Supported Education Services

Takeaways From This Episode

Supported Education (SEd) was developed in the 1980s as an extension and adaptation of Supported Employment services.  Before a person with a serious mental health condition (SMHC) can choose, get, or keep employment for a long-term vocational goal they often need to go back to school for additional training.  SEd begins by helping the person to identify their long-term vocational goals and then supporting them to identify the program that best fits with their goals and needs.

Students with SMHC experience many barriers to graduating or matriculating from post-secondary programs like college and technical programs. SEd helps people living with SMHC to develop the needed skills to succeed in post-secondary education and to graduate from the program of their choice.  Some examples of this include study skills, time management, motivation skills, strategies to maintain matriculation or use of a calendar.

Supporting students with SMHC in post-secondary settings helps them in their efforts for meaningful employment and establish a career, which can combat under or unemployment and contribute to lifelong financial stability.  Meaningful employment is a social determinant of health which means that getting a post-secondary education and having a job reduces the likelihood that someone lives in poverty and improves their quality of life.

SEd shows promise in helping students to graduate from their programs, helping students experience improved relationships with other students and faculty, and participate more in campus activities.  More research is needed, especially longer research that can explore the long-term impacts of SEd. A significant limitation to the model is that it has not been funded as a mental health service in all states. 

Some of the innovations in the practice include a focus on specific populations.  For example, there are new programs that are specific to veterans and people with first episode psychosis.  There are also programs that combine Supported Education and Supported Employment to follow the person through the process.