Table 1 Descriptive characteristics of included studies

i1^*. Bakkeli ... (2022)

Norway

To explore how evidence-based standards are ‘made to work’ by frontline workers and managers in everyday service provision

Agency leaders/managers, staff

Qualitative

IPS standards may be implemented in joint employment services in ways that may either promote more radical change or revive traditional practices

i2. Becker ... (1998)

USA

To identify areas that are critical for successful implementation

Support organization, agency leaders/managers

Qualitative

Successful implementation is facilitated by leadership, organizational structure, training, finances, and time frames

i3. Becker ... (2007)

USA

To identify differences in access to supported employment services and rates of competitive employment

Agency leaders/managers

Quantitative

Financing was reported as the most critical predictor of the model’s reach

i4. Becker ... (2007)

USA

To explore factors associated with access to high-quality SE services

Agency leaders/managers

Qualitative

Diverse state-level strategies may facilitate the implementation of IPS services

i5. Bejerholm ... (2011)

Sweden

To illustrate the IPS approach in the Swedish welfare system

Support organization, agency leaders/managers, Staff

Qualitative

The results showed that the IPS principles were challenged by the welfare system, with differences in work capacity and type of welfare benefit impacting IPS delivery, leading to frustration among professionals

i6. Bergmark ... (2018)

Sweden

To describe and analyze barriers and facilitators for implementation

Political/administrative decision-makers, support organization, other external stakeholders, agency leaders/managers, staff

Mixed

Strategic networking, as well as the need for planning and preparations carried out before the start of an EBP program facilitate the adoption

i7. Bergmark ... (2019)

Sweden

To analyze the implementation and sustainability of evidence-based community mental health services

Other external stakeholders, agency leaders/managers, staff

Mixed

Rigorous preparation, including planning for collaboration, financing, and assessments of program fidelity, is particularly beneficial for implementing agencies before the start of a program, especially with regard to organizational level circumstances

i8. Bond ... (2008)

USA

To describe the implementation of supported employment in the National Evidence-Based Practices Project

Agency leaders/managers, staff

Mixed

High fidelity of implementation is attained by affirmative leadership decisions

i9. Bond ... (2017)

USA

To examine the activities of leaders in 13 states that have successfully implemented, sustained, and expanded evidence-based supported employment

Political /administrative decision-makers

Quantitative

Leaders in 13 states participating in a learning community have adopted and maintained multiple strategies to sustain and expand evidence-based supported employment at a high level of fidelity with good employment outcomes

i10. Bond ... (2021)

USA

To compare two states that have implemented with success (adopting states) and two that have faced challenges (non-adopting states)

Political/administrative decision-makers

Qualitative

Funding at the state level and collaboration between the state agencies determine implementation success

i11. Bonfils ... (2022)

Denmark

To examine the implementation of IPS through a case study of four IPS units

Agency leaders/managers

Mixed

The integration of IPS with mental health services was also found to be challenging as mental health services regarded IPS as a parallel service rather than a mutual responsibility

i12. Boyce ... (2008)

England

To assess the extent to which the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach is currently adopted in England

Agency leaders/managers, staff

Mixed

Constraints influencing providers’ ability to provide an IPS service were related to funding, values, and organizational policy

i13. Campbell ... (2007)

USA

To compare the fidelity of implementation of supported employment in different types of provider organizations

Document analysis/none stated

Quantitative

Community mental health programs rated significantly higher on fidelity than programs housed in psychosocial rehabilitation or comprehensive rehabilitation centers

i14. Carlsson ... (2022)

Sweden

To analyze implementation and de-implementation factors among Swedish municipalities that provide support to vulnerable clients through the Housing First (HF) or Individual Placement and Support (IPS)

Agency leaders/managers, staff

Mixed

Implementation barriers can be found at both the system and organizational levels, impacting front-line workers

i15. Cohen ... (2020)

USA

To examine the implementation and process evaluation of two types of Individual Placement and Support (IPS)

Document analysis/none stated

Qualitative

Barriers commonly encountered across provider sites included lack of leadership support, issues with agency structures and funding mechanisms, and difficulties in coordinating between child and adult systems

i16. Corbiere ... (2010)

Canada

To assess the implementation of SE services in three Canadian provinces

Agency leaders/managers

Quantitative

Fidelity of implementation varied between the service delivery settings

i17. De ... (2020)

Belgium

To evaluate the IPS model throughout Belgium

Document analysis/none stated

Qualitative

The perceived facilitators in IPS were related to guidelines and key principles, while the main barriers were lack of lack of funding and lack of communication between stakeholders

i18. Gowdy ... (2003)

USA

To uncover the factors that contributed to differences in competitive employment rates for adults with severe mental illness between high and low-performing programs

Agency leaders/managers, staff

Qualitative

The administrator’s may shape the organizational culture to facilitate the implementation of evidence-based structures and practices

i19. Hamilton ... (2013)

USA

To study a quality improvement approach for implementing evidence-based employment services at specialty mental health clinics

Agency leaders/managers, staff

Mixed

A quality improvement approach resulted in superior patient-level outcomes and improved clinician knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, in the context of substantial variation among sites

i20. Hasson ... (2011)

Sweden

To identify initial barriers influencing the implementation of supported employment (SE)

Other external stakeholders, agency leaders/managers, staff

Qualitative

Existing regulations for social insurance and employment regulations were perceived as major obstacles to implementation

i21. Hilarión ... (2020)

Spain

To describe the adoption of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) supported employment between 2013 and 2017 in Catalonia (Spain)

Document analysis/none stated

Mixed

Several areas of improvement were described, including the vision of recovery, collaborations between vocational and mental health services, work patterns of practitioners, and views of work as an important treatment

i22. Hillborg ... (2021)

Sweden

To explore the IPS implementation process in a first-episode psychosis (FEP) mental health service team in Sweden

Staff

Qualitative

Integrated process may be achieved by team members who originated from two diverse welfare organizations

i23. Hutchinson ... (2018)

England

To examine whether the implementation was addressing the particular circumstances encountered in each of the sites

Other external stakeholders, agency leaders/managers, staff

Mixed

Maintaining the funding for the Individual Placement and Support services beyond the project period proved to be problematic for many sites

i24. Isett (2007) ...

USA

To analyze implementation issues related to several evidence-based practices for adults with serious mental illness that were included in a national demonstration project

Political/administrative decision-makers, other external stakeholders, agency leaders/managers, staff

Qualitative

The quality of implementation was associated with s are related to these critical areas: financing and regulations, leadership, and training and quality appraisal

i25. Johnson-Kwochka ... (2017)

USA

To evaluate the national prevalence and quality of IPS programs

Political/administrative decision-makers

Qualitative

In the USA, most states provide IPS programs, but the within-state penetration rate and quality of implementation vary widely

i26. Knaeps ... (2012)

Belgium

To measure the possibilities of implementing IPS in Flanders,

Document analysis/none stated

Mixed

The main barriers that impede successful collaboration between vocational rehabilitation services and mental health agencies are the difficult collaboration between governmental agencies for unemployment services and other services, and different values and perceptions between mental health teams and vocational rehabilitation counselors

i27. Latimer ... (2020)

Canada

To evaluate the challenges and strategies encountered in the first 18 months of the At Work program’s implementation, as commissioned by CMHA Toronto and conducted by the Douglas Institute Research Centre

Agency leaders/managers, staff

Qualitative

The national program structure facilitators were flexible eligibility criteria and flexibility in the use of subsidy funds and provision of training support

i28. Lockett ... (2018)

New Zealand

To identify whether, and how, the availability of evidence-based vocational rehabilitation is linked to government policy

Document analysis/none stated

Qualitative

Per policy document analysis, whilst policy reform has commenced, it has not translated into the implementation of IPS widely

i29. Marshall ... (2008)

USA

To report on the factors identified through qualitative analysis that significantly influenced the implementation of evidence-based supported employment

Agency leaders/managers

Qualitative

Three factors, leadership, mastery, and attitudes, were identified as strongly influencing the implementation

i30. Menear ... (2011)

Canada

To shed light on organizational and contextual factors influencing SE implementation in three Canadian provinces

Researchers, political/administrative decision-makers, support organizations, agency leaders/managers, staff

Qualitative

Agencies’ exposure to different institutional pressures, their interactions, and their relationships with other groups and organizations, as well as their values, beliefs, and ideologies, played determining roles in shaping the evolution of SE services

i31. Moe ... (2021)

Norway

To explore the experiences of the front-line workers, known as employment specialists, in the early implementation phase

Staff

Qualitative

Implementing IPS requires adjustments in multiple organizations and can be challenging for employment specialists due to changes in roles and responsibilities

i32. Moe ... (2022)

Norway

To explore the experiences of the front-line workers, known as employment specialists, in the early implementation phase

Researchers, political/administrative decision-makers, other external stakeholders

Qualitative

The process leading to implementing IPS included seeking a way to meet unmet need in work and mental health practice, gathering knowledge and national evidence, and embedding IPS into routine practice

i33. Noel ... (2017)

US

To identify the perceived barriers and facilitators to the sustainment of an evidence-based supported employment program, Individual Placement and Support (IPS)

Agency leaders/managers

Mixed

Funding, prioritization, and workforce characteristics were found key facilitators and barriers to sustainment

i34. Noel ... (2018)

USA

To evaluate the potential of IPS for youth with developmental and/or psychiatric disabilities

Document analysis/none stated

Mixed

A lack of collaboration between systems, competing expectations, and stigma were the main implementation barriers

i35. Oldman ... (2005)

Canada

To describe the transformation of a sheltered workshop program to a program that provides evidence-based supported employment services

Document analysis/none stated

Mixed

The role of agency leadership is important in planning and commitment to quality improvement in implementing change

i36. Parletta ... (2016)

Australia

To compare the financial viability of two approaches (pre-IPS and IPS enhanced) to supported employment

Document analysis/none stated

Quantitative

The government policy towards results-based funding may increase the adoption of IPS practices

i37. Patel ... (2018)

USA

To describe the development and evaluation of e-learning modules as one strategy among a multi-faceted approach to the implementation of individual placement and support (IPS),

Agency leaders/managers, staff

Quantitative

Feedback collected from the training program may inform the design of subsequent training programs

i38. Pogoda ... (2011)

USA

To document perceived barriers to supported employment implementation as described by Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees

Agency leaders/managers, Staff

Qualitative

Employees’ paternalistic attitudes about individuals with serious mental illness were reported as barriers to implementation

i39. Pogue ... (2021)

USA

To examine the growth of IPS in the United States from 2016 to 2019, comparing growth rates for stateswithin and outside the learning community

Political /administrative decision-makers

Qualitative

Participating in the IPS Learning Community may foster penetration and sustainment of high-fidelity IPS

i40. Priest ... (2020)

New Zealand

To study participation in a newly established IPS program

Agency leaders/managers

Mixed

Adoption is dependent on national supports, financial resources, and agency leadership commitment

i41. Rapp ... (2010)

USA

To report barriers to EBP implementation in one state that sought to implement supported employment and integrated dual diagnosis treatment

Agency leaders/managers, staff

Qualitative

The behavior of supervisors, front-line staff, and other professionals in the agency were barriers to implementation

i42. Roeg ... (2020)

Netherlands

To explore IPS model fidelity and employment outcomes in supported housing services and mental health treatment services

Support organization

Qualitative

Organizational and financial structures affect the quality of implementation

i43. Salkever ... (2018)

USA

To study (1) the influence of client characteristics on take-up probability and (2) the possible impacts

Document analysis/none stated

Quantitative

State initiatives, clients’ diagnoses, prior work history, health and demographic characteristics, and geographic accessibility may affect the reach of the model

i44. Schneider ... (2012)

England

To describe the implementation of individual placement and support (IPS)

Document analysis/none stated

Qualitative

Systematic approach to implementation may increase the success of the adoption of the model

i45. Sharek ... (2022)

Ireland

To explore how IPS Employment Specialists (ES) and Occupational Therapist (OT) Managers integrated and embedded IPS within traditionally oriented MDTs as part of a national reform program

Agency leaders/managers, staff

Qualitative

Contexts, strategies, and attitudes towards the target group affect the implementation of IPS

i46. Stirling ... (2018)

Australia

To explore why the model is not yet widely available

Document analysis/none stated

Qualitative

Consistent measures, change indicators, direction, and time frames were lacking in policy and strategy documentation

i47. Swain ... (2010)

USA

To discern the number of sites that sustained practices 2 years after implementation

Support organization, Agency leaders/managers

Mixed

Financing, training, fidelity, and agency leadership separated sustaining sites from non-sustaining sites

i48. Swanson ... (2014)

USA

To examine how 3 state implementation teams helped separate agencies to partner on IPS-supported employment

Agency leaders/managers, staff

Qualitative

Leaders used several strategies to promote implementation

i49. Talbot ... (2018)

England

to use it to guide a description of IPS implementation based on observations, spanning 6 months in community forensic mental health settings

Document analysis/none stated

Qualitative

Implementation of individual placement and support in forensic mental health settings is complex and requires robust planning and collaboration with internal and external agencies

i50. Thomas ... (2009)

USA

To discuss the implementation and ongoing development of evidence-based supported employment services

Document analysis/none stated

Qualitative

Implementation of IPS is facilitated by the practitioners’ paradigm shift in providing service and the need for funding streams supporting evidence-based, recovery-oriented employment services

i51. van Duin ... (2013)

Netherlands

To examine the large-scale implementation of the National Multidisciplinary Guideline for Schizophrenia in the Netherlands

Staff

Quantitative

Participation in Quality Improvement Collaboration improved professional performance

i52. van Duin ... (2021)

Netherlands

To examine methods used to implement interventions, barriers and facilitators, and implementation outcomes (fidelity, uptake, and availability)

Staff

Mixed

Implementing IPS benefits from a structure approach to implementation supports

i53. van Erp ... (2007)

Netherlands

To assess fidelity, employment outcomes, and facilitators of and barriers to successful implementation

Support organization, agency leaders/managers, staff

Mixed

Important facilitators are regular meetings of stakeholders in mental health care and vocational rehabilitation, stakeholders’ experienced ownership of IPS and collaboration, the mandate and influence of the decision makers involved, and secured IPS funding

i54. van Weeghel ... (2020)

Netherlands

To discuss the rise of individual placement and support (IPS) within vocational services for people with severe mental illness (SMI)

Document analysis/none stated

Qualitative

An implementation study and a multisite randomized controlled trial have indicated that IPS is feasible and effective in the Netherlands, and the number of enrolled IPS participants doubled between 2016 and 2017, largely due to national funding

i55. Vukadin ... (2018)

Netherlands

To explore facilitators and barriers with regard to the organizational and financial implementation strategy for IPS

Political/administrative decision-makers, other external stakeholders, agency leaders/managers, staff

Qualitative

The key principles of the IPS model, stakeholder meetings, experienced ownership and collaboration, mandate and influence of decision-makers, and secured funding were perceived as facilitators for IPS, while the experienced rigidity of the IPS model fidelity scale, lack of independent fidelity reviewers, temporary and fragmented funding, lack of communication between decision-makers and practitioners, and negative attitudes among mental health clinicians were perceived as barriers

i56. Vukadin ... (2021)

Netherlands

To explore experiences with Individual Placement and Support using a multifaceted implementation strategy

Staff

Qualitative

Organizational barriers to IPS execution, financial barriers to IPS execution, and experiences with the pay-for-performance element affect the implementation

i57. Waghorn ... (2007)

Australia

To describe the implementation issues encountered at seven sites pioneering evidence-based employment services

Agency leaders/managers, staff

Qualitative

The major difficulties were related to service integration and utilizing the existing federal disability employment system

i58. Waghorn ... (2020)

Australia

To summarize the major developments in Australia since the first introduction of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) in 2005

Document analysis/none stated

Mixed

Promising implementation is constrained in the adult community mental health sector by factors including low priority for rehabilitation in the public mental health system

i59. Zhen‐Duan ... (2022)

US

To explore how stakeholders responded to research evidence regarding supported employment

Political/administrative decision-makers

Qualitative

Supportive leaders, legislation, memoranda of understanding, and cooperative agreements were crucial to acquiring resources and successfully implementing SE programs