CSDP Forum: Right on Time? Early Interventions and Initiatives for Promoting Employment

Over a million individuals under age 40 receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. Federal and state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies offer unique opportunities for early intervention services to individuals with disabilities, including youth and young adults who are transitioning from school to work, to help them enter, re-enter, or remain in the labor force and reduce their reliance on disability benefits.

At the same time, policies and initiatives have been evolving to promote competitive employment opportunities in which people with disabilities work alongside people without disabilities for at least minimum wage (integrated employment). Efforts are underway in several states to increase integrated employment among individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDDs), for whom employment rates are consistently low.

A distinguished panel of speakers discussed:

• How timely VR service receipt affects the subsequent application to and receipt of SSDI and SSI
• New statistics on employment and SSA benefit receipt for youth ages 16 to 24 who applied for VR services, including the variation across states
• Barriers that have hindered states’ progress toward expanding integrated employment among individuals with IDDs
• Lessons learned that can help states advance their efforts to transform their employment service systems

The expert panel included:

• Noelle Denny-Brown, Mathematica
• Todd Honeycutt, Mathematica
• Jody Schimmel Hyde, Mathematica
• Jade Gingerich, Maryland Department of Disabilities (Discussant)