Affiliations: Occupational Therapy Program, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Galloway, NJ, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Victoria P. Schindler, Richard Stockton
College of New Jersey, Occupational Therapy Program, 101 Vera King Farris
Drive, Galloway, NJ 08205, USA. Tel.: +1 609 626 6018; Fax: +1 609 652 4858;
E-mail: Victoria.Schindler@stockton.edu
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: This study examined outcomes of the first four years
(2005–2009) of the Bridge Program, an occupational therapy (OT) program
that incorporates principles of supported education and supported employment.
This program was developed to assist individuals with mental illness to achieve
higher education and employment goals. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-eight adult participants with various mental
health diagnoses. METHODS: A quantitative one-group pretest-posttest survey design and
posttest qualitative focus groups were used. RESULTS: Participants enrolled in higher education increased from 7
to 11 (pretest=15%; posttest=23%), participants employed increased from 5 to 19
(pretest=10%; posttest=40%), and the combined category of higher
education/employment increased from 12 to 30 (pretest=25%; posttest=63%)
Statistical significance was achieved from pre to posttest in the employment
sample (p<0.000), and in the combined sample of higher education/employment
(p< 0.000), but was not achieved in the higher education sample from pre to
posttest (p=0.125). CONCLUSIONS: Quantitative and qualitative results support that an OT
program incorporating principles of supported education and employment can
assist individuals with mental illness to achieve higher education and
employment goals. Results also outlined items participants found to be supports
and barriers to achieving goals.
