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Developmental Disabilities

Disability Studies

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Data Note: Social Security Administration Data Show A Record Low Level Of Pass Usage Among Ssi Recipients, Daria Domin, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston Jan 2019

Data Note: Social Security Administration Data Show A Record Low Level Of Pass Usage Among Ssi Recipients, Daria Domin, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers a set of work incentives for Supplemental Security income (SSI) beneficiaries. Work incentive employment supports help SSI recipients go to work by minimizing the risk of losing their SSI or Medicaid benefits (Social Security Administration, 2018). One such incentive, the Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS), allows approved individuals to set aside earned or unearned income and resources to achieve an employment goal. The money or resources set aside are excluded from SSI income and resource tests and can be used to pay for goods or services needed to reach the goal, such as education, …


Service Provider Promising Practice - Arc Of Westchester: Annual Employer Appreciation Breakfast, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston Jan 2019

Service Provider Promising Practice - Arc Of Westchester: Annual Employer Appreciation Breakfast, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

The Arc of Westchester was established in in New York State in 1949 as a day school for children with developmental disabilities. It has since grown to over 800 hundred employees serving over 2000 individuals throughout Westchester county supporting children, teens, and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The organization’s vision is a world where the population that they serve enjoy fulfilled lives and an inspired future while the mission focuses on strengthening families and encouraging personal choices, abilities and interests. The programs focus on the individual, helping them discover their interests, develop their talents and prepare for meaningful careers. …


Data Note: State Intellectual And Developmental Disability Agencies’ Service Trends, Agnes Zalewska, Jean Winsor, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston Jan 2018

Data Note: State Intellectual And Developmental Disability Agencies’ Service Trends, Agnes Zalewska, Jean Winsor, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

In FY2016, an estimated 638,568 individuals received day or employment supports from state IDD program agencies. This number grew from 455,824 in FY1999. The estimated number of individuals in integrated employment services increased from 108,227 in FY1999 to 120,244 in FY2016. Despite the trend to terminate facility-based services in some states, the overall state investment continues to emphasize non-work services, rather than integrated employment services. Figure 1 shows the trends in the percentage of people served in integrated employment and facility-based and non-work settings between FY2008 and FY2016.


Service Provider Promising Practice: Avenues Supported Living Services: A Staffing Approach Based On Client Relationships, Heike Boeltzig, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston Oct 2017

Service Provider Promising Practice: Avenues Supported Living Services: A Staffing Approach Based On Client Relationships, Heike Boeltzig, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

Avenues Supported Living Services of Valencia, California was founded in 1997 by a husband- andwife team, Scott and Lori Shepard. The agency provides supported living and community life engagement (CLE) services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Key to Avenues’ success is a staffing approach that is grounded in client relationships. The agency limits staff hours to two shifts per week with the same individual. This is done to facilitate clientstaff matching and relationship building, but also to prevent potential burnout and frustration by ensuring both the clients they support and their staff have variety in their schedules. …


Data Note: Reasons For Exiting Vr Services Without Employment, Alberto Migliore, Cady Landa, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston Jan 2017

Data Note: Reasons For Exiting Vr Services Without Employment, Alberto Migliore, Cady Landa, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

Only 23% of adults with intellectual disabilities work, compared to 73% of people without disabilities (statedata.info). To bridge this gap, the vocational rehabilitation (VR) program offers valuable services including assessment, job search assistance, and counseling. In FY 2014, over 46,000 adults with intellectual disabilities exited the national VR program. About 38% of them reported an employment outcome. However, a large proportion of them exited without employment, and were reported as either having lost interest in receiving services (29%), or unable to be located by VR staff (17%). These two reasons combined represented 46% of the total number of case closures …


Service Provider Promising Practice: New England Business Associates (Massachusetts) - Everyone Is Job-Ready, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston Jul 2013

Service Provider Promising Practice: New England Business Associates (Massachusetts) - Everyone Is Job-Ready, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

New England Business Associates (NEBA), a community rehabilitation provider in Springfield, Massachusetts, provides individualized employment services to local youth and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This organization sets itself apart from other employment providers in many ways, from its appearance, to the attitudes of its staff, to the manner in which it provides services.


State Agency Promising Practice: New Hampshire - Translating Research Into A Position Statement About Integrated Employment, Jennifer Bose, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston Jan 2011

State Agency Promising Practice: New Hampshire - Translating Research Into A Position Statement About Integrated Employment, Jennifer Bose, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

New Hampshire’s Bureau of Developmental Services, Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, other state and local service providers, advocates, and families are committed to increasing the employment rate and the quality of employment outcomes for people with developmental disabilities. These stakeholders met to craft an employment position statement. They framed their discussions according to factors that research has found to be common to “high-performing” states in providing integrated employment opportunities. Then they developed an employment position statement that satisfied all the groups involved, and communicated their shared belief in the importance of integrated employment as a means toward community inclusion.


State Agency Promising Practices: North Carolina - Using An Outcomes-Based Long-Term Vocational Services Funding Model, Allison C. Hall, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston Jan 2009

State Agency Promising Practices: North Carolina - Using An Outcomes-Based Long-Term Vocational Services Funding Model, Allison C. Hall, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

In North Carolina, counties have been consolidated into Local Management Entities (LMEs). These entities contract for services with community providers and provide oversight on access, utilization, best practices, and community collaborations. The Mecklenberg County LME established the Best Practices Community Committee, comprising service providers, individuals and family members, advocacy agencies, community partners, interested community volunteers, and LME staff. Sub-committees addressed several areas, including employment. Based on their recommendations, a pilot project that uses an outcome-based funding model for follow-along employment services was developed. Follow-along employment supports are ongoing supports that are necessary to assist a person with an intellectual/developmental disability …


State Agency Promising Practice: Wisconsin’S Job Development Mentors Project, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston Jan 2008

State Agency Promising Practice: Wisconsin’S Job Development Mentors Project, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

Sponsored by Wisconsin’s Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS) through the use of Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG) funds, Wisconsin’s Job Development Mentors Project (JDMP) pairs three seasoned job developers with four community-based employment support providers that cover 12 counties throughout the state. JDMP is designed to create a state-wide infrastructure for professionals who are responsible for developing jobs for individuals in supported employment while at the same time, working towards increasing the pool of well-trained job developers around the state of Wisconsin.


State Agency Promising Practices: Employment First! Making Integrated Employment The Preferred Outcome In Tennessee, Jean Winsor, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston Jan 2007

State Agency Promising Practices: Employment First! Making Integrated Employment The Preferred Outcome In Tennessee, Jean Winsor, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

The Tennessee Division of Mental Retardation Services (DMRS) implemented the Employment First! initiative in 2002. The goal of Employment First was to make employment the first day service option for adults receiving supports funded by DMRS, Medicaid, or the state. Employment First set the standard that employment was the preferred service option for adults with mental retardation and developmental disabilities (MR/DD).