Enhancing your mental health service

IPS involves the co-location of vocational specialists and mental health teams who work collaboratively to support young people with mental ill-health into work and study.

IPS is evidence-based, and is the most effective supported employment and education program used in mental health services worldwide. 

IPS vocational specialists spend significant time in the community, creating and maintaining networks with employers, education providers and other career support services to create new opportunities for young people in the program.

The IPS model is based on eight core principles:

• Focus on competitive employment.
  Competitive employment is that which pays at least a competitive wage, is based in community settings and is not a job that is reserved for people with disabilities. 
• Zero exclusion.
  Every person with mental ill-health who wants to work is eligible for IPS supported employment, regardless of their circumstances. 
• IPS Programs are integrated with mental health treatment teams.
  IPS specialists are integrated with multidisciplinary teams which share information to aid functional recovery. 
• Attention to participants’ preferences.
  IPS program services are based on each job seeker’s preferences and choices rather than the employment specialist’s and supervisor’s judgments. 
• Personalised benefits counselling.
  Recognising that the loss of income support is a major reason that participants may not want to seek employment, IPS emphasises the provision of guidance regarding income support. 
• Rapid job search.
  IPS programs use a rapid job search approach to help job seekers obtain jobs rather than undertaking lengthy assessments, pre-employment training, and counselling. 
• Systematic job development.
  IPS providers focus upon building relationships with employers to learn about their business needs and hiring preferences and ensure jobs are based on the participant preferences. 
• Time-unlimited and individualised support.
  Support is tailored to each participant and continued for as long as the participants wants and needs. 

Source: IPS Supported Employment Center website, 2021.

Paid employment not only provides financial security for a young person but can also give them structure, a sense of worth, and regular supportive social engagement. 

The mental health benefits of employment include a greater sense of autonomy, improved self-reported wellbeing, reduced depression and anxiety symptoms, increased access to resources to cope with demands, enhanced social status, and unique opportunities for personal development and mental health promotion.

Young people are more likely to be affected by unemployment and underemployment than those in other age groups. Not being able to obtain employment or engage in education can have a range of negative impacts on a young person’s mental health and future career trajectory.

By delivering IPS, you can ensure young people have access to support from their clinical team and vocational support team at one site, improving engagement outcomes.

IPS has been found to be the most effective supported employment and education program used in mental health services worldwide. Twenty-eight randomised control trials have shown IPS outperforms conventional vocational approaches for individuals experiencing mental ill-health.

There is a direct relationship between a young person’s mental health and employment.
Attaining employment and/or education is a protective factor against future experiences of mental ill-health. However, experiencing mental ill-health can also limit a young person’s ability to engage with education or employment.

The IPS model is effective in assisting people to obtain employment.
A number of studies have found that IPS is approximately two to three times as effective as traditional vocational rehabilitation in getting people with mental ill-health into competitive work.

The IPS model is cost effective.
This approach for individuals experiencing mental ill-health is economical in comparison to other employment support programs.

There is scope to expand the IPS model to maximise its benefits for young people.
The trials of IPS in Australia have been premised upon traditional methods of service delivery, but there is the potential for further adaptation and augmentation.

We can assess your organisations’ readiness to implement IPS and support your organisation to develop a shared understanding about the program and guide your organisation to build consensus with key stakeholders.

We have extensive experience supporting services with IPS implementation, evaluation and workforce training.

Our team provides technical support, vocational supervision, and fidelity reviews for services seeking to deliver IPS programs and vocational peer work across Australia. 

We also offer a range of vocational recovery manuals, online modules, fact sheets and resources which can be accessed here.

If you’d like to speak to someone at our Youth IPS Centre of Excellence, please fill in the form on the Contact Us page.