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Forty percent of Social Security disability beneficiaries are interested in employment according to this study by Mathematica’s Center for Studying Disability Policy. Findings indicate that beneficiaries can be categorized into three groups based on their work-related efforts and expectations. The author concludes that both government and program participants could greatly benefit from Social Security disability programs that provide greater economic incentives and supports for employment.

Explore the website for an initiative designed to make the business case for employers to hire people with disabilities by providing them with information, tools to integrate people with disabilities into the workforce, and local resources to help them access this segment of the labor pool. The site includes individual state pages to connect interested businesses to each state’s resources for recruiting and hiring people with disabilities, and tools such as a Tax Incentives Tip Sheet.

While intended to assist new participant direction partners, a wider audience may benefit from this review of directly-hired workers' characteristics, experiences, and training needs compared to agency-hired workers. This policy brief draws on research from two large scale participant-directed options for people with diverse disabilities: the Cash & Counseling Demonstration and Evaluation (CCDE) and the California In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program.

Find out about the proposed changes to Section 3504 of the Internal Revenue Code and regulations pertaining to agents that service home care service recipient employers. Specifically, these rules propose allowing such agents to file and deposit Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA) in the aggregate under Section 3504 of the Internal Revenue Code. Review information on how to submit comments by April 13, 2010, as well as key terms used within the proposed rules.

The fragmentation of care for dually eligible beneficiaries is an ongoing concern. This brief discusses potential methods of reducing this fragmentation and improving nursing facility care for this population. Recommendations involve concentrating responsibility and accountability for prescription drug use, providing financial incentives for nursing facilities to reduce avoidable hospitalizations, and shifting responsibility for long-term nursing facility care from Medicaid to Medicare.

Review efforts to measure and reduce potentially avoidable hospitalization and improve care transitions for individuals who use long-term care. Three areas in which progress is needed are described. The authors conclude with questions deserving more research to fill gaps in knowledge on how best to improve care quality. You can also visit the LTQA website link for more information on the Quality Alliance.

Explore lessons learned in this report on The Youth Transition Demonstration (YTD) Projects, part of a broad initiative to encourage disability beneficiaries to return to work. Included are an overview of each of the projects, which shared common goals of improved educational and employment outcomes and reduced reliance on disability benefits. The diversity between initiatives provided an opportunity to explore factors that lead to successful program implementation.

The first Ticket to Work Mental Health Summit was held in New Orleans, LA on November 15–17, 2009. Mental and behavioral health decision makers engaged in presentations, networking experiences, and the opportunity to learn how the Ticket to Work program can help people with a severe mental illness with recovery through work. The archived web site holds presentation materials, Power Point slides, speaker biographies, links to speaker webcasts, and other helpful resources.

How can states address the employment of youth with disabilities? One approach Connecticut is taking is through workshops that provide mentor program professionals with an overview of the ways in which consciously including youth with disabilities positively impacts programming. Parts one and two of the training curriculum are available for download, and are a good resource for other states planning programs such as these.

The City of New Haven’s Department of Services for Persons with Disabilities along with Metro Taxi, the state’s largest, full-service taxi company, jointly launched Connecticut’s first wheelchair-accessible cab, MetroAccess. To find out more see the attached Press Release.