State policy

Enacting changes to state policies is a slow and complex process. But this kind of systems change can be transformative when it creates opportunities for people with disabilities to engage with and contribute to their communities. Learn more about state policy and systems change in these resources.

Texas’s Vocational Apprenticeship Program: Moving Adults into Integrated Employment through Training in Transferable, Marketable Skills

This promising practice describes how the Texas Department of Health and Human Services has developed the Vocational Apprenticeship Program (VAP) as a statewide initiative to support the development of transferable and marketable employment skills in working-age adults.

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.

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.

Progressive Policies to Support People with Intellectual Disabilities in Meaningful Competitive Employment

This document outlines comprehensive data gathered from protection and advocacy agencies about efforts around the country to establish progressive policies that improve the opportunities of people with intellectual disabilities to obtain meaningful competitive employment. Download the report here.

Meeting the Holistic Vision of Employment and Community Life Engagement: State Administrator Perspectives on Achievements and Gaps

As states focus on expanding integrated employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and phase out sheltered work, they are finding a need to concurrently examine day services and supports that promote Community Life Engagement (CLE, see yellow box to the right for a detailed definition). These supports can be a wrap-around to ensure individuals’ engagement in the community is maintained and they continue to receive sufficient levels of support, despite fluctuations in job status and hours.

The Numbers and the Stories Behind Them: Higher Performing State Employment Systems

This document contains the slides from a presentation given at the APSE national conference in 2019. It presents statistics that illustrate the characteristics of relatively higher-performing state systems with regard to employment and community engagement outcomes for individuals with IDD.

Click here to view the presentation slides