Community Rehabilitation/Service Providers

Community Rehabilitation Providers (CRPs) support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to find work in their communities. In the resources below, learn more about how CRPs function and how their work is evolving.

Bringing Employment First to Scale: Who are Employment Consultants? Characteristics of the workforce that connects jobseekers with intellectual and developmental disabilities to employment

In 1987, the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston began a series of surveys aimed at providing a longitudinal description of the characteristics and service delivery provided by Community Rehabilitation Providers (CRPs)(Domin & Butterworth, 2012). Despite direct support staff comprising one of the nation’s largest labor market segments, there has been very little research into the wages and stability of that workforce (Bogenschutz, Hewitt, Nord, & Hepperlen, 2014).

The National Survey of Community Rehabilitation Providers, FY 2002-2003, Report 1: Overview of Services and Provider Characteristics

This is the first in a series of Research to Practice briefs based on the FY2002-2003 National Survey of Community Rehabilitation Providers (CRPs) funded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. This brief presents findings on people with developmental disabilities in employment services and characteristics of the community rehabilitation organizations that provide those services.

The National Survey of Community Rehabilitation Providers, FY 2004-2005, Report 1: Employment Outcomes for People with Developmental Disabilities in Integrated Employment

Where do individuals with mental retardation and developmental disabilities (DD) work, and what types of jobs do they have? How many hours do they work, what do they earn, and who pays their wages? Do they have access to health care benefits and paid time off? This Research to Practice brief provides answers to those and other questions. It is the first in a series of brief products that present findings from the FY2004-2005 National Survey of Community Rehabilitation Providers Individual Employment Outcomes Survey funded by the U.S. Administration on Developmental Disabilities.

Trends in Supported Employment: The Experiences of Ninety-Four Community Rehabilitation Providers from 1986 to 1991

This fact sheet summarizes data on integrated employment (supported and competitive) and facility-based employment activities (sheltered workshops) from two national surveys of community rehabilitation providers (CRPs). These surveys were part of an ongoing national data collection project that addresses trends in day and employment services for people with disabilities. The 1986 survey used a random sample from all states while the 1991 survey used a stratified sample of 20 states.

The National Survey of Community Rehabilitation Providers, FY 2002-2003, Report 3: Involvement of CRPs in the Ticket to Work and Workforce Investment Act

In 2002 and 2003, the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) conducted a national survey of Community Rehabilitation Providers (CRPs) that was funded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. The goal was to identify major trends in employment and non-work services for people with developmental disabilities. Since CRPs are key partners in implementing disability-related employment policy, including TWWIIA and WIA, researchers were interested in the extent to which organizations participated in these initiatives.

The National Survey of Community Rehabilitation Providers, FY 2002-2003, Report 2: Non-Work Services

The proportion of individuals participating in non-work programs has grown noticeably over the past decade. Despite the push toward integrated employment for people with developmental disabilities in many states, non-work day programs continue to be a substantial component of the service mix. Butterworth et al. (1999: 23) suggest that "services are becoming increasingly individualized and differentiated... traditional service categories may not be sufficient to capture the full range of how individuals with developmental disabilities are spending their day."

New Hampshire’s Employment Data Collection: The Power to Transform Communication, Partnership, and Service Delivery

In 2010, when the New Hampshire Bureau of Developmental Services (BDS) received grant funds to strengthen multisystem service delivery, its administrators partnered with area agencies; community rehabilitation providers, or CRPs (employment providers); and other stakeholders to improve and streamline the process of collecting employment data. Originally a multi-system process, BDS continued the data-collection effort when other systems withdrew.

Job Squad, Inc.: A Blog that Conveys the Importance of Community Employment

Job Squad is a medium-sized CRP that provides services to individuals in 13 counties within West Virginia. In 2005, responding to customer demands, executive director Brenda Hellwig and her staff received training from Griffin-Hammis Associates to offer community employment services. A staff member proposed the idea for the blog as one way to update Job Squad’s website and promote community employment to stakeholders, including potential employers. As a collection of articles, tools and strategies, the blog provides valuable information for people in West Virginia and beyond.