Evidence-Based Practices:
Shaping Mental Health Services Toward Recovery
Supported Employment
Workbook
Chapter 5: Engagement
Chapter overview
This chapter describes strategies for engaging consumers in supported employment programs.
Engagement is the first step towards developing a working alliance with the consumer. It is through this working relationship that all supported employment services are provided, ranging from gathering vocational profile information to job finding to support. In addition to developing a working alliance with the consumer, successful engagement also involves enlisting the support and involvement of people in the consumer’s support system (such as family members), keeping other practitioners informed, and soliciting their feedback in pursuing the consumer’s vocational goals. Thus, engagement is the critical step towards developing a collaborative relationship including the consumer, members of the consumer’s support system, and other practitioners.
Using this chapter
In the sections that follow, case examples are used to demonstrate how to engage consumers and significant others in a supported employment program:
- Initial engagement of the consumer
- Meeting with family
- Keeping the treatment team involved
After reading the vignette, please challenge yourself by listing possible strategies for engaging consumers, family members, and treatment teams.
Remember:
Engagement strategies:
- focus on developing a working alliance with the consumer
- take place in the community
- involve connecting with the family and other supports
- are culturally sensitive
Supervisor’s note
This chapter lends itself to group teaching and discussion.
Use the vignette, or others from your experience, to stimulate creative problem-solving discussions.
Make an effort to help employment specialists to develop a broad repertoire of interventions that can be used to facilitate work.
Initial Engagement of the Consumer
This section describes José, who has been referred for supported employment and who has not yet met his employment specialist.
Case history: José’s Story
José is 34 years old and has schizophrenia. The last job he held was seven years ago, when he worked for three weeks as a dishwasher before being fired for unexcused absences. José’s case manager told him about the supported employment program and he expressed some interest in it. José hears voices most of the time, and he and his case manager thought that work might distract him from these voices.
After talking about the supported employment program with his case manager several times, José said that he thinks he is willing to give it a try. Some of the concerns he expressed are that he will lose his disability entitlement if he works, and that he will not be able to handle the stress of competitive employment. José’s parents, with whom he has regular contact but does not live, think José needs something to do with his time, but are concerned about stress of working. In addition to having something to do with his time, José is interested in work in order to have money to buy nice clothes, which he enjoys wearing. Having interested José in the supported employment program, his case manager contacts the employment specialist to begin the engagement process.
Tackling the issues
If you were the employment specialist, what would you do?
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Reasonable responses
Some Possible Responses: There is no single correct answer as to how to handle this situation, but here are a few ideas.
As the employment specialist, you could arrange to meet with José to begin to get to know him, to learn about his work history, and to start exploring his vocational interests. Some of these meetings may be arranged in the community, such as meeting with José over a cup of coffee at a local coffee shop. Because the case manager has a good working relationship with José, and it took a long time for him to warm up to the idea of supported employment, some of the early meetings with José should include the case manager.
In addition to engaging José, you may also find it helpful to meet with José’s relatives. José’s parents are concerned that the stress of working may cause him to have a relapse, and you could explain how appropriate job selection and support could minimize the stress to which José is exposed, and could even reduce his stress level by giving him something meaningful and valued to do with his time. The meetings with José’s relatives may be most effective if they take place in their home, and if they include José, in order to reinforce that work is an important goal for him. Of course, you will need a release of information from José to speak to his parents.
Finally, you should keep the treatment team members informed each step of the engagement process, including the initial meeting, contacts with family members, and possible job interests. If you encounter difficulties engaging José or addressing the concerns of his relatives, you can solicit feedback and advice from other team members. This teamwork ensures that everyone is supportive of José’s goals, and has input into pursuing them.
Chapter summary
Establishing a relationship with the consumer creates a foundation for the rest of your work. This chapter stresses the importance of connecting with the consumer you are serving as well as his or her professional and community supports. Creating a coordinated team around supporting the work interests of the consumer will pay off over time.
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