In another article from the Athens News' special section this week, I learned about a national movement called Employment First. The concept, supported by the US Dept of Labor, prioritizes giving people with disabilities jobs that incorporate full inclusion in the community and workplace.
This arrangement seems to have the dual benefit of being better for the individuals--as they get more time observing and interacting with typical peers and community members--and also apparently being considerably cheaper (1/3 the cost) than sheltered employment programs. We discussed in class some of the issues surrounding employment of people with disabilities, including low wages. This particular article did not get into the grittier aspects of these services, such as: could a person lose their Medicaid benefits or subsidized income if they make too much money at their job? Would their job be required to provide insurance for these employees as it would for typical employees?
One thing that seemed quite positive was the continued support the employees receive from Personnel Plus. These supports help maximize the benefits of working in the community and also help the employee with job retention by working on the interpersonal and professional skills necessary to maintain a job.
No comments:
Post a Comment