The Impact of Vocational Rehabilitation on Mentally III Veterans
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Sponsor
- VA Office of Research and Development
- Enrollment
- 100
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Obtain Competitive Employment
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 2 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
To study the impact of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) supported employment (SE) compared to treatment-as-usual vocational rehabilitation program (VRP) for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Detailed Description
Objectives: to study the impact of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) supported employment (SE) compared to treatment-as-usual vocational rehabilitation program (VRP) for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Research Design: This prospective randomized study evaluates the impact of IPS-SE compared to VRP on occupational, sobriety, psychiatric, and quality of life outcomes and health care costs for veterans with chronic PTSD who enter the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center's (TVAMC) vocational rehabilitation program. Methodology: Occupational functioning is determined primarily by whether the veteran can obtain and maintain competitive employment, and, secondarily, by time worked and wages earned for those employed. Veterans who meet inclusion criteria will be randomized to either IPS-SE or VRP. Outcomes will be assessed over a fixed 12-month observation period (beginning at randomization and computed for the entire 12-month observation period) as percent subjects employed at least one week (employed rate), and monthly employment rates (maintained employed rate). In addition, PTSD symptoms and other health-related quality of life measures will be evaluated. This strategy uses all available data during the 1-year period.
Investigators
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Male or Female
- •Age, greater than or equal to 19 and less than
- •Enrollment in the TVAMC VRP
- •Signed informed consent
- •Chronic post-traumatic stress disorder
- •Any race or ethnic origin
- •Anticipation of remaining in the catchment area for the 12-month study duration
Exclusion Criteria
- •Lifetime history of severe traumatic brain injury that has resulted in severe cognitive impairment
- •History of schizophrenia, schizoaffective, disorder, or bipolar I disorder
- •Pending litigation
- •In need of immediate detoxification.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Obtain Competitive Employment
Time Frame: 1 calendar year
The primary outcome: competitive employment (Yes or No). Competitive employment was defined as a job for regular wages in a setting that was not set aside, or sheltered, that is, the job could be held by people without a mental illness or disability and was not a set-aside job in the VRP. Day labor (babysitting, manual labor by the day, drill, temporary work for family or friends) was not considered competitive employment.
Secondary Outcomes
- Employment Outcomes (Weeks Competitively Employed)(one year)
- PTSD, Depression, Disability Outcomes(one-year)
- Employment Outcomes (Gross Income Competitive)(one year)
- Employment Outcomes (Days Competitively Employed(one year)
- Employment Outcomes (Total Gross Income From All Sources(one year)
- Employment Outcomes (Hours Competitively Employed)(one year)