Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission

1. Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission Commissioner Charles Carr Autism Commission Overview January 24, 2011

2. Mission The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) is dedicated to provide comprehensive services to people with disabilities that maximize their quality of life and economic self-sufficiency in the community.

3. Vision MRC promotes equality, empowerment and productive independence for individuals with disabilities. These goals are achieved through enhancing and encouraging personal choice and competencies in the pursuit of independence and employment in the community.

4. Organizational Structure MRC has three divisions: • Community Living (CL) • Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), and • Disability Determination Services (DDS) MRC has: • 26 Area VR Offices as points of service delivery • 2 DDS offices in Boston and Worcester

5. Who We Serve Broad Eligibility: VR & Community Living services - not based on type of disability* Community Living • Through a combination of its providers and staff assisted 18,381 consumers to live in community based alternatives to institutions. • assisted 145 people with disabilities to get out of nursing homes and live independently in the community with supports this past fiscal year. Vocational Rehabilitation – • Served 20,678 consumers aged 16 years and up with significant disabilities. • There were 14,396 consumers enrolled in post secondary education and active training services with Individualized Plans for Employment (IPE). • Over 3,200 consumers achieved competitive employment this past federal fiscal year. Disability Determination Services • Processed 85,713 new claims for SSI/SSDI • determined 86,505 people eligible for new benefits or continuation of benefits. * People who are blind & participate in the vocational rehabilitation program are required to receive services at the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB).

6. Major Services Provided

7. Key Accomplishments • Deployed Transition Works Grant & State as Model Employer Summer Youth Programs • served 29 youth consumers to date in paid summer internships. • used promising practices to develop statewide model where every VR office has a counselor in every high school in their area. • ARRA On-the-Job Training (OJT) Initiative: • served 85 consumers, with 60 successfully completed trainings and 35 consumers have successfully entered into employment to date. Consumers are earning $12.39/hour on average. • Initiated the deployment of an Adaptive Evaluation and Training Van and Assistive Technology Toolkits to assist consumers to go to work. MRC Agency Review – January, 2011 (page 7)

8. Key Accomplishments (cont’d) • Aligned MRC area offices to 5 Regional Employment Collaborative projects and Career Centers. • established close links to the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, Department of Transitional Assistance, sister agencies offering employment services and the nonprofit community to better coordinate job development and shared employment opportunities. • Re-alignment of Sheltered Employment Services to provide ongoing community support services. • moved agency away from placing its consumers in segregated subminimum wage jobs to competitive employment in integrated settings as a standardized business practice. MRC Agency Review – January, 2011 (page 8)

9. Key Accomplishments (cont’d) • Successfully placed 3,200 people in competitive employment at an average hourly rate of $12.28. • consumers worked an average of 25.9 hours per week generating annual earnings of $50.1 million. • Provided 453 consumers with Community Based Employment Services (CBES) • on-going support services assisted them in maintaining competitive employment. • Initiated a restructuring planning process of the T22/688 program. • improved outreach to high school students and guardians to assure appropriate 688 ITPs • closer coordination, targeted funding and outcome requirements to providers to support employment and independent living goals in IEPs. MRC Agency Review – January, 2011 (page 9)

10. Innovative Programs • Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) • will assist 300 consumers transitioning from nursing homes to community living and working opportunities. • developed performance measurement system to monitor and provide oversight of the quantitative and qualitative services provided. • Assistive Technology • lead state agency for the federal Assistive Technology Act • innovative loan program that provides low interest loan assistance for items such as communications systems, vehicle modifications, etc. • since its inception five years ago, the program has loaned over $7.6M to 427 individuals • Community Based Housing Program • In the last two years, 90 units of bond funded accessible and affordable housing units were built or modified and are now occupied by individuals with disabilities who were institutionalized or are at risk of institutionalization. MRC Agency Review – January, 2011 (page 10)

11. Numbers of Consumers Served on the Autism Spectrum in VR • Out of a base of 14,000 active consumers with IPEs, 502 or approximately 3% have a diagnosis of Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder. • 26 consumers with an Autism diagnosis were successfully placed in competitive integrated employment in FY 2010. • Based on MRC’s commitment to assure counselor coverage at all high schools and alternative schools, both the number of active consumers and the number of successful closures are anticipated to increase in the months and years ahead.

12. Challenges To Successful Employment Outcomes • Many with an Autism diagnosis enroll in junior colleges where enrollment is open without a formal application process. In some instances, this is not the best modality for successful employment outcomes. Many become isolated in the college setting and although they may do well academically, they do not develop the skills necessary to obtain and maintain employment. • Significant lack of social supports in the community. • Differing eligibility criteria with other state agencies resulting in a lack of support services needed to achieve competitive work and independence. • There is a lack of on going support services once a consumer is placed in competitive, integrated employment. • Very few training initiatives for the employer community who lack an understanding of the Autism diagnosis.

13. Anticipated Future Initiatives • Counselors who serve as transition resources to school systems require additional training in terms of the specific needs of this population. • MRC must provide additional outreach to alternative schools that serve students on the spectrum. • Eligibility issues must be further refined so that other agencies are permitted to provide community based and work support services. • Greater emphasis must be paced to assure that consumers receive on going support services to maintain employment.