The Outcomes and Costs of Public Vocational Rehabilitation Consumers with Mental Illnesses

Abstract

This study explored the costs of services that individuals with various mental illnesses received through the State-Federal Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Service Program. These costs, also placed within the context of wages earned and hours worked, were then compared to those generated by the general population of VR consumers. Data indicated that all groups with mental illnesses averaged lower per capita costs of services than the overall population of VR consumers. However, when cost per wages earned and hours worked were examined, individuals with schizophrenia were more costly than all other comparison groups, even though individuals with schizophrenia had the highest rate of employment of the groups investigated.