abstract: 'Background

  Employment improves mental health and well-being by providing financial

  security, daily structure, a sense of identity and purpose, and social

  engagement. However, securing and sustaining employment is exceptionally

  challenging for vulnerable populations who experience persistent and

  multiple barriers, such as mental illness, homelessness, food and

  housing insecurity, and marginalization. Evidence-based supported

  employment programs, most notably individual placement and support (IPS)

  are becoming a more common approach for addressing the needs of these

  high-risk individuals. The aim of this paper is to outline the protocol

  for evaluating an IPS program in Vancouver''s downtown and Downtown

  Eastside (DTES).

  Methods and design

  This prospective quasi-experimental study of persons with persistent and

  multiple barriers to employment will use a mixed-methods approach for

  evaluating a novel IPS program. The evaluation will consist of survey

  packages and interviews that will capture outcomes related to employment

  and well-being, as well as the experiential process of receiving

  individualized and integrated supports through the IPS program. A

  mixed-methods approach is appropriate for this study as quantitative

  data will provide an objective assessment of program impacts on

  employment and well-being outcomes over time, while qualitative data

  will provide an in-depth understanding of continued barriers and

  experiences.

  Discussion

  The results from this evaluation will contribute evidence within a local

  British Columbian (BC) context that may increase access to meaningful

  employment for those with long-term experience of complex barriers to

  employment. Further, the findings will support continued improvements,

  and guide decision-making around practices and policy for future

  implementation of IPS and employment supports across BC.'
affiliation: 'Kwan, A (Corresponding Author), Univ British Columbia, Fac Med, Dept
  Occupat Sci \& Occupat Therapy, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

  Kwan, Amanda; Barbic, Skye P., Univ British Columbia, Fac Med, Dept Occupat Sci
  \& Occupat Therapy, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

  Morris, Jonny, Canadian Mental Hlth Assoc BC Div, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

  Barbic, Skye P., Providence Hlth Care Res Inst, Vancouver, BC, Canada.'
article-number: e0261415
author: Kwan, Amanda and Morris, Jonny and Barbic, Skye P.
author-email: amanda.kwan@ubc.ca
author_list:
- family: Kwan
  given: Amanda
- family: Morris
  given: Jonny
- family: Barbic
  given: Skye P.
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261415
files: []
issn: 1932-6203
journal: PLOS ONE
keywords-plus: 'TRANSITION-AGE YOUTH; SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT; INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENT;

  VETERANS; SERVICES; OUTCOMES; QUALITY; TRIAL; WORK; CARE'
language: English
month: DEC 16
number: '12'
number-of-cited-references: '36'
orcid-numbers: Kwan, Amanda/0000-0001-7367-9438
papis_id: 2057818569f79e48a9d572d33afb73b6
ref: Kwan2021protocolmixed
times-cited: '0'
title: 'Protocol: A mixed methods evaluation of an IPS program to increase employment
  and well-being for people with long-term experience of complex barriers in Vancouver''s
  downtown and DTES'
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000755091500095
usage-count-last-180-days: '1'
usage-count-since-2013: '5'
volume: '16'
web-of-science-categories: Multidisciplinary Sciences
year: '2021'