Funding extension confirmed for world-renowned employment model

Thursday 1 May 2025

The Western Australian Association for Mental Health’s IPS Works team has received a funding extension from the Department of Social Services for an additional two years. The extension will allow the team to continue providing training and fidelity reviews to 50 headspace sites and two Medicare Mental Health Centres delivering the Individual Placement and Support model across Australia.

The internationally acclaimed Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model helps individuals with mental health challenges to gain or remain in meaningful paid employment.

Manager of Operations and Business Development, Cassie MacDonald, welcomed the funding extension and said the model was a great example of the power of holistic, community-based mental health support.

“This model is backed by extensive research and evidence – including more than 28 randomised controlled trials – which have shown that employment is a critical part of a person’s recovery from mental health challenges and that IPS is the most effective model of employment support,” Mrs MacDonald said.

IPS is based on the idea that with the right job match and appropriate support, a mental health challenge should not be a barrier to anyone gaining or maintaining competitive employment. The only criteria is the desire to work.

IPS differs from other vocational rehabilitation models in that the employment support is provided alongside clinical services for mental health, and its effectiveness is ensured through a rigorous fidelity process.

The IPS Works team have been providing training and fidelity reviews for close to eight years, supporting more than 60 sites in total around Australia, that use the IPS model across all age groups and services.

“The IPS model is cost-effective to roll out to new sites across the country and can be used to assist other groups who may be finding it challenging to gain or remain in employment, such as veterans, people recovering from a significant injury or people experiencing homelessness,” Mrs MacDonald explained.

“We absolutely see there being a continued need to expand the use of this model in the future and our team are certainly leading the charge in Australia.”

Find out more about IPS, or engage our IPS Works team to help you deliver the IPS employment model to your clients.