Get Supported Employment A Practical Guide For Practitioners And Supervisors Second Edition By Swanson

Fidelity is defined as the degree to which a program implementing an evidence-based practice (EBP) adheres to specific model standards, which have been documented to give positive clinical outcome [13]. Fidelity scales are tools to measure the degree of implementation of an EBP and its key components.

Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is a proven supported employment model that helps people with mental health and substance use disorders find and keep jobs of their choosing. The IPS model is based on the philosophy that employment is treatment and leads to improved recovery outcomes.

Supported Employment/Individual Placement and Support (SE/IPS) is an evidence-based practice that helps people with mental illness and other disabilities identify and acquire part-time or full-time jobs of their choice in the community with rapid job-search and placement services.

A job coach working with an employer and co-workers is supported employment in action.

The IPS Supported Employment Fidelity Scale defines the critical ingredients of IPS in order to differentiate between programs that have fully implemented the model and those that have not. As demonstrated through research, high-fidelity programs are expected to have greater effectiveness than low-fidelity programs.

The Fidelity Scale is the translation of the 8 principles into 25 items that a service can be scored against. The higher the score, the greater the quality of the IPS service and the higher the expected job outcomes.

Agency quality assurance process includes an explicit review of the IPS team(s), or components of the team(s), at least every 6 months through the use of the IPS fidelity scale or until achieving good fidelity, and at least yearly thereafter.