Reports

Use this presentation to learn how VT has measured the effectiveness of the Working People with Disabilities program. The primary cost measured was money spent on Medicaid claims and benefits counseling. This was compared with the earnings increases experienced by individuals in the program. The analysis found that every $1 spent on new Medicaid claims and benefits counseling, participant earnings increased by $1.23.

Should a state use the cost reimbursement or milestone-outcome payment options in their Ticket to Work (TTW) programs? Vermont commissioned this study to answer this question and to predict future TTW income for the state and for employment network partners.

A 50% increase in the employment rate and average earnings of people with disabilities are the ultimate goals of the “Vermont Works” program. Seven goals and associated strategic initiatives are presented in this plan to achieve those outcomes. The document is the product of two parallel planning processes. One focused broadly on barriers to community inclusion and the second specifically targeted employment supports.

Time-limited grants and categorical funding keep providers in the position of searching for funds to cover expenses. Sustainability is about maintaining programs after funding ends and ensuring the organization has become a permanent part of the community. This toolkit contains tips and planning worksheets within six booklets: strategic planning, organizational assessment & readiness, effective marketing strategies, financial management, fund raising & development, results-oriented evaluations.

This report looks at the overall effect South Carolina’s Medicaid for the Working Disabled program has on the net state revenue. It also examines predicted impacts of changing program characteristics and eligibility requirements. The state data are compared to other states with Buy-In programs.

What barriers remain to employment for people with disabilities? The first report presents the results of a survey asking S.C. business leaders this and other questions regarding benefits, challenges, and supports needed to better employ people with disabilities. The second report asks a broader sample of the business community about their perceptions of workers with disabilities, how they affect the workplace, and what accommodations and incentives they consider to be reasonable and effective.

Since 2001, the U.S. Department of Labor has funded 20 Customized Employment and 6 Workforce Action demonstration projects to identify policy mechanisms that effectively support customized employment. This report gives the background, key findings, successful strategies, obstacles, and analysis of the different projects. The main work product is a set of local, state, and federal policy recommendations generated by the initiative.

In January 2008, a small group of experts met to discuss challenges and recent changes to the early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment (EPSDT) Medicaid benefit. Their discussion focused on helping states maximize children’s access to EPSDT care. They also covered ways to engage with primary care providers and to improve care coordination and quality measurement.

Up to 70% of community rehabilitation providers report that individuals with disabilities prefer to stay in facility-based, rather than community-based, employment programs. This edition of the “Customized Employment Corner” series confronts some challenges of helping individuals make informed choices about employment options. The questions and answers address issues of finding jobs that fit individuals’ qualifications and choices, communication, and funding.

The author interviewed individuals with serious mental illnesses to illustrate their experiences, motivations, and ambitions in the workplace. The stories and analysis challenge misconceptions about this population’s abilities and willingness to work. Rich work histories show that the career patterns of this group do not vary dramatically from those of people with less severe mental illnesses.