Collaboration between psychiatric hospitals and national career service centers for differently abled (NCS-DA) to enhance the vocational training and job placement opportunities for persons with mental disorders

Dear Editor, One of the unmet needs among persons with mental disorders (PwMD) in the employable age group is stable employment of their choice. Factors contributing to the low employment rates among PwMD include symptoms and side effects of medication, as well as difficulty in adapting to changing job duties and responsibilities.[1] The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 identifies 21 specified disabilities, including mental illness and other developmental disorders, and provides gazetted guidelines for assessing multiple disabilities. Under the Act, individuals with at least 40% benchmark disability are recognized as persons with benchmark disability (PwBD) and are eligible for government support and benefits.[2] The objective of the National Career Service Centers for Differently Abled (NCS-DA) is to develop skills based on individual strengths and market demands and to aid with placement. These centers operate under the Ministry of Labor and Employment and offer vocational training ranging from 6 months to 1 year, with a monthly stipend of Rs. 2,500 provided during the training period. The training is intended primarily for individuals with benchmark disabilities. Our interaction with NCS-DA staff at the Bengaluru center revealed that PwMD rarely enroll in vocational training, often due to logistical challenges and lack of awareness about the benefits. The center is a 1.5-hour journey from our hospital, and many PwMD inform mental health professionals that they will attend later, expressing uncertainty about staff availability and the process. To address these unmet employment needs, we initiated a monthly pilot programmed at the psychiatric hospital, conducted on the fourth Wednesday of each month, and communicated this to mental health professionals (MHPs) at our institute. This initiative required collaboration with NCS-DA. Initially, our staff visited the NCS-DA center to discuss employment needs for PwMD, and subsequently, NCS-DA staff visited our institute to better understand these needs. After approval by relevant authorities, we scheduled monthly visits from an NCS-DA representative to our hospital on the fourth Wednesday of each month. This pilot was implemented from November 2023 to June 2024. During this period, NCS-DA representatives conducted multiple visits. They explained the placement services and vocational training opportunities available through NCS-DA for PwMD and assisted in collecting required documentation, including personal identification, disability certificates, and educational proofs. Among the six eligible PwMD identified during this period, only one person attended and successfully registered with NCS-DA. That individual encountered difficulties, such as lack of transport to visit the center, despite receiving information about various vocational trades and financial incentives. There were no registrations beyond this single case. Presently, there are no specific programmed or structured reasonable accommodations for PwMD at our hospital. Employment-related government support often falls outside the expertise of many MHPs, as they generally lack specialized training in vocational rehabilitation and in implementing reasonable workplace accommodations. Having a vocational trainer or placement officer available at the hospital during dedicated hours or on specific days could facilitate stronger engagement and improve registration between trainers and job seekers.[3] Increased interactions and registrations could also result from enhanced publicity and coordination. Establishing a designated space for these activities within hospitals could support such models, particularly if integrated into the rehabilitation programmed for persons with impairments. Our pilot experience indicates that such an initiative is feasible and has the potential to improve registration of PwMD with government skill training and employment support departments. Therefore, we recommend the integration of structured vocational training and placement support for PwMD within mental health service settings to enhance access and participation. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.