[The implementation of Individual Placement and Support in the Netherlands]

Abstract

Background: Individual Placement and Support is a vocational rehabilitation programme for people with severe mental illness, which was implemented during the period 2003-2005 at four locations in the Netherlands.

Aim: To investigate the degree of compliance with the Individual Placement and Support programme, the factors that hindered or facilitated its implementation, and the results.

Method: The degree of compliance was assessed using the Individual Placement and Support fidelity scale. Data regarding the factors that hindered or facilitated the implementation were collected via interviews and monitoring. In addition, data were collected on patient characteristics, the support provided and the jobs found.

Results: None of the locations achieved the highest level of compliance, although two locations came close. Eighteen per cent of the 316 patients were helped to find a regular job. The most important obstacles to implementation were loss of vocational team members, project leaders' lack of time, lack of finance, and insufficient cooperation between the organisations involved. The most important facilitating factors were the skills and commitment of the vocational team member(s) and the integration of the vocational teammember(s) and the mental health team.

Conclusion: It is not easy to implement Individual Placement and Support. However, if more attention is given to good project management, Individual Placement and Support can succeed in the Netherlands.