T-TAP: Supported Employment

Presentation:
	Topic: Employment, Productive Life Roles and Income Maintenance Presenter: Paul Wehman, Ph.D. Director, Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Workplace Supports

Fact Sheets:
Workplace Supports - Some employers may need additional assistance in creating workplace cultures that are supportive of individuals with disabilities. This additional assistance or workplace supports may be provided by an agency such as a Community Rehabilitation Program (CRP). This fact sheet will address some of the commonly asked questions about the level and intensity of workplace supports that individuals with disabilities may need to obtain and maintain employment.

Supporting Community Employment as an Employment Outcome - Service providers must empower their ìcustomersî with disabilities to make informed choices and promote active participation in the decision making process. This fact sheet will provide some answers on how to support individuals with disabilities when they decide if they want to go to work in a community business.

Supported employment (SE) has consistently been demonstrated as a program approach that works. This approach was developed to ensure that individuals with significant disabilities have access to commensurate / competitive wages and the needed support in order to maintain employment in community jobs. For many, this support strategy has opened the door to expanded vocational opportunities. The goal is paid work in the normal workplace with the needed levels of support to enhance work outcomes.

Quality Indicators

Features of Supported Employment

Wehman and Kregel (1992) described a number of key features of supported employment programs. These features remain relevant today and include the following.

Employment
The purpose is employment with all the regular outcomes of having a job. Wages, working conditions, and job security are key considerations.

Ongoing Support
The focus is on providing the ongoing support required to get and keep a job rather than on getting a person ready for a job sometime in the future.

Jobs not Services
Emphasis is on creating opportunities to work rather than just providing services to develop skills.

Full Participation
People who have significant disabilities are not excluded. The assumption is that all people regardless of the degree of their disability, have the capacity to undertake supported employment if appropriate supports are provided.

Social Integration
Contact and relationships with people without disabilities who are not paid caregivers are emphasized. Social integration can occur at work, near work, during lunch times or breaks; or during non-work hours as a result of wages earned.

Choice and Flexibility
Supported employment does not lock individuals into one or two work options. There is a wide range of jobs in the community, and there are many ways of providing support to individuals in their jobs of choice.

Supported Employment Handbook: A Customer Driven Approach

This website was developed by T-TAP, funded by a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy (Number E 9-4-2-01217). The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. Department of Labor. Nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply the endorsement by the U.S. Department of Labor. Virginia Commonwealth University, is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution providing access to education and employment without regard to age, race, color, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, veteran's status, political affiliation, or disability. Privacy Policy. If special accommodations or language translation are needed contact Katherine Inge at: kinge@atlas.vcu.edu or Voice (804) 828 - 1851 | TTY (804) 828 - 2494.