Employment barriers and strategies for individuals with psychiatric disabilities and criminal histories

Acquiring and maintaining employment is often challenging for individuals with psychiatric disabilities, and for those with a history of criminal offenses additional obstacles exist. This project used focus groups to identify ways in which supported employment providers deliver effective services to persons with mental illness and offense histories. Successful providers report that a sense of hope, a trusting relationship, realistic and sincere expectations about work, and optimism on the part of both the consumer and provider are key ingredients, as are the consumer's remorse for past criminal activity and an action-oriented attitude toward change. Barriers to success with this population include stigma, which varies based on psychiatric symptoms and the nature of the criminal offense, and inadequate support. Successful employment reflects persistence, clinical and law enforcement supports as needed, lifestyle adjustments, face to face meetings with employers, effective disclosure strategies, and documenting work readiness using portfolios. Providers also cited many contributions of employment to recovery, including increased financial resources, pride, social connections to the community, and quality of life. Training of future professionals should promote skills in advocacy, helping consumers develop work portfolios and other assets, and a view of employment support that is holistic and individualized.