The impact of job accommodations on employment outcomes among individuals with psychiatric disabilities

Even after passage of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), persons with mental illnesses have difficulty finding a job and keeping it. In this study, the authors assessed employment outcomes among more than 1,000 individuals with a psychiatric disability who were unemployed at the start of the two-year study period. Those who received ADA accommodations not only worked more hours per month but worked 31% longer than the comparison group. Better documentation and measurement of the effectiveness of accommodations can move the nation closer toward the goal of full inclusion, the authors said. (author abstract)