Small Agency Conversion to Community-Based Employment: Overcoming the Barriers

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Abstract
Community-based employment, widely accepted as the major goal for most persons with moderate to severe disabilities, has yet to be fully realized at the local agency level. This paper describes a successful model of supported employment developed by a single small agency previously providing services as a segregated day activity center in a small midwestern city. Included is discussion of the service agency, program methodology, barriers to successful community-based employment along with the manner in which they were overcome, and program outcomes. Included in these outcomes is a current community employment rate of 80% and increased income for workers along with increased community integration. Several recommendations for practice are made from both administrative and programming standpoints.

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