Evaluation of the Ways to Work Demonstration Project

Evaluation of the Ways to Work Demonstration Project
June 2002

Principal Investigator: Colleen Gillespie, Ph.D. (NYU-Wagner School).

PROJECT GOALS

This is a process evaluation of five demonstration projects that are seeking to implement, in clinical settings, best-practices in fostering competitive employment among adults with serious mental illnesses. It is funded through the New York Work Exchange as part of a program called Ways to Work, a program jointly funded by NYSOMH and NYCDMH.

The main objective is to document and describe how the employment innovations are implemented, how the culture of clinical settings is changed so as to promote employment, how staff respond to and adapt “best practices”, and how these innovations fare over time in different clinical settings and environments. In particular, the projects focus on integrating employment and clinical services in traditional outpatient mental health settings.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS

Research methodology is being designed.

SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS/ POLICY IMPLICATIONS

Information to be derived is essential for helping other mental health providers adopt and implement new evidence-based models of practice, particularly those that focus on competitive employment.

PLANS

Project methods are under design.

Entered: 09/23/2002