Chapter 515 Annual Report On Integrated Employment For Individuals With Disabilities SFY 2006/07
Current Description of All Individuals Served and Outcomes in SFY 2006/07 (4/1/06-3/31/07) for VESID, CBVH, OMRDD and OMH
The Chapter 515 Legislation requires that VESID report annually on how work opportunities for individuals with disabilities are coordinated among VESID, CBVH, OMRDD and OMH. The services provided by each of the four State agencies vary based on the mission and priorities of the four State agencies to prepare and support individuals with disabilities in integrated employment.
VESID and CBVH are the designated State agencies for providing vocational rehabilitation (VR) services to individuals with disabilities in New York State. CBVH provides services to individuals who are legally blind and VESID serves all other individuals with disabilities. To qualify for vocational rehabilitation services from CBVH or VESID, the individual with a disability must meet eligibility criteria. The individual must require VR services to achieve an employment outcome and intend to work after receiving services. Once eligible, an individualized plan for employment (IPE) is developed to achieve the employment goal. VESID and CBVH both provide a full range of vocational and technical services in order to help consumers achieve their vocational objectives and goals.
VESID typically purchases a broad array of employment training and related services from a network of community rehabilitation programs, contractual vendors and other workforce resources. Services can, and often do, span over several years. VR services are completed when the person either becomes employed (for at least 90 days) or when it is determined that an employment goal cannot be achieved.
For supported employment services, VESID and CBVH provide the “intensive” services necessary to develop a job and train the person on the job until they can meet the demands of the position. Once the person completes this intensive phase of supported employment and is considered to be stabilized on their job, OMRDD and OMH provide follow-along or “extended services”, providing ongoing support to ensure the individual continues employment. For those individuals who do not qualify for OMRDD or OMH services, VESID and CBVH provide the extended services using State funds.
VESID serves individuals with a variety of vocational impairments, including individuals with significant disabilities. Table 1 provides service information and Table 2 provides outcome information for all VESID consumers served.
Service Category |
Consumers |
|---|---|
| Assessment / Diagnostic / Medical | 25,742 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling and Guidance | 81,014 |
| College or University Training | 5,341 |
| All Other Training | 9,518 |
| Placement Services (Combined) | 17,358 |
| Transportation | 16,208 |
| Maintenance | 3,687 |
| Rehabilitation Technology | 800 |
| Interpreter/Personal Assistance Services | 616 |
| Technical Assistance / Other | 889 |
| Description | Number |
|---|---|
| Total Served (Applicants, Current Services and Closed) | 92,693 |
| Total With Significant Disability | 84,839 |
| Total with Employment Plans – In Progress (as of March 31, 2007) | 32,993 |
| Total Ready For Employment | 3,069 |
| Total with Employment Plans – Closed (as of March 31, 2007 – Employed and Not Employed) | 22,309 |
| Employed In Integrated Settings Without Supports | 9,446 |
| Employed in Integrated Settings With Supports | 2,951 |
| Employed Homemaker/Other | 527 |
| Total Employed (Closed as Rehabilitated) | 12,924 |
| Average Weekly Earnings at Closure | $328.54 |
| Average Weekly Hours Worked at Closure | 31.3 |
CBVH serves individuals with a primary impairment of legal blindness. Table 3 provides service information and Table 4 provides outcome information for all CBVH consumers.
| Service Category | Consumers |
|---|---|
| Assessment / Diagnostic / Medical | 1,509 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling & Guidance | 4,223 |
| College or University Training | 516 |
| All Other Training Services | 3,447 |
| Placement Services (Combined) | 294 |
| Transportation | 639 |
| Maintenance | 406 |
| Rehabilitation Technology | 417 |
| Interpreter/Personal Assistance Services | 9 |
| Technical Assistance / Other | 284 |
| Description | Number |
|---|---|
| Total Served (Applicants, Current Services and Closed) | 4,532 |
| Total With Significant Disability | 4,208 |
| Total with Employment Plans – In Progress (as of March 31, 2007) | 1,393 |
| Total Ready for Employment | 127 |
| Total with Employment Plans – Closed (as of March 31, 2007 – Employed and Not Employed) | 980 |
| Employed In Integrated Settings Without Supports | 330 |
| Employed in Integrated Settings With Supports | 25 |
| Employed Homemaker/Other | 304 |
| Total Employed (Closed as Rehabilitated) | 687 |
| Average Weekly Earnings at Closure | $481.89 |
| Average Weekly Hours Worked at Closure | 31.07 |
The Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD) provides a range of services which is designed to assist individuals with developmental disabilities to lead independent, inclusive and productive lives in their communities. A key aspect of this mission is to promote employment for all individuals who are interested in working in a job that is commensurate with their choices, interests and abilities and/or to perform valued community service through volunteerism. OMRDD funds the provision of supported employment services through the 218 voluntary partner agencies which are located throughout NYS communities: urban, suburban and rural so that persons can receive the supports and services that they need as close to home as possible.
When life planning on behalf of a person with a developmental disability, the utmost consideration is given to consumer choice focusing on the person’s individualized valued outcomes, interests and abilities. Planning for employment and day services are coordinated, whenever possible, with the person’s housing, transportation and other support needs. Consumers often choose a combination of paid employment and day services which fosters community membership in a chosen activity (such as art or fitness). The services provided in OMRDD-funded supported employment are: job development/carving, situational assessment and reassessment, job coaching, skill training, improving work behavior, mobility training, work-related socialization skills and employer/co-worker training and support.
| Description | Number |
|---|---|
| Total Number Served In Work Programs | 22,108 |
| Primary Developmental Disability | |
Mental Retardation |
16,971 |
| Autism | 319 |
| Cerebral Palsy | 473 |
| Epilepsy/Seizure Disorder | 203 |
| Learning Disability | 617 |
| Other Neurological Impairment | 419 |
| Undetermined Developmental Disability | 273 |
Average Age |
42 |
Total Number in Supported Employment |
8,388 |
Total Number in Transitional Employment |
186 |
Total Number in Sheltered/Pre-Vocational |
14,400 |
TOTAL (duplicated) |
22,974 |
TOTAL (nonduplicated) |
22,108 |
The Office of Mental Health (OMH) is committed to assisting individuals with psychiatric disabilities to identify, attain and maintain their chosen recovery goals. Employment is often identified as one of the most desired goals by individuals diagnosed with serious mental health conditions.
OMH offers a variety of services designed to assist individuals at various stages in their recovery:
- Personalized Recovery Oriented Services (PROS) – PROS is a comprehensive recovery-oriented program for individuals with severe and persistent mental health conditions. The goal of the program is to integrate treatment, support and rehabilitation in a manner that facilitates an individual's recovery. The objective of employment-related services in PROS is to help individuals obtain and retain integrated, competitive jobs. The PROS program model is flexible and allows providers to develop an array of services to assist individuals in obtaining and retaining the employment goals of their choice.
- Ongoing Integrated Supported Employment (OISE) - OISE provides services related to ongoing job maintenance including job coaching, employer consultation and other relevant supports needed to assist an individual in maintaining a job placement. These services are intended to complement the intensive training phase of supported employment by VESID.
- Work Programs - Work programs provide vocational assessment, training and transitional or long-term paid employment in institutional or community settings.
- Affirmative Business - Affirmative businesses provide vocational assessment, training, transitional or long-term paid employment and supportive services in an environment that is less restrictive and more integrated than sheltered workshops. These businesses may include mobile contract services, small retail or wholesale outlets and manufacturing or service-oriented enterprises.
- Assisted Competitive Employment (ACE) - The purpose of Assisted Competitive Employment is to help individuals to choose, find and maintain satisfying jobs in the competitive employment marketplace, at or above the minimum wage. ACE provides individuals with job-related skills training as well as long-term supervision and support services, both on and off the job site.
- Enclave in Industry - An enclave is a small group of approximately five to eight individuals with significant disabilities who work in an industrial or economic enterprise. An enclave provides vocational assessment, training and transitional or long-term paid work in an integrated employment environment. A job coach or supervisor, assigned to the worksite by the rehabilitation service agency, provides individuals with training, supervision and ongoing support.
- Transitional Employment Placement (TEP) - The purpose of TEP is to strengthen an individual’s skill level and work history with the goal of achieving assisted or unassisted competitive employment at or above the standard minimum wage. These placements provide time-limited employment and on-the-job training in integrated employment settings.
- Sheltered Workshops - Sheltered workshops provide vocational assessment, training and paid work in a protective, non-integrated work environment. Services are provided according to wage and hour requirements specified by the Fair Labor Standards Act administered by the Department of Labor.
OMH will continue to support a full range of employment services in an effort to help individuals achieve their employment-related goals at any stage of recovery. OMH especially advocates for the delivery of services that are consistent with the principles of the evidence-based practice of supported employment. These principles include:
- The belief that competitive employment is an attainable goal for the individuals served;
- A rapid job search and placement approach to help individuals obtain jobs directly rather than providing lengthy assessment, training and counseling;
- Individualized job placement based on the individual’s experiences, preferences and strengths;
- Support to maintain employment for as long as needed; and
- Rehabilitation and clinical services that work together to support the individual’s employment goal, assuring close collaboration and integration of services.
For people diagnosed with serious mental health conditions, employment-related support focuses on overcoming barriers caused by the symptoms and functional deficits related to the condition. Service providers coordinate vocational services with many other entities that are involved in an individual’s life, including family and friends, clinicians, case managers, housing providers and other service agencies. Research has shown that coordination with important people and providers in an individual’s life leads to a greater likelihood that the person will obtain and retain a job.
Helping people to retain employment is also an important goal and OMH is committed to providing post-employment support for as long as necessary. Post-placement support activities include counseling regarding benefits, sharing stress management strategies, assessing job satisfaction, and developing the skills needed to manage symptoms in the workplace and to interact successfully with co-workers.
OMH data includes individuals served in supported employment only, and can be found in the following tables.
