The Employment Gap at a Glance
A two-page summary of the unmet demand for supported employment in public behavioral health systems.
Data & Research
The numbers behind the work
A working dashboard of the employment gap in behavioral health, the evidence supporting IPS, and the policy context shaping what's possible.
Employment Gap Dashboard
Headline statistics on the demand for, and access to, competitive employment among people living with serious mental illness.
60–70%
of people with serious mental illness want to work
NAMI; Case Western Reserve University CEBP
<2%
of people in public mental health systems receive state-funded supported employment
NAMI
~80%
of people served by the public mental health system are unemployed
NAMI
55% vs 25%
competitive employment rates in IPS vs. control groups across multiple RCTs
IPS Employment Center
IPS Evidence
Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is the most extensively studied model of supported employment. Across more than 25 randomized controlled trials, IPS has consistently outperformed traditional vocational rehabilitation in helping people with serious mental illness obtain competitive jobs.
The pooled average competitive employment rate is approximately 55% for IPS participants compared with 25% in control groups. IPS participants also tend to start work sooner, work more hours, and earn more income over the study period.
Sources: IPS Employment Center; Case Western Reserve University Center for Evidence-Based Practices.
Behavioral Health and Work
Employment is consistently associated with positive recovery outcomes: increased income, structure, social connection, identity, and self-efficacy. For many people in recovery, work is not a reward at the end of treatment — it is part of the treatment. Programs that treat employment as a clinical priority, not an optional add-on, see measurable gains in both vocational and behavioral health outcomes.
Policy & Funding Updates
Tracking Medicaid, vocational rehabilitation, state behavioral health funding, and workforce development policy changes that affect supported employment access. Policy briefs and explainers will be published here on a rolling basis.
Local Resource Data
State-by-state and city-level supported employment resource directories will be added in Phase 2 — including IPS programs, WIPA providers, and Fair Chance employer networks.
Downloadable Data Briefs
Short PDFs designed for use in meetings, grant proposals, and board presentations. Available on request while we finalize Phase 2 distribution.
Why IPS Outperforms Traditional Vocational Models
A short brief summarizing fidelity research and competitive employment outcomes — usable in grant applications.
Employment as a Recovery Outcome
Evidence connecting competitive employment to reduced hospitalization, improved self-esteem, and community integration.
Benefits Counseling: Early and Often
Why early benefits planning is one of the strongest predictors of work attempts among SSI/SSDI beneficiaries.