Abstract
Despite the requirement of many employers to provide accommodations in the workplace for individuals with disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the preponderance of accommodations that have been described in the literature concern physical rather than psychiatric disabilities. This study was an exploratory, descriptive, longitudinal, multi-site investigation of reasonable workplace accommodations for individuals with psychiatric disabilities involved in supported employment programs. We discuss the functional limitations and reasonable accommodations provided to 191 participants and the characteristics of 204 employers and 22 service provider organizations participating in the study. Implications for service providers and administrators in supported employment programs are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Berkeley Planning Associates (1982). “A study of accommodations provided to handicapped employees by federal contractors: Final report.” Washington, D.C.: Author. Report prepared for the U.S. Department of Labor, contract no. J–E1–0009.
Blanck, P.D. (1996). Transcending Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act: A case report on Sears, Roebuck and Co. Mental and Physical Disability Law Reporter, 20(2), 278–286.
Department of Health and Human Services. (1999). Report from the Office of the Inspector General regarding employment for persons with developmental disabilities (no. OEI–07–98–00260). Washington, D.C.: Author.
Department of Labor. (1998). Employee tenure summary, labor force statistics from the current population survey. Washington, D.C.: Author.
Ellison, M.L. & Russinova, Z. (1997). How professionals andmanagers use reasonable accommodations: Highlights for a national survey. Community Support Network News, 12(1), 16.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC, 1997). EEOC Enforcement Guidance: The Americans with Disabilities Act and Psychiatric Disabilities. EEOC Notice No. 915.002, March 25, 1997. Available from the EEOC, 1801 L Street, NW, Washington, D.C., 20507, (800)669–3362, or http://www.eeoc.gov.
Fabian, E.S., Waterworth, A. & Ripke, B. (1993). Reasonable accommodations for workers with serious mental illness: Type, frequency, and associated outcomes. Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal, 17(2), 163–172.
Gallup Organization, Inc. (1992). Baseline study to determine businesses' attitudes, awareness and reaction to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Washington, D.C.: Electronic Industries Foundation.
Granger, B., Baron, R.C., & Robinson, S. (1996). A National Study on Job Accommodations for People with Psychiatric Disabilities: Final Report. The MRI/Penn Research and Training Center on Vocational Rehabilitation and Mental Illness. October, 1996. Available from Matrix Research Institute, 6008 Wayne Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144, (215)438–8200, or http:// mri@aol.com.
Hendricks, D., Dowler, D.L. & Judy, B.T. (1994). Real-life issues in job accommodation: Employers' and employees' perspectives. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 4(3), 174–182.
Job Accommodation Network. (1994). “The President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities: Quarterly Report.” 4th Qtr., July 1-Sept. 30.
Job Accommodation Network (JAN), personal communication. (2000). Morgantown,WV: University of West Virginia.
Kirchner, K. & Makowski, A. (1994, December). Accommodating persons with psychiatric disabilities in the workplace: The experiences of employee assistance professionals. Resource paper prepared for the Center for Mental Health Services ADA Roundtable, Washington, D.C., January 25–26, 1995. Available from Washington Business Group on Health, 777 N. Capitol Street, NE, Suite 800, Washington, DC, 20002, (202) 408–9329 (voice), (202) 408–9333 (TDD).
Mancuso, L.L. (1990). Reasonable accommodations for workers with psychiatric disabilities. Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal, 14(2), 3–19.
Mancuso, L.L. (1993). Case studies on reasonable accommodations for workers with psychiatric disabilities. Available from: California Department of Mental Health, Attn.: Publications, 1600 9th Street, Room 250, Sacramento, CA 95814. (916) 654–2678, no charge for individual copies.
Parrish, J. (1991). Reasonable accommodations for people with psychiatric disabilities: Summary. Author: unpublished manuscript, March, 9 pages.
Zuckerman, D. (1993). Reasonable accommodations for people with mental illness under the ADA. Mental and Physical Disability Law Reporter, 17(3), 311–319.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
MacDonald-Wilson, K.L., Rogers, E.S., Massaro, J.M. et al. An Investigation of Reasonable Workplace Accommodations for People with Psychiatric Disabilities: Quantitative Findings from a Multi-Site Study. Community Ment Health J 38, 35–50 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013955830779
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013955830779