Governors Employment & Economic Opportunities Task Force Members:

Employment in Illinois for People with Disabilities

Margaret Harness – Illinois Council on Developmental DisabilitiesSharon Slover – Executive Director of Education & Careers -Menta GroupPhil Milsk – Legislative Director with the ARC of Illinois

1. Vision for employment (i.e., long-term goal)

2. What needs to change?

3. What do we need to know more about to address this issue?

4. Proposed actions for change

5. Who needs to be involved in change process?

6. What can you do starting tomorrow?

Issues & Solutions: Areas for Discussion

General theme:Employment in the community is the first/primary service option for individuals with disabilities

Employment First: What Employment First: What Is It?Is It?

APSE Statement on Employment First

Employment in the general workforce is the first and preferred outcome in the provision of

publicly funded services for all working age citizens with disabilities, regardless of level of

disability.

30+ states have some type of “Employment First” movement About 3/4 of efforts are by state policy

or are legislatively based About 1/4 of efforts are grassroots

based – i.e., outsiders working to influence state policy and practice

At least 18 states have official Employment Firstlegislation and/or polices

Employment First Employment First 20122012

Policy clearly states: employment as first priority

Broadly focused on all aspects of system May begin in the grassroots, ultimately

must be adopted and implemented by the system

Primary focus is not on eliminating facility-based services

The National Scene

Movement to Increase

Community Employment

Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) –

integration, inclusion, increased emphasis on transition and employment

Ticket to Work and Work Incentive Improvements Act (1998)

Workforce Investment Act (1998) – emphasis on disability

Olmstead Decision (1999) Changes in RSA Regulations: successful employment

outcome must be in integrated setting (2001) CMS: New suggested Medicaid Waiver service

definitions emphasizing community employment (2011)

Public Policy ChangesPublic Policy Changes

Movement from medical model to social model 1980’s – Emergence of supported employment

◦ “Train & Place” transformed to “Place & Train”

1990’s – Expanded use of “natural supports” Mental health – employment as part of

recovery Innovation and expansion in use of

accommodations and assistive technology Innovations in transition practices focused on

employment Self-determination and self-direction Changing workforce & workplace – flexible,

more diverse, evolving use of technology Universal Design

Innovations In PracticeInnovations In Practice

Individuals with even “most severe” disabilities working successfully

Disability no longer seen as insurmountable barrier to employment

Expectations are changing Individuals and families Public systems & policymakers Society

2012: Where Are We?2012: Where Are We?

US Census: 656,000 have a disability (7.8% of

population)– Source: ACS, 2009

5.9% have a work limitation – Source: CPS, 2010

Working Age Adults on Social Security Disability Benefits (SSI or SSDI): 406,000

– Source: Social Security Administration, 2010

People with Disabilities in Illinois: People with Disabilities in Illinois:

David HoffInstitute for Community Inclusion

University of Massachusetts, Boston

The Illinois Employment Picture

in ContextIllinois Employment First Summit

January 31, 2012Summit Report downloadable atwww.state.il.us/agency/icdd

Compare Illinois to U.S.?

Source: US Census ACS, 2009

Illinois DDD – Total # Served: 29,000

Illinois DDD National*

% Individuals - Integrated Employment 10% 20%

% Individuals - Facility Based Work 17% 27%

% Individuals - Facility Based Non-Work 72% 36%

Department of Department of Developmental DisabilitiesDevelopmental Disabilities

Illinois DDD – Total Funding: $276,000,000

Illinois DDD National*

% of Funding – Integrated Employment 6% 12%

% of Funding – Facility Based Work 12% 29%

% of Funding – Facility Based Non-Work

82% 30%

Source: ICI Agency National Survey of Day & Employment Services, 2009

*National data includes additional category of Community Based Non-Work, that brings national total to 100%

Illinois Vocational RehabilitationTotal Closures: 17,900

Illinois VR National

% of Closures into Employment Setting

30% 30%

Rehabilitation Rate for All Closures with IPE

57% 56%

Mean Weekly Earnings at Closure $274 $357

Mean Weekly Hours at Closure 26 hours 31 hours

Vocational RehabilitationVocational Rehabilitation

Source: RSA 911 Data, 2009

Illinois Community Mental Health System Employment Status

Individuals Served *

Employed Unemployed Not in Labor Force

Age 18 to 20 6,942– 100% 1,486 – 21% 2,560 – 37% 2,896 – 42%

Age 21 to 64 98,452 – 100%

24,309 – 25%

49,041 – 50%

25,102 - 25%

Community Mental Health SystemCommunity Mental Health System

Community Mental Health System Employment StatusIllinois Compared to U.S.

Employed Unemployed Not In Labor Force

Illinois U.S. Illinois U.S. Illinois U.S.

All Ages 24% 21% 48% 41% 28% 37%

Source: SAMHSA Community Mental Health System Reporting System - 2009

* Includes individuals for whom employment status can be identified

Plans for Achieving Self Support (PASS) – 40

Impairment Related Work Expense (IRWE) – 123

Blind Work Expense - 40

Use of Work Incentives by Use of Work Incentives by People On SSI in IllinoisPeople On SSI in Illinois

Source: Social Security Administration SSI Disabled Recipients Who Work, 2009

The Illinois Scene Big Picture

Trend(s)

Timeline – Changes from Advocacy

ICDD Legislation DDD 2011-17Blueprint SJR 15 Strategic Plan

08 09 10 11 12

Legislation Emp. Taskforce Emp. PA 96-368 Report with Summit

Emp. 1st Goal

Rebalancing - Institutional Closures$ shifts to community support use

Quinn- Quinn- Quinn- “Close”: “Close”: “Close”: Howe Jacksonville Jacksonville

Mabley MurrayTinleySingerChester

Howe Tinley Jacksonville closed closed closed

09 10 11 12 13

Employment Need Number of People

Support to work at home 479

Support to work in the community

6,754

Work/ activities in a disability setting

9,282

TOTAL as of 10-11-12

16,452

Div. of Dev. Disabilities PUNS Wait List - Employment

$ for employment supports and transportation

Ligas lawsuit settlement

Includes self employment

Ligas suit members + PUNS wait list people

1400 awarded this year 1700 more this year

750 Home based 750 CILA 200 CILA – caregiver

over 75

Getting Home and Community Based Service Waiver - Win the lottery!

State institutions cost more than community homes

Supported employment costs more than current rates cover

SO, rethink use of limited $: Save money by shifting living to community

• DDD provided rate incentives• Advocate that DDD put its limited $ in

supported and community employment services

Funding Services in a Time of Cutbacks Rebalancing

The element that makes a person job-ready is being in a

real job.

Joe Chiappetta, Disabilityworks – Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce

Subminimum Wage Legislation Federal

H.R. 3086 Summary: •Discontinues the issuing of special wage certificates under section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (20 U.S.C. 214(c)) to any new entities not currently holding a certificate, as of the effective date of the Act.•Revokes all special wage certificates held on the effective date of the Act:•Repeals section 14(c) of the FLSA of 1938 effective 3 years after the date of enactment.

Illinois HB 5729

Summary:

•Finds that “people with disabilities should enjoy a presumption that they can achieve integrated, non-segregated, employment.”

•Amends the Illinois Minimum Wage Law

•Further provides that a special license may not authorize payment of less than the minimum wage for more than 6 months unless the Director of Labor authorizes

Make Employment a Priority Now. Don’t wait for “Employment First Policy”

Raise expectations so everyone’s strengths and interests lead to employment goals

Use all funding – work the system Think broad - customized employment, micro

business, use personal connections to find niches

Think quality of life – everyone should be engaged in their community even if not paid

Employment First – Doing Differently

Partnerships Local school district, adult employment service provider, government funding agencies (VR, IDD, County entities)

Integrating Service Systems at the Point of

Transition

* Youth exits school with no work experience

* Youth exits school with work experience, but no post- school supports available

* Youth exits school with work experience and seamless linkage to adult system supports

Transitions Scenarios

* Educational and adult service systems are seldom in synch

* Early, pre-exit collaboration between systems is not common

* Resource integration is rare

The Disparity

All students with disabilitiesTransition instruction entirely community-based transition Paid employment, integrated workplaces Non-work activities in normalized settings Individual choice of schedules and employment options Adult agency employment specialists working with school personnelCost-sharing resources of school system, supported employment funders, adult agencies

Transition Service Integration

Intended Outcomes No Service Disruption: first day after school exitSchedule looks the same as the last day

of schoolSame jobsSame community activitiesSame staff supportSchedule looks the same as the last day of school

Transition Service Integration

90% employed at school exit

90% employed one year after school exit

95% experienced seamless transition to adult system

Outcomes

* Braiding resources

* Identifying points of success for all elements of the collaborating systems

* Flexible applications of governing regulations of collaborating systems

What It Takes…..

Youth are jointly served by school system and adult employment agencies BEFORE school exit.

The Ideal

Seamless transition from students to employed

adults

Seamless transition from students to employed

adults

The Result

““Solutions to poverty are Solutions to poverty are going to need to be as going to need to be as

complicated as everything complicated as everything that causes it.”that causes it.”

Dr. Claire McCarthyMartha Eliot Health Center, Boston

Examples of Illinois taxpayers working towards prosperity

ANDY

Position: Parts inventory and other tasks at auto dealership

•Customized position created at height of recession when “no one was hiring”

•Position obtained via Kiwanis Club connection and shared interest in sports with manager

•Now on the board of the Kiwanis Club

Illinois Citizens with Disabilities – Working Towards Prosperity

Laura

Position: Chef - Charlie Trotters, Chicago

•Graduated from IL School for Visually Impaired

•Attended Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind

•Received DRS assistance with vocational training at Le Cordon Bleu, College of Culinary Arts

•Would like to own her own restaurant

Illinois Citizens with Disabilities – Working Towards Prosperity

Daniel

Position: Team Member - Lowe’s Home Improvement

•Received transition services from DRS & partnering services through Challenges Unlimited

•Has received Employee of the Month

•Received DRS support in moving from group home to own apartment

•National Rehabilitation Association Nominee

Illinois Citizens with Disabilities – Working Towards Prosperity

Jared

Position: Service Clerk - Jewel

•Has worked for 4 years; past year without a job coach

•Advocates with state legislators

•Has own driver’s license – 4 year process

•Now owns a MINI Cooper

Illinois Citizens with Disabilities – Working Towards Prosperity

ANNIE

Position: Employee at After School Program

•Customized position created based on interest in working with children

•Started as a Snack Aide; now reads to children as part of her job

•Initially required 100% job coaching; within 9 months, no job coaching

Illinois Citizens with Disabilities – Working Towards Prosperity

Devon

Position: Mail Clerk at small hospital

•Devon likes to organize; focused on potential jobs that use those skills

•Customized position created through taking over mail duties previously done by nurses

•Increased efficiency, boosted morale

Illinois Citizens with Disabilities – Working Towards Prosperity

Jennifer

Position: Artist

•Verbal abilities are limited, so started expressing herself through painting in elementary school. Passion for art grew from there

•Art will be on display in local coffee shop in April & May

•Looking for additional employment

Illinois Citizens with Disabilities – Working Towards Prosperity

Web page – St. Louis Art Directory: http://myslart.ning.com/profile/JenniferWalter

Examples of Jennifer’s Work

A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities http://www.nga.org/files/live/sites/NGA/files/pdf/CI1213BETTERBOTTOMLINE.PDF

IL APSE Assn for Persons Supporting Employment First

http://www.apse.org/chapters/details.cfm?id=8

Alliance for Full Participation

http://www.allianceforfullparticipation.org/about-afp-2

RESOURCES

John A. Shedd

““ A ship in harbor is safe ---A ship in harbor is safe ---

but that is notbut that is not

what ships are built for. what ships are built for. ””

Time for A Conversation:

Illinois Statewide Transition Conference