Does transitional work improve vocational and mental health outcomes? A systematic narrative review of the evidence

To examine and synthesize the available empirical evidence on the impact of transitional work (TW) on vocational (i.e., rates of competitive employment, time to competitive employment, tenure in competitive employment, income earned) and mental health outcomes.

APA PsycArticles, APA PsycInfo, Psychiatry Online, PubMed, and Social Sciences Citation Index were searched using the key terms: "transitional work," "compensated work therapy," "transitional employment," "noncompetitive employment," and "diversified placement approach." A gray literature search was conducted through Google Scholar.

28 studies met inclusion criteria for this review. There is some evidence indicating that TW improves vocational outcomes compared with general vocational support or no services at all, but that TW is less effective at improving vocational outcomes compared with job placement services (e.g., individual placement and support). With regard to mental health, there is some evidence that TW improves substance use outcomes when paired with other substance use-related services (e.g., transitional housing, drug screen protocols).

TW appears to be an effective approach for improving vocational outcomes compared with no treatment, incentive therapy, workshops, or other general vocational supports, and less effective than job placement services that are designed for individuals with immediate competitive employment goals (e.g., individual placement and support). Recommendations for practice and research are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).