Consumer Choice and Empowerment in Supported Employment Services: Issues and Strategies

This article examines consumer empowerment issues in supported employment services. First, it describes in general terms how service consumers can be given more control over supported employment services and, by extension, their work experiences. Then, consumer empowerment issues are examined from various aspects of service delivery (e.g., choice of occupation, preferences for training methods) and various types of problems that consumers typically encounter. Illustrative case examples are provided that show the effects of choice on individuals' satisfaction with employment and general well-being.