Independence Project

NCT03543722 | Unknown

• 1 other identifier: WPN: 18-148
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 229
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The Independence Project is a study to evaluate the effectiveness of an intensive employment intervention for young veterans with disabilities recently separated from military service. The study is a randomized controlled trial comparing an intensive employment model (National Career Coach Program) to usual community employment services available to unemployed veterans recently separated from active duty (Local Community Resources Program). The investigators will evaluate if people who receive the National Career Coach Program have better employment outcomes and reduced Veterans Disability Compensation participation than people who receive the Local Community Resources Program.

Conditions

Employment

Keywords

Veterans; Disability; Employment; Vocational Rehabilitation; Supported Employment

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Total Earnings

  Amount earned from competitive employment as reported by IRS administrative earnings data

  36 months

• Veterans Disability Compensation rating and benefits

  Department of Veterans Affairs Schedule for Rating Disabilities, which assigns a percentage from 0% to 100%, the higher the value the more significant the disability

  36 months

Study Arms (2)

National Career Coach Program

EXPERIMENTAL

This program has four main components: a 4-day in-person introductory seminar held in Alpharetta, GA, up to 18 months of job coaching provided by telephone and Skype, a human capital fund to pay for expenses of securing a job (e.g., travel, clothing, computers, professional organization fees), and an opportunity for two years to earn a bonus for employment earnings above a certain level.

Behavioral: National Career Coach Program

Local Community Resources Program

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Consists of referral to three local face-to-face service providers offering veterans training, financial assistance, and paid work experiences: The Department of Veterans Affairs Compensated Work Therapy Program, the state Vocational Rehabilitation program, and the Department of Labor America's Job Center.

Behavioral: Local Community Resources Program

Interventions

National Career Coach Program BEHAVIORAL

Intensive employment services as described above.

National Career Coach Program

Local Community Resources Program BEHAVIORAL

Usual employment services as described above.

Local Community Resources Program

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 44 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Former or current US Armed Service members.
• Enlisted rank at time of separation.
• Under 45 years old.
• Completed at least six months of active duty.
• Received or will receive honorable or general discharge.
• At time of enrollment, their Expiration of Term of Service is within six months prior to separation or within 12 months post-separation.
• Completed an application for a Veterans Disability Compensation (VDC) rating and waiting determination, or, if the VDC rating has been determined, awarded a disability rating between 30% to 90%.
• If currently on active duty, no intention to reenlist or to accept an existing offer for a permanent job upon separation; if already separated from active duty, currently unemployed (or employed in temporary job).
• Expressed desire to work in a competitive job within 3 months of separation (if on active duty) or within 3 months (if separated from active duty).
• Willing to participate in either of the two employment approaches including attendance at a scheduled introductory class.
• Consent to research procedures.

You may not qualify if:

• None

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Westat: lead
• Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center: collaborator
• University of Texas at Austin: collaborator
• Laura and John Arnold Foundation: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Westat

Lebanon, New Hampshire, 03766, United States

Location

Study Officials

• Gary R Bond, PhD

  Westat

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Robert E Drake, PhD

  Westat

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Randomized controlled trial

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 2, 2018
• First Posted: June 1, 2018
• Study Start: May 1, 2018
• Primary Completion: July 1, 2022
• Study Completion: December 31, 2022
• Last Updated: November 15, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)