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The aim of this study is to explore the IPS implementation process in a first‐episode psychosis (FEP) mental health service team in Sweden. More specifically, the study explores how integration processes and critical situations are perceived over time by team members who originated from two diverse welfare organizations. A serial interview design was used (initially, at 6 and 12 months) to describe experiences of 16 team members. Material was analyzed using a constant comparison grounded theory approach. Team members dealt with the ambivalence of sharing mental health information, and whether the new way of working was a risk or benefit for users. They gradually learned new perspectives and knowledge, built trust and shared common views. After a year, the team workload perceived reduced and became person‐centred. Some members described remaining unclear roles and requested further support. Negotiated goals for integration and early knowledge transfer are critical. Organizational change and trusting team relationships have to be facilitated. Anticipated gains of integration should be clearly described and discussed early on, and continuous support for sustainability should be considered. This study confirmed the importance and potential of integrating IPS into FEP teams.

Young adults experiencing mental health problems are less educated than their peers, putting them in a more vulnerable position for employment and career possibilities. While Supported employment models have been widely implemented, educational supports may be necessary in order to contribute to longer term and sustainable employment. The aim of this study was to describe the state of current research regarding Supported education services for individuals with mental health problems, with a particular focus on studies that address both educational and vocational goals. A scoping review of articles published between 2000 and July 2020 was conducted. Eight databases were searched, titles/abstracts and full-text articles were reviewed for inclusion. The results, which built on 56 included articles, were analysed both descriptively and thematically. The results suggest that the focus in the literature has primarily been on adapting and implementing models for the needs of different populations and contexts. Many of these build on integrated models focusing on both vocational and educational needs. Despite addressing varied populations and working in varied contexts, it is possible to identify a number of essential components when delivering educational support. The review suggests a need to look at work and studies as equally important from a career development perspective. The knowledge base developed through studying supported education services and the educational components of newly emerging services, can contribute to the further development of integrated models for young adults.

Objective: Supported education (SEd) provides individualized support to people with mental health problems to achieve their educational goals. Individual placement and support (IPS) has emerged as a model through which SEd may be efficiently delivered. However, the components and characteristics of educational support for these employment-focused services have not been fully explored. Building on earlier studies, we constructed a preliminary model of SEd components that integrated with the IPS model. The SEd model included the eight original principles of IPS, developed to reflect the SEd component, and two new principles were suggested. The aim of the study is to investigate these adapted principles by exploring the feasibility of applying them within established IPS programs providing both employment and educational services.

Methods: An organizational learning approach was taken, involving five IPS programs providing both employment and educational services to young adults with mental health problems. Data were collected through focus groups, interviews, and workshops with 19 IPS specialists.

Results: The results suggest that while the IPS principles provide a feasible and relevant structure for the development and provision of integrated services, adaptations that reflect the educational context were considered valuable when supporting young adults in pursuing their career-related goals. Conclusions and

Implications for Practice: The respondents confirmed that the SEd principles and the focus on support in educational contexts helped them to further develop their knowledge and strategies. While challenging, integrating SEd in IPS models shows good potential for supporting young adults as they struggle to reach longer term career-oriented goals. 

Mental health problems among young adults often lead to obstacles to completing higher education and becoming established in the labour market. It is important to offer support that can help these individuals realize educational and vocational goals in order to become self-sufficient and achieve social inclusion. Individual Placement and Support (IPS) and Supported Education (SEd) are two methods developed for supporting people with mental health problems in attaining competitive employment and reaching educational goals. These methods have not been widely implemented in Sweden, therefore making it interesting to study management perspectives in organizations offering IPS/SEd. The study aimed to explore the reasoning and strategies managers described in offering vocational and educational support to young adults with mental health problems. This study is based on 12 qualitative interviews with managers from six units in Sweden offering support through IPS/SEd. Results show a variety in interpretation of legislation and responsibility for young adults with mental health problems. The managers were positioned between policy and practice, having to navigate between the organizational restraints and their professional assessment in offering this support and pushing traditional boundaries in prioritizing long-term individual goals over short-term economic and political considerations. These managers demonstrate the possibilities for how IPS/SEd can be implemented and made to fit different organizational contexts, even within a highly sectorized welfare system as in Sweden. However, the methods might need to be adapted and adjusted to not only fit local organizational restraints, but also to fit into the Swedish welfare system.

Support for developing a work identity has been shown to be essential for the recovery process of young adults with mental health problems. Since research shows that the development of a student role during the educational years for these young adults may be interrupted, this time period may be relevant to explore in order to support career development and the critical transition to adulthood for this target group. To explore young adults’ experiences of participating in supported education that is integrated with vocational and mental health services, reflecting the process of developing a student identity while struggling with mental health problems. A grounded theory design was used. The material consists of 17 individual interviews with young adults aged 18–29 years who were receiving supported education. Young adults who study while having mental health problems encountered structural barriers and challenged engagement in education that created a gap between the students and the regular education system. Access to supported education was reported to decrease this gap and formed a bridge that to facilitate educational achievements. The achievements were related to several personal benefits that were important for the experience of meaning and identity development in the future. Supported education can contribute to enabling the development of student identity for young adults with mental health problems. This involves an engagement process and positive identity formation that may reduce stigma and is therefore important for the personal recovery process and career advancement.

Mental health problems often appear at a young age. As the labour market places higher demands for education and competence, mental health services are focusing on young adults’ support needs for school and career opportunities. This study is a single case of an integrated supported education and employment unit in Sweden over an 18-month period. Multiple data sources illustrate the process of supporting careers and transition to school and work for young service users. This is a promising example of how careers can be supported through a flexible service that provides support for successful individual education and work trajectories among the youth. The service allowed for evolution of an identity process towards recovery through student and work roles.

Aim: Research investigating outcomes related to evidence-based interventions such as Supported Employment have begun to suggest the need for more specific, career related, educational supports, as an essential aspect of supporting sustainable employment in a labor market that increasingly demands formal education or training. The aim of this project is to develop knowledge regarding the components of Supported Education that are feasible to develop within established IPS services and to study and describe the relevance of these services for young adults experiencing mental health problems in Sweden.

Method: It includes three studies that will generate knowledge regarding the essential components of these types of educational supports, investigate and describe potential outcomes related to educational needs, and develop specific knowledge of how these methods might best be implemented. Interviews with a wide range of actors and users will generate knowledge regarding the needs, obstacles and possibilities for integrating IPS och SEd in a Swedish context.

Results: Results related to the needs assessment in Sweden will be presented and discussed in relation to the international literature and experience. Results that suggest the potential for SEd services that build on the well-developed Swedish welfare model and educational opportunities and supports will be discussed. 

Conclusion: Methods such as Supported Employment and Supported Education, which contribute to opportunities for the individual to participate in studies and eventually meaningful and sustainable employment, can be most effectively implemented when adapted to particular welfare systems and reflect resources and pathways to participation in that context.