The disability system and programs to promote employment for people with disabilities

Abstract

This paper examines employment-focused interventions within the US disability system. Our review illustrates the challenges of developing and implementing these types of initiatives, despite substantial policy interest. Our findings indicate that none of the demonstrations we reviewed have the potential to lead to substantial caseload reductions that could reverse program growth. However, they can inform future designs, particularly the importance of customizing supports to very well-defined target populations.JEL code: D04

Improving Outcomes of Transition-Age Youth With Disabilities: A Life Course Perspective

“…One factor that differentiated the three sites with larger impacts from other sites was that they delivered more hours of employment-focused services to higher proportions of youth in the treatment group. This finding supports a broader theme in the employment service literature: the importance of service providers creating clear metrics for matching their specific services (in this case employment services) to achieve targeted outcomes (employment) (Wittenburg, Mann, & Thompkins, 2013).…”

Juvenile justice, mental health, and the transition to adulthood: A review of service system involvement and unmet needs in the U.S.

“…In a multi-site evaluation, youth in programs that delivered more hours of employment services had significantly more work hours and higher wages than control groups. However, there were no significant differences between participants in Guideposts for Success and the control group at the site that targeted youth with serious emotional disturbances (Wittenburg, Mann, & Thompkins, 2013), highlighting the need for additional research.…”

People With Disabilities in the United States

“…More detail about each of these areas is provided below. Taken as a whole, 23 however, the facts convey the sustained need for attention at a national level for improving the M A N U S C R I P T A C C E P T E D ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 2 ability of people with disabilities to participate fully in their communities and to have access to 25 appropriate services and supports. Fortunately, there are a number of national policy initiatives 26 underway that have the potential to improve key outcomes for people with disabilities.…”