Empowering Employment Services in Indiana: Supporting Vocational Rehabilitation Innovations

1. Coaching & Natural Supports Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

2. Hiring People with Disabilities Makes Good Business Sense! • Large, untapped labor pool • Lower turnover • Reduced recruiting costs • Fewer absences • Good performance • Good safety record • No impact on medical & insurance costs • An ethical, socially responsible thing to do Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

3. Outreach to the Disability Community • Walgreens • Project SEARCH • Hyatt • Bottom-line Impact • Matching the Lowe’s Culture • Diversity Values Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

4. Business Benefits • Reduced Recruiting Costs • Reduced Training Costs • Reduced Turnover • Tax Credits • Other Incentives • Increased Diversity • New Customer Niche Group • Increased Brand Loyalty • Improved Community Relations • Risk Reduction/ADA Compliance Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

5. Disability Etiquette • Smile and be friendly • Use a normal tone of voice • Talk to the person with the disability—not to his aide, coach or sign language interpreter. • If talking with a person in a wheelchair, sit or kneel to be at eye level. Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

6. Disability Etiquette, cont. • Follow same first/last name convention you use for everyone else present • For people with cognitive disabilities: • Speak clearly. • Avoid excess words. Be specific and direct. • Ask only one question at a time. • Wait for a response. Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

7. Theory of Mind • What if I don’t know that you have a mind separate and different from my own? • What if I don’t realize that you are a unique individual in your own right? • What if I don’t realize that you have my interests at heart and want to offer me the benefits of your own experiences and thinking and ability? • What if I don’t know that you experience things differently from me? Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

8. How to Aid Understanding • Visual supports • Social Stories • Talk Less • Allow for wait time (use silence) • Keep it concrete and straightforward • Do not use sarcasm or abstract phrases Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

9. Understanding the Differences Receptive Language Social Communication Visual Learners Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

10. Understanding the Differences, cont. May process world in a narrow, intense, detailed manner Sensory processing May be prompt-dependent Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

11. General Support Strategies Determine communication message of behavior Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

12. Understanding the Purpose of the Behavior Social Communication Behavior Sensory Structure Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

13. General Support Strategies • Use visuals • Tell the employee what to do instead of what not to do Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

14. General Support Strategies, cont. • Provide models of what to say • Is there a way for the worker to ask for help/clarification/break? Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

15. General Support Strategies, cont. • Identify how task will be motivating for the worker • Slow down Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

16. General Support Strategies, cont. • Give time to respond • Keep directions brief Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

17. General Support Strategies, cont. • Use work/break routines • Be specific: clear beginning—middle—end • Teach it right the first time Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

18. Strategies for Organization • Daily individual schedule • Monthly or long-term schedule • Individual work system • Schedules within schedules • Lists Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

19. Strategies for Organization, cont. • Physical structure of work area • Teach “Length of Time” • Adjust the level of spoken language • Use shorter sentences for directions • Enhance oral directions with written information Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

20. Problem-Solving Strategies • Visuals • Coaching • Theory of Mind • Teachable Moments/Natural Experiences Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

21. Typical Supervisor Concerns • Additional supervision • Loss of productivity • What if it doesn’t work out? • Am I stuck forever paying a sub-standard employee? • How to effectively communicate with employees with disabilities Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

22. Supervision Strategies • Not required to lower quality or standards for any employee • Communicate your expectations with all employees • Workers with disabilities need feedback just like other employees • UPS 3-year study of employees with disabilities Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

23. Supporting a New Hire • Help the person learn about personalities • Provide pointers about information, such as breaks, dress, and coffee • Teach special work language • Check to make sure person understood; ask them to repeat instructions • Be yourself Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

24. Supporting a New Hire, cont. • Introduce yourself and make the person feel welcome • Introduce the new employee to co-workers • Show the individual where things are located and review policies/procedures • Invite the person to join you and others for breaks and lunch Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

25. Emotions • Be consistent with your interactions • Help to discriminate between good-natured teasing and when someone is angry or upset • Explain expectations for jobs or routines Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

26. Emotions, cont. • Help the individual, and yourself, not to overreact to a situation • Give criticism privately • Ask person what you can to do help; suggest a break Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

27. Creating Mutual Respect • Encourage co-workers to respect the skills and abilities of all employees. • Remember that the new person was hired because he or she has the skills to do the job Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

28. Social Considerations • Work is also an important social enterprise • It is important to form valued relationships • Establish informal employee mentors • Theory of Mind Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

29. Learning & Remembering • Act as a peer on an adult-to-adult level • Use straightforward and concrete language • Allow extra time to learn procedures • Teach multi-step tasks one step at a time • Provide reminders (checklists, symbols, color codes • Simplify task by modifying procedures or equipment Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

30. Communicating with Placement Agencies • Inform the employee • Be PROACTIVE • Take advantage of your resources • Keep the employee involved Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

31. Strategies • What has worked in the past • What hasn’t? • How are the same issues handled with other employees? Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

32. Common Concerns • Medications • Difficult to understand person • Harassment by other employees • When to seek help from Agency Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

33. Employees with Cognitive Disabilities • A cognitive disability is any disability affecting mental processes. • People with cognitive disabilities do not necessarily have decreased levels of skills, abilities, or intellectual functioning. Continued… Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

34. Employees with Cognitive Disabilities, cont. Possible Accommodations • Job coaching • Structured breaks • Checklists & time tables • Clear and concise directions/instructions Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

35. Employees with Psychiatric Disabilities Psychiatric disabilities are disorders of the brain that may disrupt a person’s feelings, mood, and abilities to relate to others. Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

36. Employees with Psychiatric Disabilities, cont. Possible Accommodations • Job coaching • Structured breaks • Checklists & time tables • Contingency plans to deal with stress Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

37. Natural Supports Websites VCU Rehabilitation Training & Support www.worksupport.com Job Accommodation Network www.askjan.org Griffin Hammis www.griffinhammis.com Employment Services & Innovations Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services