Individuals with serious mental illness do need to develop lives, but their options are limited. Traditional education and training techniques may prove inadequate, and even with alternative training, adults with mental disabilities do not have the same capabilities as their regularly abled peers.

The consequences of unemployment, for those with limited mental capacities, include boredom, denial of full personhood, dependence on family members, and even homelessness. In turn, dependence and homelessness can worsen one's mental condition, further decreasing the potential of gainful employment. How can this vicious cycle be halted?