Law Commons^™

Building An Evidence-Based, Holistic Approach To Advancing Integrated Employment, Allison C. Hall, John Butterworth, Jean Winsor, John Kramer, Kelly Nye-Lengerman, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

Since the introduction of supported employment in the Developmental Disabilities Act of 1984 and the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1986, there has been continued development and refinement of best practices in employment services and supports. Progress includes creative outcomes for individuals with significant support needs including customized jobs and self-employment, community rehabilitation providers that have shifted emphasis to integrated employment, and states that have made a substantial investment in Employment First policy and strategy. Despite these achievements, the promise of integrated employment remains elusive for the majority of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The number of individuals supported in …

The Effect Of Proposed Changes In Federal Public Charge Policy On Latino U.S. Citizen Children In Massachusetts, Fabián Torres-Ardila, Phillip Granberry, Iris Gómez, Vicky Pulos

Gastón Institute Publications

We estimate the number of U.S.-born Latino children that could be potentially affected by proposed Trump Administration changes greatly expanding the scope of the “public charge” test as a basis for denying noncitizens admission to the U.S. or adjustment to lawful permanent resident status. In addition to reducing family-based immigration, the proposed rule’s association of public benefits with adverse immigration consequences is widely expected to cause a drop in public benefit participation not just by noncitizens but by their U.S. citizen children as well. If this proposed change is implemented, Latino families – which include both noncitizen families and “mixed …

The Massachusetts Paid Leave Program: What Workers Can Expect To Pay And Receive, Randy Albelda, Alan Clayton-Matthews

Publications from the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy

On June 28, 2018, Massachusetts became only the sixth state in the country to provide partial wage replacement to workers that need to leave work for a serious health condition, the birth of a child, to bond with a new child, or to care for a seriously ill family member. The new law is slated to be implemented in 2019 with payments while on leave to begin in 2021. This brief outlines the key elements of the new Massachusetts paid leave program and discusses the amounts workers at various wage levels will contribute and the level of benefits they will …

Communities In Peril: The Dispersion Of Temporary Protected Status Populations Throughout Massachusetts, Phillip Granberry, Trevor Mattos, Lorna Rivera

Gastón Institute Publications

Massachusetts is estimated to have over 12,000 residents with Temporary Protected Status (TPS). TPS is a non-immigrant status granted when a country's nationals in the United States cannot return safely or, in certain circumstances, when the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately. This legal status was instituted as part of the 1990 Immigration Act, which was sponsored by Senator Edward M. Kennedy and signed into law by President George H. W. Bush. TPS beneficiaries are not removable from the United States, can obtain an employment authorization document (EAD), and may be granted travel authorization.

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Research To Practice: State Employment First Policies: State Definitions, Goals And Values, Jennifer Bose, Jean Winsor, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

Research to Practice Series, Institute for Community Inclusion

This brief is the first in a series focusing on Employment First implementation as it relates to one of the seven elements within the High-Performing States in Integrated Employment model. It examines the background of circumstances under which Employment First efforts began in seven states, and introduces each state’s values, mission, and goals around increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities. States may use the lessons in this brief to develop an Employment First policy, or to evolve existing efforts.

Research To Practice: Lessons Learned From The Learning Academy: Optimizing Transition Supports For Young Adults With Autism, John Shepard, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Agnieszka Zalewska, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

Research to Practice Series, Institute for Community Inclusion

The Learning Academy (TLA) at the University of South Florida is a 30-week transition program for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) between the ages of 18 and 25. The program provides services, supports, and experiential opportunities, with the aim of enhancing skills that will prepare students to succeed in the workplace and postsecondary education settings. The Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University for Massachusetts Boston conducted a one-year evaluation of TLA to explore its essential programmatic elements, and the ways in which the experience influenced student transformation. The evaluation included a thorough observation of program structure, curriculum, …