Jean Winsor

Jean E. Winsor is a Senior Research Associate and Project Manager at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI). Her research focuses on state systems and integrated employment, with an emphasis on bridging research to practice through technical assistance to employment system stakeholders. She is the coordinator for the StateData.info project, is a policy specialist for the State Employment Leadership Network (SELN),, and is Project Director for the Florida EmployMe1st Project.

During her tenure at ICI she has investigated the policies and practices of states with high rates of integrated employment, states that have engaged in multi-agency systems change to support youth and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to obtain community employment, and states that are using Employment First agendas as a catalyst for systems change. Dr. Winsor has also engaged in research to better understand the methods states use to collect data on employment outcomes, the strategies states use to fund employment services, and the factors that impact the choices individuals with intellectual and development disabilities make about employment.

Prior to joining ICI in 2002, Jean provided school and community-based supports to adolescents and adults with IDD for ten years. Dr. Winsor received her B.A. in Psychology from Binghamton University-SUNY and her M.S. in Educational Psychology and Methodology from the University at Albany-SUNY. She is a graduate of the Ph.D. in Public Policy Program with a Concentration in Special Education and Disability Policy at the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

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Ethnic Disparities in Vocational Rehabilitation Access and Employment Outcomes Among Youth and Young Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

DataNote 78 explores the employment outcomes of youth with intellectual disabilities of Hispanic ethnicity compared to non-Hispanics.

Moving Forward after COVID-19: Implications for Ongoing Use of Remote and Virtual Supports in Promoting and Supporting Integrated Employment

This brief describes the findings from a survey developed and implemented by the Association of Persons Supporting Employment (APSE) on how employment and day service providers used remote and virtual supports. Findings from the survey and a set of considerations to improve employment services, policies, and practices based on lessons learned are offered.

Summary of Statedata: The National Report on Employment Services and Outcomes Through 2018

This data note summarizes the findings from the National Report on Employment Services and Outcomes Through 2018. Overall, the findings suggest that across data sources, people with IDD experience greater levels of unemployment, underemployment, low wages, and poverty compared to those without disabilities.

Ohio’s Technology First Policy: Enabling Swift Delivery of Remote Supports During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Ohio’s Technology First policy ensured that people eligible for services through Department of Developmental Disabilities had increased opportunities to live, work, and thrive in their homes and communities during the Covid-19 pandemic through state-of-the-art planning, innovative technology and supports.

Pushing the Integrated Employment Agenda: A Case Study of Iowa’s High-Performing Employment System

This brief summarizes data collected from key informants in Iowa about the state’s efforts to support integrated employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Employment and Economic Outcomes by Race, Ethnicity, and Gender for Individuals With and Without Disabilities, 2017

This report describes the employment and economic outcomes for individuals with and without intellectual disabilities in 2017. Results are summarized for the 50 states and the District of Columbia. These data are divided according to race, ethnicity, and gender and are drawn from the American Community Survey, the Rehabilitation Services Administration 911, and the National Core Indicators.

Key Findings and Lessons Learned from Research on Integrated Employment for individuals with IDD

This presentation highlights key findings and lessons learned from the RRTC on Advancing Employment for People with IDD (2014-2019). ICI staff discuss a “knowledge to action” agenda that applies empirical data towards the development of strategies to positively impact the employment outcomes of individuals with IDD and their families.

Pushing the Integrated Employment Agenda: A Case Study of Oklahoma’s High-Performing Employment System

Read this brief to learn about the factors that contribute to the effectiveness of Oklahoma’s success in achieving integrated employment outcomes for individuals with IDD across three state systems: IDD, vocational rehabilitation (VR), and education.

The Power of Disability Employment: The Impact to Arizona’s Economy

Arizona’s working-age population (ages 16–64) of people with any type of disability (10.2%) who are working hovers around the national average (Erickson, Lee, & von Schrader, 2019). In addition, individuals with a disability in Arizona, as in the nation as a whole, are more likely to live in poverty (30.5% and 26.1% respectively).

Data Note: State Intellectual and Developmental Disability Agencies’ Service Trends

In FY2016, an estimated 638,568 individuals received day or employment supports from state IDD program agencies. This number grew from 455,824 in FY1999. The estimated number of individuals in integrated employment services increased from 108,227 in FY1999 to 120,244 in FY2016. Despite the trend to terminate facility-based services in some states, the overall state investment continues to emphasize non-work services, rather than integrated employment services.

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