Increasing Successful Vocational Rehabilitation Outcomes for Individuals with Substance Use Disorders

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-10
Author(s):  
Stephanie L. Lusk ◽  
Frances R. B. Veale

Employment is essential during the treatment and recovery process for individuals with substance use disorders. As such, rehabilitation counselors play a vital role in ensuring the success of these consumers by offering services that increase the likelihood of employment. State and federal vocational rehabilitation programs can offer any of 19 services to consumers and by identifying services offered to those with substance use disorders who have been rehabilitated successfully, counselors can make a concerted effort to incorporate them when most appropriate. As a replica of a study conducted over 10 years ago, the current study seeks to determine if the services identified as increasing successful employment outcomes using data from 2005 still hold true today especially since gainful employment remain low for this population. After effective services are identified, one may then determine how to best incorporate these services into the overall Individual Plan for Employment (IPE) to better assist those with substance use disorders (SUDs). Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) 911 datasets were analyzed for years 2010-2014, and chi-square analyses identified five services as increasing the probability of successful case closure (i.e., employment): 1) job placement, 2) on-the-job supports, 3) maintenance, 4) job search, and 5) other. Descriptions of each service are provided as well as suggestions for application and implementation.

2006 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Schaller ◽  
Nancy K. Yang ◽  
Audrey Trainor

Differences in rates of case closure, case service cost, hours worked per week, and weekly wage between White males and females with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder were examined using the Rehabilitation Service Administration national data base of 2002. Females had statistically significantly higher case service costs than males. Using logistic regression, the customer demographic variable related to successful competitive employment for males was age. Case service variables related to successful competitive employment for males were vocational rehabilitation counseling, job search assistance, and job placement. The customer case service variable related to successful competitive employment for females was job search assistance. Implications for rehabilitation professionals and for future research on vocational rehabilitation outcomes with consumers with ADHD are provided.


2000 ◽  
Vol 51 (12) ◽  
pp. 1570-1572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony J. Kerrigan ◽  
Judith E. Kaough ◽  
Bill L. Wilson ◽  
J. Vaughn Wilson ◽  
J. Alexander Boeringa ◽  
...  

2003 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles E. Drebing ◽  
Robert Rosenheck ◽  
Russell Schutt ◽  
Wesley J. Kasprow ◽  
Walter Penk

Author(s):  
Olayemi A. Akinola ◽  
Euchay Ngozi Horsman ◽  
Lisa Dunkley

Abstract Youth with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders are at higher risk for vocational rehabilitation exclusion. This study aimed to (a) explore the personal factors associated with vocational outcomes of youth with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders and (b) highlight services that have shown the greatest promise for this population in the state-federal rehabilitation program in the United States. Our analytic sample was extracted from the Rehabilitation Services Administration’s Case Service Report data set for 2013, 2014, and 2015 fiscal years. Multiple regression analyses results identified personal factors such as gender, race/ethnicity, level of education, and severity of disability as predictors of the achievement of competitive employment, hours worked, and income. The receipt of vocational rehabilitation services such as job search support, job placement assistance, vocational training, and on-the-job support are significantly associated with the achievement of competitive employment, higher work hours, and income. These finding have implications for vocational rehabilitation practice as they highlight who is at higher risk for poor outcomes, effective services, and additional factors to consider when working with youth with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis Dombrowski ◽  
Nelly Norrell ◽  
Suzanne Holroyd

Objective. There is a paucity of research on substance use disorders (SUDs) in the elderly psychiatric population. This study examines SUDs in a geriatric psychiatry inpatient service over a 10-year period.Methods. Data from 1788 elderly psychiatric inpatients from a ten-year period was collected. Variables collected included psychiatric diagnoses, SUD, number of psychiatric admissions, and length of stay. Those with and without a SUD were compared using Chi-Square or Student’st-test as appropriate using SPSS.Results. 11.7% (N=210) of patients had a SUD, and the most common substance was alcohol at 73.3% (N=154) or 8.6% of all admissions. Other SUDs were sedative-hypnotics (11%), opiate (2.9%), cannabis (1%), tobacco (1.4%), and unspecified SUD (38.6%). SUD patients were significantly younger, divorced, male, and less frequently readmitted and had shorter lengths of stay. The most common comorbid diagnoses were major depression (26.1%), bipolar disorder (10.5%), and dementia (17.1%).Conclusions. Over 10% of psychogeriatric admissions were associated with a SUD, with alcohol being the most common. Considering the difficulties in diagnosing SUD in this population and the retrospective study design, the true prevalence in elderly psychiatric inpatients is likely higher. This study adds to sparse literature on SUD in elderly psychiatric patients.


2008 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 19-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona Robinson ◽  
Michael Klein

The study examined vocational rehabilitation outcomes of persons who were dually diagnosed with mental health and substance abuse disorders. The study sought to examine whether differences existed in vocational rehabilitation outcomes based upon the individuals' race by examining the 2002 RSA-911 database containing successful and unsuccessful closures (status 26 and 28). MANOVA and Chi-square analyses showed that minorities earned lower wages and received less college training than their non-minority counterparts. The results of the study indicated that statistically significant differences existed in vocational rehabilitation outcomes for individuals who are dually diagnosed, with minorities faring worse than their non-minority counterparts.


2008 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Hollar

Vocational rehabilitation (VR) services can be challenging for certain persons with disabilities, particularly persons with mental illness, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and substance use disorders (SUD). This study focused on successful (status 26) and unsuccessful (status 28) closures contained in the Longitudinal Study of the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Programs (LSVRSP). Individuals with ADHD, mental illness, physical disabilities, SUD, and learning disabilities had the lowest successful closure rates (43.2%, 45.5%, 50.6%, 51.3%, and 51.4%, respectively). Consumers reported a need for additional services, lack of job availability, family problems, discrimination, and transportation issues as leading reasons for unsuccessful closure. The results indicate a need for more comprehensive services directed towards persons with behavioral disabilities.


2008 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 12-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis Moore ◽  
Mary McAweeney ◽  
Joseph Keferl ◽  
Margaret Glenn ◽  
Jo Ann Ford

State vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies demonstrate wide reporting variability regarding the prevalence of substance use disorders among consumers of their services. The differences do not appear to correspond with state-level data derived from the general population in national substance use/abuse studies. This study reports findings from national surveys of VR program directors and counselors in regard to policy, practice, and professional perceptions. Results indicate that there are differences in the perceptions of profossionals regarding order of selection, sobriety waiting policies, and estimates of substance abuse but no relationship between state VR policies and the variability found in SUD rates.


2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-258
Author(s):  
Stephanie L. Lusk ◽  
Lynn C. Koch ◽  
Teresia M. Paul

Purpose:In this article, we examined how individuals with co-occurring psychiatric disabilities and substance use disorders encounter numerous challenges when it comes to the vocational rehabilitation (VR) process.Method:A comprehensive review of the literature demonstrated barriers to service delivery (e.g., access to services, exclusionary eligibility requirements) and hindrances to VR planning (e.g., lack of training of VR counselors, lack of work-related skills) which all serve to create obstacles through which they must navigate. This article provides a brief overview of (a) the challenges that these individuals face in treatment and VR and (b) general considerations for providing more recovery-oriented VR services to increase their participation in the VR process, facilitate recovery, and improve VR outcomes.Results:Our review highlighted that VR participation and successful outcome rates among this group as a whole are much lower than the rates of those with other types of disabilities. Researchers have suggested a myriad of strategies that have proven advantageous when working with these individuals all of which serve to increase rates of sustained recovery and employment success.Conclusion:Additional research is still needed to substantiate the barriers to service delivery for this underserved VR population, evaluate how to implement more recovery-oriented practices within the VR system, and determine if such changes do indeed lead to improved outcomes for consumers with co-occurring disabilities.


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