No abstract

This article examines consumer empowerment issues in supported employment services. First, it describes in general terms how service consumers can be given more control over supported employment services and, by extension, their work experiences. Then, consumer empowerment issues are examined from various aspects of service delivery (e.g., choice of occupation, preferences for training methods) and various types of problems that consumers typically encounter. Illustrative case examples are provided that show the effects of choice on individuals' satisfaction with employment and general well-being.

The following three themes emerged from this analysis: (1) more comprehensive provider training about spinal cord injury is needed; (2) increased communication between consumer and family would be beneficial; and (3) an increase in the flexibility and availability of services would help to ensure access to essential care.

The purpose of this article is to describe the competitive employment experiences of 21 persons labeled severely mentally retarded. Over an 8-year period from 1978 to 1986, 21 persons with measured intelligence levels under 40 were competitively employed with ongoing or intermittent job site support. A cumulative total of over $230,000 of unsubsidized wages was earned. Significant vocational problems included slow work rate and lack of appropriate social skills. The majority of the persons worked in part-time, entry-level service positions. The major suggestions for improving the quality of vocational interventions included (a) more creative and comprehensive job development and (b) more powerful systematic instructional techniques. It was concluded that, while this report extends the concerns of competitive employment literature to persons with more severe intellectual handicaps, much more innovative work needs to be performed with individuals who exhibit profound disabilities.

Self-determination, choice, and preference have become important issues in vocational rehabilitation and have long been staples of social work practice. This article provides an overview of a model, the self-determined career development model, which is designed to enable people with disabilities to self-direct planning that leads to employment. Specifically, this model is applied to young women with intellectual and developmental disabilities to obtain nontraditional employment through self-regulated, customized employment planning. This article examines issues pertaining to self-determination in the context of vocational guidance and planning, introduces the model and its use in secondary education and rehabilitation, and discusses the role of social workers in supporting consumer control and self-direction.