Study of a sample of 93 individuals with disabilities participating in supported employment programs in Connecticut found that monthly wages and levels of integration increased significantly when compared to working situations prior to supported employment placement. (JDD)

Monetary costs and benefits of supported employment to individuals with mental retardation (n=20), taxpayers, and society were assessed, as was the quality of life of supported employees. Supported employment was found to be cost-effective over a five-year period during which programs moved from sheltered to supported employment. (DB)

This study provides longitudinal analysis of day program and work activities of 61 individuals leaving Minnesota state institutions and a comparison group of 71 people remaining institutionalized. Only 13% of movers experienced integrated employment. As a group, the people who remained institutionalized actually earned more money. (Author/CR)

This study examined the activities of employment specialists and nontraditional support providers in a supported employment program for transition-age youth with significant disabilities. Results are detailed for employment characteristics, types of supports needed or desired, identifying and arranging sources of support, support providers, and…

Three adults with developmental disabilities in supported-employment settings were successfully taught self-management strategies for addressing hygiene issues. The intervention included: a checklist with steps necessary to address particular hygiene issues, modeling the steps to each participant, providing praise and feedback, and teaching the…

This study investigated effects of a self-operated auditory prompting system on work performance of two supported employees with severe disabilities in community employment settings. Musical tapes embedded and interspersed with the auditory prompts increased work performance for each employee. Future research for implementing such systems in…

The authors compared 3 approaches to vocational rehabilitation for severe mental illness (SMI): the individual placement and support (IPS) model of supported employment, a psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) program, and standard services. Two hundred four unemployed clients (46% African American, 30% Latino) with SMI were randomly assigned to IPS,…

Recent legislation, especially the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, generated the closure of institutions for people with disabilities and inclusion into community residences and employment. It has been well documented that individuals with developmental disabilities often experience difficulties with employment including both obtaining…

This paper reviews recent literature related to co-worker involvement in non-sheltered community-based employment programs for persons with mental retardation. Discussion of co-worker roles is categorized into six areas: training, associating, befriending, advocating, evaluating, and information giving. Also discussed are other variables…

This eight-chapter procedural guide outlines a supported work approach for competitive employment training of Mississippi citizens with moderate and severe disabilities. The first chapter defines competitive and supported employment and discusses funding, personnel, program options, and vocational curriculum development and assessment. The second…

This review of the literature on supported employment for individuals with severe disabilities begins by outlining two Federal definitions of supported employment and noting their similarities. Literature on approaches to supported employment is examined, focusing on individual jobs at distributed or scattered sites, enclaves, mobile crews, and…

This study identified various direct and indirect strategies for financing supported employment, based on discussions with individuals in Minnesota and across the United States, reviewed supported employment efforts in selected states, conducted a review of literature, and explored related initiatives in other health and human service areas. Key…

The paper describes the development and psyhometric validation of an instrument to measure co-worker involvement with employees with handicaps in supported employment settings. The Co-worker Involvement Instrument contains 10 items pertaining to physical integration, social integration, vocational integration, training, associating frequency,…

This study describes varying types of nonhandicapped co-worker interactions with supported employees. The sample included 341 supported employees with mental retardation served by community rehabilitation facilities in Illinois. Results indicated that co-workers interact extensively with persons who are mentally retarded. These interactions…

The Skyline Vocational Training Project (Great Falls, Montana) is a vocational skills training model that prepares mildly disabled students to become competitively employed in locally-referenced entry-level occupations, while the High-Visibility Low-Incidence Model of Supported Employment is designed for severely disabled students who are unlikely…