Experiences with the implementation of Individual Placement and Support for people with severe mental illness: A qualitative study among stakeholders

Miljana Vukadin*, Frederieke G. Schaafsma, Marjan J. Westerman, Harry W.C. Michon, Johannes R. Anema

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Background: Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is an evidence-based approach to help people with severe mental illness achieve competitive employment. This article provides insight into an organizational and a financial implementation strategy for IPS in the Netherlands by exploring the perceived facilitators and barriers among participating stakeholders. The goal of this multifaceted strategy was to improve IPS implementation by improving the collaboration between all organizations involved, and realising secured IPS funding with a 'pay for performance' element. Methods: A qualitative, explorative study among practitioners (n = 8) and decision makers (n = 7) in mental health care and vocational rehabilitation was performed using semi-structured interviews to collect rich information about the possible facilitators and barriers with regard to the organizational and financial implementation strategy for IPS. Results: Important perceived facilitators were the key principles of the IPS model, regular meetings of stakeholders in mental health care and vocational rehabilitation, stakeholders' experienced ownership of IPS and collaboration, the mandate and influence of the decision makers involved and secured IPS funding. Important perceived barriers included the experienced rigidity of the IPS model fidelity scale and lack of independent fidelity reviewers, the temporary and fragmented character of the secured funding, lack of communication between decision makers and practitioners and negative attitudes and beliefs among mental health clinicians. Changes in legislation were experienced as a facilitator as well as a barrier. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the collaboration and IPS funding were experienced as improved by applying an organizational and a financial implementation strategy. However, considerable effort is still necessary to overcome the remaining barriers identified and to make the implementation of IPS a success in practice.

Original languageEnglish
Article number145
Pages (from-to)1-9
Number of pages9
JournalBMC Psychiatry
Volume18
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 24 May 2018

Funding

This study was funded by the Dutch Social Security Institute: the Institute for Employee Benefits Schemes (UWV) (funding number 2001170). The funding organization had no further role in analysis and interpretation of the data, in writing the paper and in the decision to submit the paper for publication.

FundersFunder number
Dutch Social Security Institute
Institute for Employee Benefits Schemes
UWV2001170

    Keywords

    • Barriers
    • Facilitators
    • Implementation
    • Individual placement and support
    • Strategy

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