IPS Mental Health & Employment Support Evaluation
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Examining the effect of Individual Placement and Support for those receiving mental health support on employment and health outcomes.
IRAS ID
184728
Contact name
Michael Sanders
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Behavioural Insights Team
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN71067067
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 7 months, 9 days
Research summary
Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is a vocational rehabilitation intervention for people with severe mental disabilities (Becker & Drake 1994). IPS is based on a synthesis of key principles of supported employment, including close integration between the employment services and the mental health treatment teams; and ongoing, individualised support after clients obtain employment (Bond et al., 2007). IPS has been shown to have a positive impact on employment and health related outcome measures, such as lower incidence of hospitalisation (e.g. Bond et al., 1997).
This RCT will compare mental health treatment as usual to the IPS model on individuals who are unemployed and who have a common mental health condition. We hope to demonstrate improvements in the participants’ health and employment prospects as well as demonstrating that significant savings can be achieved.
Individuals will be referred primarily through their GP, Job Centre Plus or an IAPT service. They will contact a 'Single Point of Access' where they will be informed of the purpose and process of the study. If interested, they will provide consent over the phone. Their eligibility will then be checked (i.e. benefit status and mental health via GAD7 & PHQ9). They will complete a brief survey measuring their intrinsic motivation for the programme and provide their contact details. They will then be automatically sent an email outlining the condition that they have been assigned and 'next steps'. Those in the treatment (IPS) condition will be referred to an employment specialist and will work closely with them to find employment and then to sustain employment. The relationship typically lasts a number of months, while the individual searches for employment and secures it.
3 and 6 months after randomisation, the benefit and health status of individuals in the control and IPS groups will be compared. This will be measured through routinely collected data.
REC name
East Midlands - Derby Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/EM/0493
Date of REC Opinion
19 Nov 2015
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion