The effects of vocational services provided to the mentally disabled

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of vocational services provided to mentally disabled clients of the Fresno County Department of Health by the California State Department of Vocational Rehabilitation located in Fresno, California. The findings were (a) 46% were discharged as employed; (b) cost per client was $1,590: (c) cost per success was $3,448; (d) the employed persons entered a variety of competitive jobs; (e) average annual income for persons employed at discharge was $5,539; (f) persons who were employed were less psychiatrically disabled and had a better work history; (g) only 26% of the severely disabled were employed, compared to 50% of the persons who were mildly or moderately disabled; (h) the main benefit of the program appeared to be that of returning less disabled clients with better work histories to work at normative levels shown prior to vocational services; and (i) cost-benefit analysis showed that annual earned income exceeded program cost.