Objective: Supported education (SEd) provides individualized support to people with mental health problems to achieve their educational goals. Individual placement and support (IPS) has emerged as a model through which SEd may be efficiently delivered. However, the components and characteristics of educational support for these employment-focused services have not been fully explored. Building on earlier studies, we constructed a preliminary model of SEd components that integrated with the IPS model. The SEd model included the eight original principles of IPS, developed to reflect the SEd component, and two new principles were suggested. The aim of the study is to investigate these adapted principles by exploring the feasibility of applying them within established IPS programs providing both employment and educational services.
Methods: An organizational learning approach was taken, involving five IPS programs providing both employment and educational services to young adults with mental health problems. Data were collected through focus groups, interviews, and workshops with 19 IPS specialists.
Results: The results suggest that while the IPS principles provide a feasible and relevant structure for the development and provision of integrated services, adaptations that reflect the educational context were considered valuable when supporting young adults in pursuing their career-related goals.
Conclusions and implications for practice: The respondents confirmed that the SEd principles and the focus on support in educational contexts helped them to further develop their knowledge and strategies. While challenging, integrating SEd in IPS models shows good potential for supporting young adults as they struggle to reach longer term career-oriented goals. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).