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Allison Cohen Hall

Allison Cohen Hall, Ph.D., is a Senior Research Associate/Project Manager at the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Dr. Hall has coordinated national, multi-method research projects spanning several topic areas related to disability and employment. She led the research that culminated in the Higher Performing States Model, which has been used as a framework for training and technical assistance in over 30 states. Dr. Hall is currently the Principal Investigator on a four-year project that addresses family engagement, guardianship and transition outcomes for youth with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD), as well as the Principal Investigator of the Youth Voice/Youth Choice: National Resource Center on Alternatives to Guardianship. She maintains close ties with the self-advocacy community and supports individuals with IDD to participate in meaningful roles in the research process. She received her doctorate in 2005 from the Heller School at Brandeis University.

Employment Data Systems: Florida's Agency for Persons with Disabilities

The state of Florida's Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) has implemented a five-year employment initiative for people with ID/DD. One goal is to enable at least 50 percent of adults (ages 18 to 55) receiving APD-funded day services (including adult day training, supported employment, and non-residential supports and services), as of July 1, 2004, to achieve community employment by July 1, 2009. Florida is specifically targeting a total of 25 percent of the adult day training population to be employed by July 1, 2009.

Innovations in Employment Supports: Colorado's State Division for Developmental Disabilities

Between the years of 1985 and 1996 Colorado experienced significant growth in integrated employment for people with mental retardation and developmental disabilities (MR/DD). Several factors were consistently highlighted as contributing to Colorado's employment outcomes during this period. These included:

Mandatory Situational Assessments in Tennessee

Tennessee implemented its Employment First initiative in 2002 with a goal of making employment the first day service option for adults receiving supports from the Department of Mental Retardation Services. As part of the Employment First initiative, the state requires a periodic community-based work assessment for all individuals not currently employed in the community. State-contracted and independent individualized support coordinators ensure that individuals who are not in integrated employment participate in a community-based work assessment at least every three years.

Services for People with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities in the U.S. Territories

The following report represents an expansion of the data collection activities mandated by a 2012 Administration of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). Prior to 2012, the AIDD funded data projects, Access to Integrated Employment, Family and Individual Information Systems project (FISP), Residential Information Systems Project (RISP) and the State of the States in Developmental Disabilities only collected data from the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

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