Raising the Bar on Transitioning to Adulthood and Employment

1. Raising the Bar on Transitioning to Adulthood and Employment Wendy Vance, MS CRC Advocate Investigator

2. Disability Rights Florida • Funding, responsibility, and authority under nine federal programs to protect the rights of Floridians with disabilities. • A not-for-profit corporation since 1987. • Offices in Tallahassee, Tampa, Hollywood, and Gainesville. • Satellite offices in several other communities.

3. Our Mission • To advance the quality of life, dignity, equality, self determination, and freedom of choice of persons with disabilities through collaboration, education, advocacy, as well as legal and legislative strategies.

4. We Will Cover • Current disability related statistics • Parent/Caregiver concerns • Preparing for transition • WIOA • Life after high school • Self-Advocacy in College • Is employment really possible?

5. Important Acronyms • IEP: Individualized Education Plan • TIEP: Transition IEP Plan • VR: Vocational Rehabilitation • WIOA: Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act • IPE: Individualized Plan for Employment

6. Disability Issues by the Numbers

7. Poverty Level • Federal poverty guidelines • For 2018

8. Employment Statistics • 32.6% of individuals with disabilities are working 1,3 • 16% of individuals with developmental disabilities are working in the community • 20% of working individuals with disabilities are in the service industry • 14.1% of working individuals with disabilities are in production, transportation and moving materials • Unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities is 9.2% • 8 in 10 individuals with disabilities are not in the labor force

9. Education Statistics • 11.1% of people with a disability have less than a high school diploma 3 • 9.8% employed. • 16.9% of people with a disability have a high school diploma. • 15.6% employed. • 23.4% of people with a disability have some college or an Associate degree. • 21.8% employed. • 29.8% of individuals with disability have an undergraduate degree. • 28.5% of individuals with disability with a college degree are working.

10. Parental Concerns about Adulthood

11. Benefits • Social Security 4, 5, 6 • Work Incentives • Medicare • Extended Eligibility • Medicaid

12. Help with Benefits Planning and Financial Independence • WIPA 4,5,6 • Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (DVR/DBS can make this referral). • Disability Rights Florida • Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security • Special Needs Trusts and other disability accounts • Contribute now to assist with future expenses

13. Transportation • APD, DBS, and DVR can assist with Transportation needs! • Fixed Route 7,8 • Paratransit • Emergency Ride Home • Taxi • Shared Ride • Uber • Lyft

14. Integrated Settings • Concerns about safety in the workplace • Concerns about fitting in/belonging • Concern that their child cannot work in an integrated setting

15. Preparing for Transition During High School

16. Where to begin? • Know your IEP! • Do you have a transition plan? • Does your IEP have supports and services to help you achieve your transition plan? • Know your diploma option! • Standard diploma • Merit • Scholar • Deferred Standard diploma

17. WIOA • Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) • The VR sections of WIOA are in effect • Each VR office must also work with local schools and workforce development programs to ensure their appropriate involvement in transition-related activities • [§ 503]

18. Transition IEP (TIEP) • Begins at age 14 or earlier if deemed appropriate) • Results oriented, focusing on academic and functional achievement • Designed to facilitate movement from school to post-school activities • Spells out: • All the student’s unique educational needs • Supports and related services • Which agencies or individuals will provide services and who will pay for them • Program accommodations, modifications, and supports to help the student reach the goals. • Whether there is a need for technology or assistive devices and which agency will supply these

19. Be Involved in the Process! • Attend your own IEP/TIEP meetings • Participate in IEP from beginning to end • Be vocal about your wants and needs • TIEP (goal examples) • Want to go to college • Drive yourself to college • Want to live on campus • Graduate with a Bachelors Degree

20. What is Vocational Rehabilitation • VR is the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. • Mission: “to help people with disabilities find and maintain employment and enhance their independence.” • Available to provide support to high school students ages 14-21 • VR can attend IEP meetings to help with the transition process! • VR should participate throughout the transition planning process, not just when the student is nearing graduation! • DBS- Division of Blind Services • Provides similar array of employment supports and job placement assistance

21. Transition Services Provided by DVR • Guidance and counseling – post-secondary training options • Career Counseling & Guidance • Work Readiness Training • Work Experiences • Self-Advocacy training

22. IPE -Individual Plan for Employment • Individual Plan for Employment • A blueprint for successful employment for a person who is a client of the Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation or the Division of Blind Services • Enables you to gain access to vocational services. • Apply for and start working on your IPE before graduation!

23. DVR Services – General Program • Workplace Accommodations • Job Placement • Job Coaching • On-the-Job Training • Supported Employment • Assistive Technology & Devices • Time-Limited Medical and/or Psychological Treatment • Vocational Training • Post-Secondary Education

24. Developing your IPE • The IPE should state your employment goal and the services you will need to achieve it. • Should be a specific goal • Should list, in detail, the services that are needed and who will pay for them • Ex: further education, transportation, mental health therapy, medical treatment, technology, etc. • State responsibilities for the student, VR, and third party agencies.

25. Client Assistance Program (CAP) • Disability Rights Florida! • Administers the CAP in a manner that empowers people with disabilities to fully understand and exercise their rights to services. • Strives to assure that people with disabilities are allowed to make informed choices throughout the vocational rehabilitation and independent living process and are treated with dignity and respect. • Can provide information on the services available, including the time frames for these services and explain the federal regulations and state rules. When there is a difference of opinion between the consumer and VR, CAP can get directly involved to assist in resolving the disagreement

26. What does CAP do? • Reviews case records and speaks with counselors, supervisors, community rehabilitation providers and others involved in the VR case • Provides advocacy services • Helps to develop strategies to resolve disagreements through negotiation • Represents clients at mediations or fair hearings • Provides information on Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) • Provides support and assistance to consumers so they may advocate for themselves • Provides information and referral to other programs and resources

27. How does CAP provide services to clients? • CAP can address complaints regarding denied access to vocational rehabilitation services. • Cap can participate in negotiation, representation at appeals, explanation of DVR/DBS policies, and rights and responsibilities of the client. • CAP can assist in obtaining a reasonable accommodation in the workplace. • CAP can address systemic issues to increase access to assistive technology and worksite modifications.

28. What is the Agency for Persons with Disability? Serves individuals with developmental disability Services Social Medical Residential Behavioral Supported Employment Services are based individual need. • Severe Autism • Cerebral Palsy • Intellectual Disabilities • Down Syndrome • Prader-Willi • Phelan-McDermid syndrome • Spina Bifida • Children age 3 to 5 at high risk for Developmental Disability

29. Life After High School

30. Training • On-the – Job Training • Vocational/Technical Training • Post Secondary Education at a College or University

31. Accommodations at the College Level • Begin working with the Office of Students with Disabilities as soon as you are enrolled • Make sure that you have, and keep, written copies of your approved accommodations. • Familiarize your professor with your accommodations and needs. • Submit Requests for Academic Accommodations • Extra time • Special Testing Conditions • Use of Assistive Technology

32. Sheltered Workshop • What is it? • What are the concerns? • Subminimum wages for workers • Limited access to healthcare benefits • Large salary gap between workers and management • Limited contact with those without disabilities • Little to no opportunity for advancement

33. It Is Possible - My Child Can Access Competitive Employment!

34. Accessing Employment • Assessment of skills, interests, and aptitudes • Accommodations • Flexible schedule • Simple devices • Assistive technology • Supported Employment • Customized Employment

35. Reasonable Accommodations • In general, an accommodation is any change in the work environment or in the way things are customarily done that enables an individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities.

36. Should I tell my employer that I have a disability? • If you think you will need a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application process or to perform essential job functions, you should inform the employer that an accommodation will be needed. • Employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with a disability of which they are aware • Generally, it is the responsibility of the employee to inform the employer that an accommodation is needed, however, you are not required to disclose your disability unless you need an accommodation.

37. Am I entitled to the same salary as non-disabled employees • Yes! An employer cannot make up the cost of providing a reasonable accommodation by lowering your salary or paying you less than other employees in similar positions.

38. Changes in the Definition of Supported Employment • Must be in a competitive, integrated setting or • A short-term arrangement in an integrated setting for an individual who is working toward competitive employment • The standard supported employment services have been extended from 18 to 24 months – with an option to increase the time frame • [§ 404(38)]

39. References • (1) National Council on Disability, From New Deal to the Real Deal, NCD Report (2018), https://ncd.gov/sites/default/files/New%20Deal%20to%20Real%20Deal%20FINAL_508.PDF • (2) National Disability Rights Network, Segregated & Exploited (2011), https://www.ndrn.org/images/Documents/Resources/Publications/Reports/Segregated-and-Exploited.pdf • (3) Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Persons with a Disability: Labor Force Characteristics Summary (2019), https://www.bls.gov/news.release/disabl.nr0.htm • (4) Social Security Administration, Work Incentives, https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/workincentives.htm • (5) Disability Rights Florida, Social Security and Ticket to Work Program, http://www.disabilityrightsflorida.org/resources/disability_topic_info/social_security

40. References Continued • (6) Ticket to Work, https://choosework.ssa.gov/ • (7) Federal Transportation Administration, National Transit Database Glossary (NTD) Glossary, https://www.transit.dot.gov/ntd/national-transit-database-ntd-glossary • (8) Florida Department of Transportation, Emergency Ride Home, https://www.rethinkyourcommute.com/emergency-ride-home-info/ • (9) Agency for Persons with Disabilities, http://apd.myflorida.com/ • (10) Florida Department of Education – Technical Assistance Paper – High School Graduation Options for Students with Disabilities (April 15, 2016), https://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-7322/dps-2015-34.pdf • (11) Rooted in Rights – Bottom Dollars Video -https://rootedinrights.org/bottom-dollars/

41. Our Contact Info (800) 342-0823TDD (800) 346-4127FAX (850) 488-8640www.DisabilityRightsFlorida.org