politics and policy in the 21st century. Social inclusion is an essential element of social policy in Taiwan. Although fostering social inclusion for patients with mental disorders is a main focus of global health concern, this issue has been little explored in the nursing literature. Employment is both an important path by which patients with mental disorders return to the community and one of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations. Although the government of Taiwan has made significant efforts to improve employment services for patients with mental disorders, the results have been disappointing. Nurses must better understand the meaning of work for patients with mental disorders and the difficulties they face; reflect on the deficiencies and limitations of nursing practice; and strengthen their professional abilities to provide effective employment support care to patients with mental disorders. We also need to advocate for appropriate employment transition services to be provided by various government departments and civil organizations, for the development of an effective case management system, and for the provision of ongoing employment support to patients with mental disorders. The above activities and actions can assist patients with mental disorders to increase their social participation by taking stable and safe jobs, which will reduce the risk of their isolation from society and help nurses fulfill their responsibility for providing social care to patients with mental disorders.