Greetings,
I would like to share with you the following:
"The I Can Work! Project (USA):
Enhancing Employability for Youth with Disabilities
by Sandra Smith
For many individuals with disabilities, disabling conditions are
long-term. However, with early intervention and appropriate accommodations
and services, there is a greater opportunity for individuals to lead full
and independent lives. To test this assumption, in 1999 the Social
Security Administration (SSA) awarded a three-year contract to MAXIMUS, to
create the I Can Work! project. MAXIMUS is a company in the USA that
provides a wide range of program management, information technology, and
consulting services to government agencies throughout the United States.
The project is designed to assist youth with disabilities who receive
Supplement Security Income (SSI) in obtaining the information and services
they need to successfully transition from school to work.
Project Overview
The I Can Work! project serves 15-16 year old youth who receive SSI and
have had a Continuing Disability Review (CDR) performed by the State
Disability Determination Services (DDS). The pilot, operated in Florida
and Maryland, is designed to test whether some of these youth will choose
and transition to employment and independence as a result of receiving
vocational assessment, employability transition planning, and support
services. Services begin when eligible individuals selected for the study
are referred to the project from the DDS offices in each state.
Project staff review the referral information and meet with the
participant to determine the needed vocational assessments and
employability services. Services needed to meet employment goals are
coordinated by project staff from among available resources and service
providers in the community. The education system in which the participant
is enrolled is contacted in order to collect additional background
information and to collaborate on transition services. MAXIMUS staff also
educate families about SSA benefits and work incentives, including how to
use these incentives to assist in the transition to independence.
At the conclusion of two years of operation, the I Can Work! project has
successfully demonstrated that enhanced employability services can result
in the employment and eventual independence of youth with disabilities.
Project Design and Outcomes
Key to the success of this project is an individualized, client-centered
services approach that includes the participant, the participant's family,
and education and agency representatives in a coordinated team, focused on
the goal of employment and the transition to independence. Project
outcomes include the following:
Completion of individualized Youth Transition Plans (YTP) that include
information on assessments conducted; participant career interests;
identification of strengths and challenges across each critical domain
(educational, vocational, family, psychosocial, medical and life
skills/community); and identified service strategies. Goals and objectives
for each service recommendation are established and progress on the
achievement of each objective is thoroughly documented.
A team-based services approach that brings various perspectives to the
transition planning process and leverages problem-solving and resource
identification and use. This approach enables all players to communicate
with each other based on a consistent plan of action and services that are
client-based.
Provision of comprehensive vocational assessments and pre-employment
services such as travel training to help prepare participants to succeed
in their employment experience. A range of progressive employment
experiences are provided that may begin with job shadowing or unpaid
experience, transitioning to paid employment.
Linkages with community services and resources to obtain needed
employability services and to employers in need of participant skills and
abilities who can provide employment experiences. This includes connecting
youth with community organizations and other service providers not
previously serving these individuals, as well as forging links between
such agencies as state departments of social services and juvenile justice
and the school systems to ensure achievement of employment goals.
A quality assurance system for cost-effective case coordination services,
including the use of a Case Action Pay Point system that only pays for
specific, measurable services and outcomes. Creative leveraging of
existing networks including interagency councils, business groups,
workforce development organizations, and social services forums by project
staff to identify and secure services.
Education, empowerment, and enabling of participants, their families,
educators, and service providers in relation to the transition process,
and support and case coordination in achieving desired transition
outcomes. Case coordination addresses all family system and provider
system issues affecting participant employability. Participants are able
to identify vocational interests and goals and are following through on
recommended transition objectives and service strategies, such as getting
needed medical and therapeutic assistance, complying with behavioral
objectives and demonstrating progress in achieving educational objectives.
A dramatic increase in the numbers of participant families participating
in Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings at schools and in
increased understanding of the utility of the IEP to their child's
transition to employment and independence. In several cases, the YTP goals
and service strategies have been integrated into the IEP. Project youth
are supported in accessing all appropriate post-high school options
including enrollment into postsecondary education and training.
This project has enabled staff to address employability issues earlier in
the lives of the enrolled young people and has encouraged service systems
to attend to their transition needs at an earlier age. It has helped
identify and address service gaps and link existing resources in a
cohesive manner to support achievement of independence. Thus far,
successful placement into a variety of employment options (including paid
and non-paid) has occurred for over 35% of enrolled individuals. "
I am sure this information will lace you all with more on youth
employability, which is the topic of the month.
Looking forward to more postings from the briliantratti that populates the
YES community.
With Regards,
Tony Mathur
Moderator
<tony@yesweb.org>
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