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Summary

The Vocational Coaches to Enhance MST-EA program provided emerging adults with weekly, individualized vocational coaching in addition to the MST-EA to improve their short-term employment outcomes.

The Vocational Coaches to Enhance MST-EA program provided two one-hour sessions of individualized vocational coaching each week to young adults receiving MST-EA programming in areas of employment, education, health, housing, parenting, and financial literacy. The coaches provided vocational support with a focus on each of these specific support areas for three to seven sessions. Participants typically received the program over an average of seven to eight months. The participants also received in-person and phone MST-EA therapy several times each week in addition to the vocational coaching. MST-EA helps participants prevent recidivism, address mental illness, reduce substance use, and improve education and employment using cognitive-behavioral, behavioral, and motivational interviewing program therapies.

Participants were emerging adults, ages 17 to 20 years old, who had been involved in the justice system within the prior 18 months, had been diagnosed with a severe mental health condition, and resided in a stable community setting in a northeastern state.

Populations and employment barriers: Young adults (age 16-24)

Effectiveness rating and effect by outcome domain

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Outcome domain Term Effectiveness rating Effect in 2024 dollars and percentages Effect in standard deviations Sample size
Increase earnings Short-term Cannot assess support
Long-term Cannot assess support
Very long-term Cannot assess support
Increase employment Short-term Little evidence to assess support favorable 12% (in percentage points) 0.293 28
Long-term Cannot assess support
Very long-term Cannot assess support
Decrease benefit receipt Short-term Cannot assess support
Long-term Cannot assess support
Very long-term Cannot assess support
Increase education and training All measurement periods Cannot assess support

Effectiveness ratings

  • Well- supported
  • Supported
  • Mixed support
  • Not supported
  • Insufficient evidence
  • Cannot assess support

Studies of this program

Study quality rating Study counts per rating
High High 1

Implementation details

Characteristics of research participants
Black or African American
47%
White, not Hispanic
44%
Asian
3%
More than one race
6%
Hispanic or Latino of any race
19%

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