Enhancing Supported Employment Services for Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities to Address Workplace Prejudice and Discrimination
Grant Description
Prejudice and discrimination have been consistently recognized as a major barrier to the recovery of persons with psychiatric disabilities with an enormous psychological and economic toll on their well-being, quality of life and life expectancy. Research has consistently provided evidence that workers with psychiatric disabilities are subjected to prejudicial and discriminatory behaviors stemming from a wide range of personal characteristics beyond mental illness, such as race, gender, weight, medical conditions, forensic background, etc. Yet, workplace prejudice and discrimination are not systematically addressed in the evidence-based Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment for people with psychiatric disabilities.
The purpose of this project is to develop an intervention entitled “Managing Workplace Prejudice and Discrimination (MWPD)” and to test its effectiveness in increasing the employment outcomes of people with psychiatric disabilities receiving supported employment services. The MWPD aims to equip employment specialists with new knowledge and skills to address their clients’ concerns and experiences related to workplace prejudice and discrimination that may interfere with work performance and employment outcomes. The MWPD enhancement is being fully integrated in the IPS teams’ operations. Upon successful completion of the study, we will implement comprehensive dissemination and utilization activities targeting members of the IPS Learning Community and providers of other vocational rehabilitation services to people with psychiatric disabilities.
Principal and Co-Principal Investigators
Award Details
- Sponsor: National Institute of Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research
- Grant Number: 90DPEM0005
- Project Dates: September 2021 – August 2026
ID-1: Development and feasibility testing of an intervention to enhance the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) supported employment to address workplace prejudice and discrimination experienced by individuals with psychiatric disabilities (“Managing Workplace Prejudice and Discrimination”).
The purpose of this project was to develop and test the feasibility of the MWPD intervention. The MWPD has been designed as a process guiding clients: 1) from an exploration of work-related prejudicial and discriminatory experiences and concerns; 2) to understanding of such experiences; 3) to selecting an action path; 4) to choosing strategies to address the specific stigmatizing experience; and 5) finally, to the selection of resources to support the implementation of chosen strategies. The MWPD addresses concerns about unfair treatment in the workplace that are related to a range of personal characteristics beyond mental illness, such as race, gender, age, sexual orientation, weight, medical conditions, forensic background, substance use, etc. The MWPD was developed and refined through series of development pilots and a 6-month feasibility study with one IPS team.
Project Category: Research
Project Director: Marianne Farkas, Sc.D.
Project Status: Completed
IE-1: Randomized Trial Evaluating the Incremental Effectiveness of the “Managing Workplace Prejudice and Discrimination (MWPD)” Intervention when Compared to Standard Individual Placement and Support (IPS).
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the MWPD intervention in enhancing the employment outcomes of individuals with psychiatric disabilities who receive IPS services. The incremental effectiveness of the MWPD intervention is being evaluated through a pilot stepped wedge cluster randomized trial involving 5 IPS teams operated by Pathways, Inc., Maryland. The overall duration of the randomized trial is 30 months and will be completed by the end of June 2027. Over the course of the study, the 5 IPS teams are being trained in the MWPD intervention based on a randomized schedule. We will examine the promise of the MWPD intervention in further improving the employment rates and employment tenure of individuals with psychiatric disabilities receiving high fidelity IPS services.
Project Category: Research
Project Director: Zlatka Russinova, Ph.D
Project Status: Active
