Work as an occupation of daily living holds benefits for any person participating in it1,2,3,4. It has been established though, that people with psychiatric and intellectual disabilities experience extensive barriers to participation in work as employment (distinguished here from unpaid work), inclusive of stigma and complex support needs5. Moreover, in South Africa, job seekers with psychiatric and intellectual disabilities compete for jobs in the context of a 25.6% general unemployment rate. The consequences are reflected in the very low 1.2% formally reported people with disabilities that are currently employed7 (disability employment figures have fluctuated between 1.3% in 2003 and 0.9% in 20138). Considering high levels of unemployment of people with disabilities in South Africa, the need for an effective employment strategy is evident. Supported Employment (SE) as a strategy facilitates the inclusion of people with disabilities in competitive (open labour market) employment, and has proven to be effective in producing positive employment outcomes for people with mental disabilities…
Supported Employment for people with mental disabilities in South Africa: cost calculation of service utilisation
