Fontenay, S. & Tojerow, I.

NHDI Research Grant, 2016-2022

The share of Disability Insurance (DI) recipients with a mental health condition has increased substantially over the last decades in many OECD countries. In Belgium, they have come to represent 35% of all beneficiaries. Previous research has shown that many DI recipients retain considerable capacity to carry on economic activities, paving the way for programs aimed at labour market reintegration. In this study, we evaluate the effects of an innovative employment support program aimed at those beneficiaries with mental disorder. Job coaches help DI beneficiaries to find and retain a job that fits their mental health condition. The program includes counselling during the job-searching phase, as well as continuous coaching after a job has been found. In addition, the job coaches work closely together with regular doctors to ensure a long lasting reintegration into the labour market. Using a Randomized Control Trial with over 1000 participants, we will evaluate the effects of this program in the Belgian labour market. We complement the existing studies by considering long-term effects but also by looking into the quality of jobs and the potential household spillovers.