Amie Lulinski

In July 2017, ThinkWork conducted a State of the Science session the The Summer Leadership Institute hosted by The Arc of the United States. Please check out our slides from this event.

These Power Point slides were prepared and presented in collaboration with The Arc of Westchester. The presentation addresses the key elements of effective organizational transformation, and how community providers can best support integrated employment.

Attendees learned how families have modeled employment and advocated for their children to have early work experiences similar to those of their peers without disabilities. Attendees heard how the service system and families have tried to engage across language barriers and socioeconomic differences.

Community providers across the nation are embracing the transformation from facility-based employment supports to competitive integrated employment. While many providers believe in inclusion and Employment First for the individuals they support, some struggle to make their vision a reality. The process of organizational transformation can seem daunting without an understanding of the full range of tactics and approaches available.

Family engagement is key to successful employment and life planning, with parents and siblings often leading their family members with disabilities on the path to employment through their own role modeling and encouragement. Despite what literature says about the true importance of family engagement, many parents lack the knowledge needed to meaningfully participate in employment planning. One critical gap is thinking about financial well-being for their family member with a disability.

A key area of focus for our Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) is organizational transformation, leading to improved employment outcomes for those served by community provider organizations.