Turning Tides: Re-Investing in the
Future of Supported Employment
David Mank, Ph.D. and Teresa Grossi, Ph.D.
Indiana Institute on Disability and Community
Indiana University
www.iidc.indiana.edu
APSE – November, 2013
WORK: Intentional physical or
mental effort directed toward the
production or accomplishment of
something, most often to benefit
someone other than one’s self.
Initial investments in the 1980’s
and 1990’s created an
environment of possibility.
Supported employment
emerged in federal law in 1984.
P. L. 98-527
The history from the late 1970’s to
the present includes a host of
developments and documentation of
positive outcomes, development of
improved methods, organizational
approaches, systemic strategies, as
well as policy and funding
mechanisms.
There is an unevenness across
states in the implementation of
employment options.
There are about 20% of people in
some day service with access to
integrated employment, and this
average has been much the same
for nearly 20 years.
Employment
 From impossible to possible ….
 From possible to beneficial ….
 From beneficial to allowed ….
 From allowed to preferred ….
 From preferred to expected ….
 From expected to required ….
…. to the same standard as everyone else
Renewed National
Scale Investment
 U. S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability
Employment Policy
 Administration on Intellectual and
Developmental Disabilities
 Department of Education
 Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
 Social Security Administration
AND …
 Alliance for Full Participation
 National Governor’s Association
 Employment First Approaches
Improvements in
Employment Implementation
 Supported Employment Methods
 Customized Employment
 Self-Employment
 Project Search
 Transition
Maximizing Individual Outcomes
 Excellent job match
 Maximum hours / week possible
 Neutral supports
 Benefits planning
 Personalize
 Take advantage of what is ‘typical’ in a job
setting
Funding Focused
on Outcomes
New Information About
Sheltered Settings
 Individual Choices
 Family Experiences
 Legislation
Ways to Diminish
Outcomes
 Few hours day / week
 Group employment
 Sub-minimum wage
 Providers as employer of record
 Aggressive use of tax credits
 Protecting SSI/SSDI benefits
Did You Know That We
Have Choice Of:
 Over 300 different types of
cereals?
 Over 40 different types of
toothpaste?
 Over 230 different types of soups?
Choice For Individuals:
 How many work experiences (paid or
nonpaid) do individuals with disabilities
typically have prior to a permanent job?
 How many experiences does it take before
truly understanding a person’s strengths,
preferences, interests, and needs?
 How many opportunities prior to closing
the case?
Arguments Against Expansion
of Supported Employment
 People choose to congregate
 People are happy where they are
 Its too expensive
 The community is not a friendly place
 Some people aren’t “ready”
 Some people are too severely disabled
 Supported Employment is simply a
different – not a better - paradigm
Renewed
Business
Leadership:
Walgreens, Starbucks,
BLN’s and More
Litigation
U. S. Department of Justice
Renewed Investment in
Transition and Post
Secondary Education
International
Developments
Rising Voice of
Self-Advocates
(sabe.org)
Therefore, Be It Resolved
 Equal employment opportunities for
equal pay for all people
 Immediately, no new people can go
into sheltered workshops
 Immediately, no new people can go
join an enclave
 Ending sub-minimum wage in 2012
 Ending enclaves in 2014
Potential Threats to Further
Expansion of Integrated Employment
Funding Constraints:
 Hours of employment delivered for
people that do get jobs
 Continued slow pace of expansion
 “Benefits trap”
 Sustained pressure in states to
expand day services
Implications
 Policy
 Litigation
 Research
 Implementation
 Funding
A New Path to Change
 Do what we already know how to do
 Put control of resources in the hands of
people with disabilities
 Eradicate policy conflicts
 Close the door of entry into segregated
programs
 Expand investment with employers
 Invest in broader community initiatives