This project investigates the effectiveness of a demonstration Self Help Employment Center on vocational and social outcomes for individuals with severe mental illness. The project is composed of two components. In the demonstration component, Peoples Oakland, a community social service agency, will set up and operate the Self Help Employment Center. The Center is a consumer-oriented self help and employment center which offers consumer-run work support groups in conjunction with professional vocational counseling and job placement. In the research component, researchers at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic will conduct a randomized controlled experimental study to test the relative effects of participation in the Self Help Employment Center. A total of 156 subjects will be enrolled in the project, with half (n=78) receiving services through the Self Help Employment Center. The primary hypothesis is tested in this study is that subjects who participate in the Self Help Employment Center (the experimental group) will differ significantly from non-participants (control group) in seven major areas of outcome. Primary outcome measures are: 1) time to first job, 2) time retained in job placement, and 3) earned income. Secondary outcomes are: 4) use of professional mental health services, including psychiatric hospitalization, 5) psychiatric symptoms, 6) self esteem, and 7) consumer, family and employer satisfaction. Baseline and follow up assessments will be conducted at intervals of 1, 6 and 12 months for each subject enrolled in the study. Multivariate and life table analyses will be used to test for differences between experimental and control groups on outcome measures.
