CPRP Vocational Rehabilitation & Supported Employment 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which model of supported employment is most strongly evidence-based for individuals with serious mental illness?
- Train-then-place model
- Individual Placement and Support (IPS) (Correct answer)
- Sheltered workshop model
- Transitional employment model
Correct answer: Individual Placement and Support (IPS)
Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is an evidence-based supported employment model specifically designed for people with serious mental illness, emphasizing competitive employment in integrated settings.
Question 2: In the IPS model, how quickly should job search activities begin after a person expresses interest in employment?
- After 6 months of stabilization
- After completing prevocational training
- Rapidly, within 30 days (Correct answer)
- Only after full symptom remission
Correct answer: Rapidly, within 30 days
IPS emphasizes rapid job search, typically beginning within 30 days of program entry, because delays reduce engagement and employment outcomes.
Question 3: Which of the following is a core principle of the IPS supported employment model?
- Exclusion of individuals with substance use disorders
- Integration of vocational and mental health services (Correct answer)
- Mandatory prevocational skills training
- Job placement limited to part-time positions
Correct answer: Integration of vocational and mental health services
IPS integrates vocational specialists into mental health treatment teams so that employment support and clinical care are coordinated rather than separate.
Question 4: What does 'job carving' mean in the context of psychiatric vocational rehabilitation?
- Reducing a person's work hours due to symptoms
- Creating a customized job by restructuring tasks from an existing position (Correct answer)
- Eliminating high-stress tasks from any job description
- A method of résumé editing for psychiatric history
Correct answer: Creating a customized job by restructuring tasks from an existing position
Job carving involves restructuring an existing job position by separating specific tasks to create a customized role that matches a person's skills and accommodations needs.
Question 5: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), what must an employer provide to a qualified individual with a psychiatric disability?
- A guaranteed promotion pathway
- Reasonable accommodations unless it causes undue hardship (Correct answer)
- A separate workspace at all times
- Reduced performance standards
Correct answer: Reasonable accommodations unless it causes undue hardship
The ADA requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities, including psychiatric disabilities, unless doing so would cause undue hardship.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of a reasonable workplace accommodation for someone with a serious mental illness?
- Permanent exemption from all performance reviews
- Flexible scheduling to attend mental health appointments (Correct answer)
- Unlimited paid medical leave regardless of duration
- Assignment to a private office with no customer contact
Correct answer: Flexible scheduling to attend mental health appointments
Flexible scheduling to attend mental health appointments is a common and reasonable accommodation that supports employment retention without creating undue hardship.
Question 7: What is the primary role of an employment specialist in a supported employment program?
- Conducting psychiatric evaluations to determine work readiness
- Providing direct job search assistance, employer outreach, and on-the-job support (Correct answer)
- Managing Social Security disability benefit applications only
- Delivering group-based vocational training curricula
Correct answer: Providing direct job search assistance, employer outreach, and on-the-job support
Employment specialists provide individualized job development, employer engagement, and ongoing on-the-job support tailored to each person's goals and preferences.
CPRP Vocational Rehabilitation & Supported Employment 1
Which model of supported employment is most strongly evidence-based for individuals with serious mental illness?