MIG-RATS

Benefits Counseling Outcomes Workgroup

2009-08-03T14:55:07.777

This workgroup coordinates MIG state researchers and others in their efforts to develop strategies for examining the outcomes and impact of work incentives benefits counseling services.

Benefits Counseling Service Delivery (Fidelity) Workgroup

2009-08-03T14:55:07.777

The focus of this workgroup is the development of measures to assess the delivery of services in work incentives benefits counseling programs. This is a first step toward the development of a benefits counseling fidelity measure.

Integrated Data Access

2009-08-03T14:55:07.777

This section provides information on the integrated dataset for Medicaid Buy-In participants and the process MIG states may use to request specific analyses to be run on the dataset.

Direct Support

2009-08-03T14:55:07.777

MIG-RATS staff are available to help MIG researchers with specific research questions and strategies and development of data collection tools.

Joint Research

2009-08-03T14:55:07.777

The MIG-RATS encourage the development of multi-state research projects and state leadership in the development of research products. (For research conducted by individual states, please see the Resources: State MIG section.)

Conference Workshops

2009-08-03T14:55:07.777

This section includes discussion notes from conference workshops on technical and research topics.

Youth in Transition Research Workgroup

2009-10-23T10:27:55.113

The youth in transition (YiT) research workgroup discusses a variety of topics of interest to researchers conducting studies with youth in transition.

US Department of Labor: BLS

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This page of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) website is the starting point for employment , wage, and earnings data.

CDC: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

While the main disabilities page on the CDC site has a focus on developmental disabilities through the MMWR publication, they also produce statistics on the prevalence of work disability.

Prevalence of Work Disability -- United States, 1990

Prevalence of Disabilities and Associated Health Conditions Among Adults --- United States, 1999

The Role of Developmental Work Personality in the Employment of Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities

2009-05-19T16:27:31.900

Due to the current demands of today's competitive and team-oriented workplaces, organizations are becoming increasingly dependent on assessing potential and current employee traits that go beyond skills and education. Contextual work behaviors, such as getting along with others, accepting supervision, and ability to adapt to changes, are proving to be salient factors in predicting overall successful employment outcomes. These contextual behaviors are often learned in childhood during the school years and by watching parents and role models demonstrate behaviors related to work. Individuals with psychiatric disabilities often have a harder time than individuals who do not experience symptoms of psychiatric disabilities demonstrating positive contextual work behaviors. This paper outlines the importance of evaluating work personality using the Developmental Work Personality Scale for individuals with psychiatric disabilities

Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) is a set of large-scale surveys of families and individuals, providers, and employers across the United States. MEPS (Household Component) includes summary data tables on health insurance coverage, cost and use of health care.

http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_stats/MEPS_topics.jsp?topicid=9Z-1
The public sources for health insurance identified in the MEPS include Medicare, TRICARE, Medicaid, and SCHIP. Reports and data files with annual and monthly insurance indicators, experience with public plans, and more can be downloaded for further analyses.

CDC National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)

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NCHS Fast Stats A to Z: Work-Related Injury/Occupational Injury section.

Census

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This is the main page for disability datasets from the U.S. Census and new reports or briefs. Also, there is a useful "Links to Related Sites" on the right side of the page.

DisabilityInfo.gov

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

DisabilityInfo.gov is the federal government's one-stop Web site portal for people with disabilities, their families, employers, and many others. Several areas may be of particular interest, including: (1) Employment/Research & Stats ; (2) Health/Research & Stats ; (3) Benefits/Work Incentive Programs ; (4) Employment/Work Incentive Programs.

Self-employment among People with Disabilities: Evidence for Europe

2009-05-19T16:30:56.293

This paper examines the use of self-employment among people with disabilities in Europe. Using data from the European Community Household Panel for the period 1995-2001 for 13 European countries we found that people with disabilities were more likely to be self-employed than people without disabilities. Self-employment provides flexibility and a better adjustment between disability status and working life. Moreover, the levels of satisfaction with job, type of job and working conditions of self-employed disabled people are higher than those reported by disabled people who are wage and salary earners. Policy-makers must encourage self-employment to increase the levels of well-being and employment of people with disabilities in Europe.

San Diego University: Interwork Institute

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

San Diego University sponsors this Interwork Institute website, which includes research projects and resources which focus on disability websites, rehabilitation counseling services and job assistance.

Blue-Ribbon Blueprint - Disability Management Programs at US Companies

2009-05-19T16:33:12.463

The article offers information on the disability management programs of various U.S. companies. In the program by Harley-Davidson Motor Co., occupational health nurses and disability management specialists work together and early intervention services are offered at company facilities. OhioHealth, a regional hospital system, has a program dedicated to helping employees who are on disability leave find alternative types of work, or transitional work that they can do while they are recovering from illness or injury.

Job Accommodation Network - DOL

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The Job Accommodation Network is a service from the Office of Disability Employment Policy at the US Dept of Labor. Of particular interest is the portal (on the left) for State and Local Government Employers. Their own website (http://www.dol.gov/odep/) provides additional information.

SSA 2009 Red Book

2009-06-12T13:17:38.580

This useful reference site from SSA provides a basic text overview of the SSI and SSDI programs, eligbility rules, work incentives, and definitions.

Social Security Administration: Work Site

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This is the State Chart of Work Incentives Activities that includes the Ticket-to-Work Program, demonstration projects, cooperative agreements and grants for SSA. It provides contact information for all participating states.

Kaiser Foundation – State Health Facts

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This is a superb, user-friendly website for state facts and statistics! Be sure to bookmark this site for quick tables of Medicaid enrollment, disability, and demographics by state.

SSA's Program Evaluation Manual

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

Here is the full SSA program evaluation manual, when you need a very specific question answered. Be sure to roll up your sleeves!

School-to-Work Program Participation and the Post-High School Employment of Young Adults with Disabilities.

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

Previous research on the education-to-employment transition for students with disabilities has suggested that participation in school-to-work programs is positively associated with post-high school success. This article utilizes data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97) to extend these findings in several ways. First, we assess the efficacy of specific types of school-based and work-based initiatives, including job shadowing, mentoring, cooperative education, school-sponsored enterprise, technical preparation, internships, and career major. Next, we extend the usual focus on the employment outcomes of work status and financial compensation to consider job-specific information on the receipt of fringe benefits. Overall, results from longitudinal multivariate analyses suggest that transition initiatives are effective in facilitating vocational success for this population; however, different aspects of school-to-work programs are beneficial for different aspects of employment. School-based programs are positively associated with stable employment and full-time work while work-based programs most consistently increase the likelihood that youth with disabilities will be employed in jobs that provide fringe benefits. Analyses also indicate that – once individuals with disabilities are stably employed – they can be employed in "good" jobs that provide employee benefits.

Shandra, Carrie L. and Dennis P. Hogan. "School-to-Work Program Participation and the Post-High School Employment of Young Adults with Disabilities.." Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 29 (2008): 117-130

CMS Data Compendium

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This CMS website provides summary tables of Medicare utilization and enrollment by state. Online editions are available for 2002, 2003, and 2006.

Census - American FactFinder

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

2000 Census: American FactFinder. A portal to the Summary Files that allow users to conduct data searches down to the block group level. Summary File 3 includes disability data collected through the "long form" questionnaires.

Census - State and Local Quickfacts

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This site provides summary tables of the most requested data for states and counties based on the 2000 Census.

Census Bureau Disability Portal is the gateway to on-line Census publications relevant to disability, including step-by-step instructions for using Summary File 3.

Disability Status: 2000 is a Census 2000 brief that summarizes characteristics of the civilian non-institutionalized population over the age of 5 with disabilities.

Public Use Microdata (PUMS) for the 2000 Census: include data for a sample of long-form data for each state.

PUMS files include state-level Census 2000 data containing individual records of the characteristics for a 5 percent sample of people and housing units.

Public Use Microdata (PUMS) for the 2000 and 2001 Supplementary Surveys

Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) is sponsored by the U.S. Census Bureau. Its purpose is to collect information on source and amount of income, labor force participation, program participation and eligibility data, and general demographic characteristics of individuals and households in the U.S. SIPP data are used to measure the effectiveness of government programs, to estimate future costs and coverage for these programs, and to provide improved statistics on the distribution of income in the U.S.

Current Population Survey (CPS)

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The Current Population Survey is a monthly longitudinal survey conducted by the Census for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Dept of Commerce. In March, a supplement called the Annual Demographic Supplement is added to the basic CPS. This part of the CPS is of particular interest to disability statistics researchers. The March supplement collects data on work experience, income, non-cash benefits, and migration, as well as basic monthly demographic and labor force data.

The United States Disability System and Programs to Promote Employment for People with Disabilities

2009-05-19T16:34:57.943

An article in la Revue française des Affaires socials includes a discussion of the role of employment-focused policies and summarizes findings from several evaluations of return-to-work supports targeted to people with disabilities. Despite effective alternatives to traditional approaches, the authors conclude that more work needs to be done given that many interventions are still untested and many programs contain work disincentives. The paper provides an overview of disability programs, a comparison to Western European programs, the development of disability programs, and a discussion of innovative programs including the Accelerated Benefits Demonstration, the Youth Transition Demonstration, the Medicaid Buy-In, and the Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment.

The United States Disability System and Programs to Promote Employment for People with Disabilities

2009-05-19T16:34:57.943

Interim Report on the Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment

2009-05-19T15:22:28.710

To help American workers with potentially disabling conditions to achieve these goals, Congress authorized the Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment (DMIE) under the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999. The DMIE program provides funds to states to develop, implement, and evaluate interventions for working adults with potentially disabling conditions, such as diabetes, HIV, or mental illness.

This report is an interim assessment of the national DMIE evaluation. It integrates quantitative and qualitative data assembled from multiple sources, including information provided by the state evaluation teams, and presents a summary of the enrollment and implementation experiences of the state DMIE projects through December 2008.

Executive Summary

Comparison of VR Outcomes for Clients with Mental Illness across System Indicators

2009-05-19T16:37:50.077

In Comparison of VR Outcomes for Clients with Mental Illness across System Indicators (Institute for Community Inclusion), the authors provide a series of tables showing various Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) outcomes for people with mental illness. While the outcomes cannot be compared across systems due to measures varying in definition, time frames, and diagnostic criteria for inclusion, the authors conclude that it would be useful for researchers to look across the data for emerging patterns. Three issues are highlighted: beyond the assumption of "competitive employment" in integrated settings in the community there is no common definition of employment (more precisely "successful employment") used in many studies; no clear objective data currently exists to provide an overarching measure of employment outcomes; and different states and different public systems within those states, e.g., Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and Mental Health (MH) vary in how they measure the characteristics of the clients served. Some of the questions for further inquiry include:

Is improving employment services program by program the best way to change systems to produce better employment outcomes for an overall system of care? If not, what strategies might work better?
Why have not all these various change efforts, some operating for several years, produced better outcomes in the global employment data sets of the systems they are trying to affect the most – public VR and state/ local mental health authorities?
Why is there such disparity in statewide outcomes among states even with technical assistance or added resources related to employment?
What are the feasible tools for progress monitoring available that are cost effective, have some legitimacy, and are accurate? Is there a way to use administrative data? If we are looking to improve system outcomes through evidence-based practice, then can we use tools already in place or do we need to create some to monitor our system change?

Society for Disability Studies (University of Illinois at Chicago)

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The Department of Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago has a useful link of general resources as part of their Society for Disability Studies website.

An Examination of Factors Contributing to Public Rehabilitation Counselors' Involvement in Job Placement and Development Activit

2009-05-19T16:39:50.473

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of personal attitudes, perceived organizational attitudes, and self-efficacy on public rehabilitation counselor's involvement in the job placement and development process. Perceived organizational attitudes were found to be significantly related to the percentage of placement services contracted out by rehabilitation counselors in the public sector. Counselor's self-efficacy in placement was positively correlated with personal attitudes towards placement. Responses to individual attitudinal and efficacy items are presented. Implications of the findings for public sector placement activities, and job placement as a rehabilitation counselor job task are discussed.

APSE

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

Formerly the Association for Persons in Supported Employment, this website has some open features but is a membership only, which includes electronic access to the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation and state chapters.

User-friendly Motivational Interviewing and Evidence-Based Supported Employment Tools for Practitioners

2009-05-19T16:43:18.813

Evidence-Based Supported Employment (EBSE) significantly increases employment rates for individuals with severe mental illness; however, 40% - 60% of EBSE participants fail to secure employment. Possibly, EBSE provides effective services for individuals determined to locate employment; however, it lacks components to intervene with individuals demonstrating ambivalence about finding and continuing work after they start EBSE. In order to address employment ambivalence, the authors recommend practitioners utilize one service package that includes EBSE and Motivational Interviewing (MI), referred to as EBSE/MI in this paper. The authors offer nine user-friendly tools incorporating EBSE/MI for professionals engaged in employment services for individuals with severe mental illness. The goal of this paper is to provide strategies for practitioners to assist individuals with ambivalence about working to either obtain or sustain jobs.

Coordination of Postsecondary Transition Services for Students with Disabilities

2009-05-19T16:47:16.573

There are 6,500 postsecondary institutions in the U.S. that enroll about 16 million full- and part-time students, i.e., 14 million undergraduates and 2 million graduates. Only 9% of these students have a documented disability, i.e., the participation of the target population is low. The current study was an effort to identify alterable issues (for example, empowerment, advocacy, accessibility, faculty awareness, and quality of services) affecting university-based service delivery rather than unalterable status or demographic variables from the perspective of students with disabilities and administrators of Office of Disability Services (ODS). The participants were 445 students with disabilities and four ODS Directors/Coordinators at two universities in a southern and two universities in a midwestern state. The respondents reported that there existed a crucial need for collaborative service provision to eliminate duplication of efforts, campus-wide assistive technology laboratories, and assistance to minimize employment barriers. The findings, if implemented with the existing financial resources, hold promise to: (1) change the trajectory leading to low enrollment and high dropout rates and (2) generate a more inclusive provision of transition services and accessible campus ambiance.

WVU: International Center for Disability Information

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The International Center for Disability Information (ICDI) at West Virginia University has an easy-to-use website to access disability tables, including a breakdown by categories for each state. In addition they have an extensive Untangling the Web resources list at http://www.icdi.wvu.edu/Others.htm

An Exploration of the Costs of Services Funded by Vocational Rehabilitation

2009-05-19T16:48:30.310

This study examined cost of services provided by VR for fiscal years 2002 through 2006 for all consumers served within the entire United States (i.e., 3,182,126 individuals). Specifically, this study sought to determine the average cost of services that VR provides to its consumers, the cost-trends of VR's services (e.g., whether the costs of services are increasing or decreasing over time), and whether certain demographic variables (e.g., disability, severity of disability, level of education) influence the costs of services that consumers receive. Findings here indicate that costs of VR's services decreased over time when placed within the context of wages earned by the consumer. In addition, costs of services changed substantially by disability, but not by the presence of a secondary disability.

Differences in Perceptions of Career Barriers and Supports for People with Disabilities by Demographic, Background and Case Stat

2009-05-19T16:49:41.357

People with disabilities encounter a number of barriers as they make the decision to enter or re-enter the workplace. One theoretical construct, drawn from Social Cognitive Career Theory, that might be useful in understanding work barriers for people with disabilities is the view of career barriers. The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of career barriers among a sample of 99 individuals with disabilities who were interested in vocational rehabilitation services. Individual participants were recruited from those attending state VR orientation programs, and asked to complete the Career Barriers Inventory. Findings indicated that gender, prior work history, and educational background were related to perceptions of career barriers. Perceptions of career barriers were mitigated by certain social support factors. It appears that career barrier perception is a useful construct for rehabilitation counselors to assess and consider in developing and planning interventions.

Web Site Helps Employers Interview Job Applicants with Disabilities

2009-05-19T16:51:11.700

The Law, Health Policy & Disabilities Center at the University of Iowa College of Law has developed training that can help employers interview individuals with disabilities. In addition, people with disabilities can also use this training to learn how to present themselves effectively to potential employers during the interview process. This web-based training includes a mix of mock interviews in video, FAQs, best practices, and instruction about how the Americans with Disabilities Act affects the job interview.

Applicants often fear they may be discriminated against if they disclose a disability during an interview, and well-intentioned employers are often unsure about questions they can and cannot ask. A nondiscriminatory interview is based on three general points: 1) Have a detailed job description that includes job duties and essential skills. 2) Ask questions that relate only to the essential functions of the job. 3) Ask reasonable followup questions based on feedback from the applicant.

Full Story:
http://news-releases.uiowa.edu/2009/february/021209website.html

The training is located at
http://disability.law.uiowa.edu/online_ed/

University of Iowa: State Work Incentives Center

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The University of Iowa’s state work incentives center includes research on State Medicaid Buy-In programs. Some of the information is not current (e.g., 2002), but still useful.

Federal Employment of People with Disabilities

2009-05-19T16:52:15.647

Among other findings, the paper concludes that current efforts to employ people with disabilities in the Federal Government have not worked well, and makes recommendations for reversing this trend. As part of the employment paper release, Susan Parker, Director of Policy Development, Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor discussed her reaction to the paper.

ODEP Releases Roadmaps II, an Overview of AT Programs

2009-05-19T16:55:20.237

Roadmaps II for Enhancing the Employment of Persons with Disabilities Through Accessible Technology is an overview of federally funded Accessible Technology (AT) programs, information about the creation of the AT Collaborative, a compilation of some of the barriers impacting the use of AT by individuals with disabilities regarding employment; and recommendations to increase and enhance the employment of individuals with disabilities though AT. Recommendations for federally funded AT programs, for the federal government, and for employers and businesses are included in the report.

The new report Roadmaps II, and the original business dialogues Roadmaps I, are both available at http://www.dol.gov/odep/categories/employment_supports/roadmaps.htm.

Cornell University - Disability Statistics

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor Relations. This website is a treasure trove of statistics and rigorous data and information on disability.

Disability Statistics Center (University of California—San Francisco)

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

Institute for Health and Aging at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Through September 2003, the NIDRR-funded Center produced and disseminated policy-relevant statistical information on the demographics and status of people with disabilities in American society. Research materials and reports are still available on the website.

Listing of center publications on disability statistics

Locations of disability data

U.S. Decennial Census / Supplementary Surveys / American Community Survey

Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)

ODEP Releases Roadmaps II, an Overview of AT Programs

2009-05-19T16:58:50.207

The new report Roadmaps II, and the original business dialogues Roadmaps I, are both available at http://www.dol.gov/odep/categories/employment_supports/roadmaps.htm.

ResDAC - University of Minnesota

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This website includes technical references for Medicare and Medicaid datasets including data element dictionaries and public-use files. It’s not designed for quick lookups. Data geeks are welcome!!!

Mathematica Policy Research (MPR)

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This website provides a complete set of links to Medicaid Buy-In reports and the Working with Disabilities issue briefs.

National Business and Disability Council

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The National Business and Disability Council is a leading resource for employers seeking to integrate people with disabilities into the workplace and companies seeking to reach them in the consumer marketplace. Its Emerging Leaders program places college students with disabilities in summer internship programs.

How Will Health System Reform Address the Needs of Working-Age People with Disabilities?

2009-05-19T17:06:39.933

This was the fourth bimonthly lunchtime seminar series on disability policy research findings hosted by the Center for Studying Disability Policy at Mathematica Policy Research.

The forum explored how health system reform will address the needs of working-age individuals with disabilities. Center researchers David Stapleton and Su Liu presented policy issues concerning health care coverage for this population based on the findings from two recent studies. Dr. Stapleton presented findings on the experiences of workers with disabilities before, during, and after their entry into the Social Security Disability Insurance program. Dr. Liu discussed findings from analyses of the Medicaid Buy-In program, an optional program designed to address coverage issues for workers with disabilities. Additionally, Peter Thomas, a lawyer specializing in the areas of health care, rehabilitation, disability, and employment, discussed the extent to which major health reform proposals would address coverage issues.

American Association of People with Disabilities

2010-01-11T12:29:00.543

The American Association of People with Disabilities website focuses on leadership development, mentoring, policitical participation, advocacy and membership

Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Aging with a Disability

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center investigates the impact of aging on people with a disability, and examines issues such as health changes, psychological reactions, family needs, and job accommodation. The center specializes in new research on aging with disability and providing training to physicians, direct service professionals, and consumers. Job accommodation research is one additional focus.

Chamber of Commerce for Individuals with DisAbilities (CCID)

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The Chamber of Commerce for Individuals with DisAbilities (CCID) is a national consumer volunteer organization that uses business principles to improve the economic status of individuals with disabilities, who are disadvantaged, or who are unemployed.

How Will Health System Reform Address the Needs of Working-Age People with Disabilities?

2009-05-19T17:06:39.933

This was the fourth bimonthly lunchtime seminar series on disability policy research findings hosted by the Center for Studying Disability Policy at Mathematica Policy Research.

Interagency Committee on Disability Research

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR) facilitates the effective exchange of information on disability and rehabilitation research activities among its 70-plus member agencies. We coordinate activities that span the areas of assistive technology and universal design; medical rehabilitation; data and statistics; employment; and community participation.

Integrated EAP, Disability Plan Helps Employer Reduce Costs

2009-05-19T17:07:39.300

This news article focuses on the experiment conducted by Southern California Edison in which it integrated its disability management program with its employee assistance program (EAP). The result was more employees returned to work within the time they were expected to, and those who came back were less likely to go out on disability again, according to disability manager Deborah Jacobs. Of the 540 disability cases referred to the program to date, only two went off work again, and one of them went to part-time, so they were not really off work, Jacobs noted.

Youth Transition Demonstration

2009-06-01T15:06:59.597

To further the President’s New Freedom Initiative goal of increasing employment of individuals with disabilities, SSA created the Youth Transition Demonstration (YTD). YTD began in 2003 with seven projects in six States. During 2007, SSA piloted new projects in five States, and ultimately choose three new sites for full participation. These sites, which include Florida, Maryland and West Virginia, resumed full operations in Spring of 2008.

The States developed service delivery systems to assist youth with disabilities to successfully transition from school, which may include post-secondary education, to employment and economic self-sufficiency. The States established partnerships to improve employment outcomes for youth ages 14-25 who receive SSI or SSDI payments on the basis of their own disability. The projects provide a broad array of transition-related services and supports to SSI and SSDI applicants and children.

Mental Health Treatment Study

2009-06-01T15:23:31.863

The Mental Health Treatment Study (MHTS) will provide mental health disorder treatments (pharmaceutical and psychotherapeutic) and/or employment supports that are not covered by other insurance for study participants. Its purpose is to determine the impact these services would have on outcomes such as medical recovery, functioning, employment, and benefit receipt for SSDI beneficiaries with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia or affective disorder.

The study remains in the field for 3-1/2 years, and a final report is expected in February 2011.

National Organization on Disability

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The National Organization on Disability (N.O.D.) works to expand the participation and contribution of America’s men, women and children with disabilities in all aspects of life. Relevant features of their website include information on the National EmployAbility Partnership and Economic Participation, which provides employment and technology resources of value to job seekers, potential employers, and those interested in marketing to the disability community.

Healthcare for Workers with Disabilities: Supporting and Encouraging Employment

2009-06-12T13:19:18.590

According to a report by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services Research and Data Analysis Division, participants in Healthcare for Workers with Disabilities, Washington’s Medicaid Buy-In program, demonstrated improved outcomes in the year following enrollment compared to similar non-participants. Highlights include:

Employment. HWD participants with prior coverage are working 193 hours more per year than their counterparts, and people without prior Medicaid coverage worked 414 hours more than their counterparts.
Earnings. In the year following enrollment participants with prior coverage earned an annual average of $1,190 more than their counterparts, and participants without prior coverage earned an average of $5,269 more than their counterparts.
Self-Sufficiency. Participants are paying health insurance premiums, contributing more in taxes, and relying less on food stamps.

The report also includes more details and charts about the results, information about HWD, and a description of the methodology.

The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

NCPAD is an information center concerned with physical activity and disability. The mission of the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) is to promote substantial health benefits that can be gained from participating in regular physical activity. This site provides information and resources that can enable people with disabilities to become as physically active as they choose to be.

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHY)

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The dissemination center is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, OSEP, and serves as a central source of information on IDEA, No Child Left Behind (as it relates to children with disabilities), and research-based information on effective educational practices.

Does participation in interdisciplinary work rehabilitation programme influence return to work obstacles and predictive factors?

2009-06-08T10:24:38.077

Musculoskeletal disorders evolve into long-term work disabilities in ∼10% of work-injury cases. From a prevention perspective, screening for predictive factors and obstacles associated with long-term work disability appear to offer a promising avenue for work rehabilitation. However, knowledge of the factors at play during the chronic phase remains limited. This study aims to explore the presence of a relationship between the predictive factors and obstacles identified at the time of admission to an interdisciplinary work rehabilitation programme and return to work upon completion of the programme, in individuals with a long-term work disability. Method. A descriptive correlational study involving 222 individuals assessed using the Work Disability Diagnostic Interview and who participated in the PREVICAP work rehabilitation programme. Results. The general model accurately predicts the work status of 77% of the participants. Seven to nine factors were found to be associated with return to work in each model produced (3). Those factors were mainly psychosocial and work-related in nature and differ according to gender. Unexpectedly, certain obstacles observed at the time of admission to the programme appear to have a protective effect and thus promote participants' return to work. Conclusion. The results obtained support the hypothesis that screening for predictive factors and obstacles at the time of admission of a work rehabilitation programme for individuals with a long-term work disability allows for more effective intervention regarding these factors, and in all likelihood, promotes return to work.

Assistive technology: Impact on education, employment, and independence of individuals with physical disabilities

2009-06-12T13:13:42.603

This manuscript discusses how assistive technology impacts individuals with disabilities in relation to their education, employment, and ability to live independently. Appropriately selected and utilized assistive technology is imperative for individuals to approach an even par with their non-disabled peers. This paper specifically addresses a number of key questions: How important is assistive technology (AT) to the success of individuals with disabilities in education, employment, and achieving independence? If AT is important, in what ways is it important? What essential need(s) are met by the use of AT in education, employment, and independence? What remain as unresolved issues and questions regarding the use of AT by individuals with disabilities as they pursue postsecondary education, meaningful careers, and living independently? This review notes that AT is a foundational support that produces multiple and life-altering benefits. While we know much about the impact of AT on the lives of individuals with disabilities, many unanswered issues and questions remain.

W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The Upjohn Institute Research Division analyzes the dynamics of the labor market and conducts evaluations of employment programs around the world; its interest in social insurance includes the nation's disability programs and workers' compensation insurance. Areas of particular interest on the website include a Research Hub of Disability & Workers' Comp, as well as an Employment Research Data Center.

The monetary benefits and costs of hiring supported employees: A pilot study

2009-06-12T13:15:08.657

This paper illustrates the implementation of a new cost-accounting methodology that can be used to measure the monetary outcomes of supported employment from the perspective of employers. The methodology attempts to ascertain which "type" of employee (i.e., workers with disabilities versus workers without disabilities) is most economical for employers to hire. Avenues for future research are also presented.

Return to work of individuals with arthritis: A review of job performance and retention

2009-06-12T13:16:45.187

With so many people affected by arthritis and the significant impact it has on themselves and on their families, employers as well as on society, employment of individuals with arthritis is an important topic to consider. A review of literature was conducted to examine the issues that arise from arthritis, factors that influence work disability and employment retention, and interventions and services that are available to promote and retain employment for individuals with arthritis. In recent years, employers have begun to proactively intervene in terms of both prevention activities as well as provision of accommodation. Work disability is a common occurrence for individuals with arthritis and factors that influence work disability for those with arthritis include employment factors, employee factors, disease factors, and other factors such as access to health care and vocational rehabilitation. It is critical to consider the complex interaction of these factors in order for individuals with arthritis to remain productive and future research must consider all of these aspects when developing and implementing interventions.

North American Collaborating Center (NACC) on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The NACC is located at the NCHS and works in close collaboration with the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) and Statistics Canada. NACC maintains liaison with WHO on implementation and maintenance of the set of International Classifications.

Surveys of Service Providers

2009-08-04T17:41:14.870

Surveys of Employers

2009-08-04T17:41:14.870

National Consortium for Health System Development

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This T/A center has an active membership of about 30 states and sponsors a number of conferences and other activities that address MIG-related state issues. NCHSD's website contains resources on Medicaid Buy-In, benefits planning, employer partnerships, strategic planning and other topics.

Center for Workers with Disabilities

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This T/A center works to enhance public policy for persons with disabilities and sponsors a number of conferences that address MIG-related state issues. CWD is an affiliate of the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA).

Vermont Medicaid Buy-In Report

2009-07-09T12:58:29.377

According to a report to the Vermont General Assembly, Vermont’s Medicaid for Working People with Disabilities program has some more restrictive eligibility features than Buy-In programs in many other states, yet still ranks relatively high in terms of program penetration. In 2006, WPWD had enrolled 292 individuals per 10,000 state residents, aged 16 to 64, compared to a median rate across the 32 Buy-In programs of 70.5 per 10,000. In 2006 the rate of Vermont MBI enrollees with federally reported earnings was 86 percent (versus a national MBI rate of 69 percent), and the average earnings level of those earners was $7,385 (versus a national MBI level of $8,237). The report includes: a program description and history; comparison to programs in other states; enrollment patterns and demographic characteristics; health insurance status; estimated size of the population potentially eligible for WPWD; data limitations; and constraints on eligibility.

Northeast Partnership for Health System Development

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This consortium of New England states work together to share research ideas and findings on MIG-related issues.

Kaiser State Health Facts

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This website, sponsored by the Kaiser Family Foundation, provides quick lookups and user-friendly access to state-level Medicaid and Medicare utilization data as well as demographic characteristics in a tabular or graphical format

United Nations Statistics Division - Disability Statistics

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

United Nations Statistics Division - Disability Statistics This site provides a statistical reference and guide to national sources of disability, basic disability prevalence rates, and questions used in each national survey to identify persons with disabilities. The data available on this site are in the United Nations Disability Statistics Database, version 2 (DISTAT-2).

World Health Organization - International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health.

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This site does not include disability data, but provides extensive information on WHO's current system for classifying disability. The system is noteworthy for its recognition of disability as an interaction process between the person and his or her environment.

CDC: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

While the main disabilities page on the CDC site has a focus on developmental disabilities through the MMWR publication, they also produce statistics on the prevalence of work disability.

Prevalence of Work Disability -- United States, 1990

Prevalence of Disabilities and Associated Health Conditions Among Adults --- United States, 1999

Twelve Strategies to Improve Services to People with Disabilities

2009-07-09T13:00:21.140

US and UK Routes to Employment: Strategies to Improve Integrated Service Delivery to People with Disabilities aims to identify strategies that employment services in both countries have used in the delivery of services to meet the more complex employment support needs of people with disabilities within systems designed for the "universal" job seeker, and to investigate the extent to which these strategies are effective in reaching their goal. The strategies discussed are:

Proactively reach out and market to people with disabilities to increase access to employment programs and services.
Create universally accessible and customer-friendly environments for direct employment service delivery.
Provide specialist support to people with disabilities as needed.
Train staff on disability and related issues to build organizational capacity to better serve people with disabilities.
Calculate whether people with disabilities would be better off working and give advice on work incentives to help them overcome financial worries about returning to work.
Provide supports to help people with disabilities do their jobs and stay in work.
Measure the effectiveness of job finding for people with disabilities to continuously improve employment service delivery.
Engage disability organizations in direct employment service delivery.
Partner with other service providers and share resources to provide more comprehensive employment service delivery but also prevent duplication.
Understand employers' needs as an essential part of the process of finding jobs for people with disabilities.
Intervene early to help prevent people going onto long-term disability benefits from becoming disconnected from the labor market.
Help people to understand and manage their disability or health condition so that they are in a better position to obtain and keep employment.

ResDAC - University of Minnesota

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

Kansas Medicare Part D study

2009-10-01T14:48:29.423

This is a link to the research conducted with Medicaid Buy-In participants in Kansas on Medicare Part D. The citation for this article is:

Hall, Jean P., Kurth, Noelle K., & Moore, Janice M. (Jan, 2007). Transition to Medicare Part D: An Early Snapshot of Barriers Experienced by Younger Dual Eligibles With Disabilities, American Journal of Managed Care, pp 14-18.

Predictors of Employment for Young Adults with Developmental Motor Disabilities.

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The objective of this study was to identify the personal, family, and community factors that facilitate or hinder employment for young adults with developmental motor disabilities. Quantitative methods with an embedded qualitative component were used. Seventy-six persons between the ages of 20 and 30 years of age (Mean = 25, SD = 3.1) with a diagnosis of either cerebral palsy or spina bifida completed questionnaires addressing factors such as depression, and participated in a semi-structured interview that allowed participants to describe their experiences with education, employment, transportation, and other services.

Almost half of the participants (n = 35) were not currently employed. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that gender (females were less likely to be employed), IQ (lower IQ associated with unemployment), and transportation dependence accounted for 42% of the variance in employment. Themes emerging from content analysis of the interviews supported the findings related to transportation barriers. Social reactions to disability limited employment opportunities, and participants often felt stuck in terms of employment options with limited opportunities for advancement.

Transportation is a significant barrier to employment and innovative solutions are needed. Issues related to gender need to be considered when addressing employment inequities for persons with primarily motor disabilities.

Magill-Evans, J., Galambos, N. L., Darrah, J., &. Nickerson, C. "Predictors of Employment for Young Adults with Developmental Motor Disabilities." Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment, and Rehabilitation, 31(1). (2008)

The Economics of Supported Employment

2009-07-13T14:38:47.673

This document is a powerpoint presentation presented at the 2009 APSE conference. It summarizes the cost-accounting literature on supported employment, highlights what was "known" on the topic in the 1990s, discusses recent research, and outlines critical questions to be answered.

The Outcomes and Costs of Public Vocational Rehabilitation Consumers with Mental

2009-07-13T14:47:09.027

This study explored the costs of services that individuals with various mental illnesses received through the State-Federal Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Service Program. These costs, also placed within the context of wages earned and hours worked, were then compared to those generated by the general population of VR consumers. Data indicated that all groups with mental illnesses averaged lower per capita costs of services than the overall population of VR consumers. However, when cost per wages earned and hours worked were examined, individuals with schizophrenia were more costly than all other comparison groups, even though individuals with schizophrenia had the highest rate of employment of the groups investigated.

The Social Security Administration's youth transition demonstration projects

2009-07-16T13:09:09.170

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is funding Youth Transition Demonstration (YTD) projects in multiple sites across the country. These projects seek to improve transitions to adulthood for youth whose disabilities are so severe that they either are currently receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security disability benefits, or are at high risk of receiving them in the future. Youth participating in the projects are eligible for more generous earnings disregards and other incentives under SSA waivers of certain disability program rules. In addition, the projects provide them with individualized employment and benefits planning services. The waivers and services are designed to increase the likelihood that the YTD participants will become employed, earn enough to reduce their disability benefits, and eventually leave the disability rolls. Under contract with SSA, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. is conducting a rigorous random assignment evaluation of six of the demonstration projects. Approximately 880 youth at each site who agree to participate in the evaluation are being randomly assigned to treatment or control groups. The treatment group members are eligible for the SSA waivers and YTD services; the control group members are eligible for neither, but they can receive standard disability program work incentives and whatever alternative services may be available in their communities. Mathematica is gathering data on the treatment and control group members for up to four years following random assignment through surveys and SSA administrative records. By comparing mean values of outcomes such as earnings and disability benefit amounts for the treatment and control groups, the evaluation will assess whether the YTD projects are successful at improving transitions to adulthood. Findings from the evaluation will be presented in site-specific interim reports in 2010–2012 and in a comprehensive final report in 2014.

Providing supports to youth with disabilities transitioning to adulthood: Case descriptions from the Youth Transition Demonstrat

2009-07-16T13:10:52.300

Post-school employment rates for youth with significant disabilities remain intractably low. An important policy concern is whether youth who receive disability cash benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) are obtaining the necessary supports to make a successful transition to adult life. The SSA initiated the Youth Transition Demonstration (YTD) projects in an attempt to develop services and supports to assist youth in making a successful transition into adulthood. This article provides a detailed description of the intervention components for the YTD projects and presents three case descriptions to illustrate how youth can potentially benefit from these services. The selected cases in this paper illustrate the potential for youth with disabilities to leverage project services and move into employment.

Part-time work among older workers with disabilities in Europe.

2009-07-27T15:37:33.103

To analyse the use of part-time work among older workers with disabilities compared with their non-disabled counterparts within a European context. Study design: Cross-sectional. Methods: Data were drawn from the 2004 Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. The key advantage of this dataset is that it provides a harmonized cross-national dimension, and contains information for European individuals aged 50 years or over on a wide range of health indicators, disability, socio-economic situation, social relations, etc. Results: Older people with disabilities (aged 50-64 years) are more likely to have a part-time job compared with their non-disabled counterparts. Although there is an important employment gap between the two groups, many older workers with disabilities use part-time work to achieve a better balance between their health status and working life. The econometric analysis corroborated that being disabled has a positive effect on the probability of working on a part-time basis, although this effect varies by country. Conclusions: Policy makers must encourage part-time employment as a means of increasing employment opportunities for older workers with disabilities, and support gradual retirement opportunities with flexible and reduced working hours. It is crucial to change attitudes towards older people with disabilities in order to increase their labour participation and reduce their levels of poverty and marginalization.

Empowerment variables for rehabilitation clients on perceived beliefs concerning work quality of life domains

2009-07-27T15:39:44.137

This article describes and presents an initial analysis of variables generally associated with empowerment towards perceived beliefs concerning quality of life work domains for individuals with disabilities. The model examines the domains of importance, satisfaction, control and degree of interference of disability that an individual feels towards work. The internet based study used results from 70 individuals with disabilities in varying aspects of work. The variables composing empowerment that correlated strongly with the work domains include: self-advocacy, self-efficacy, perceived stigma, and family resiliency as measured through coping. Quality of Life concerning work was measured through the DSC-C a domain specific QOL instrument.

Post-Injury Work Outcomes Revisited

2009-08-07T08:37:43.420

We use data for Ontario workers with permanent impairments resulting from work-related injuries to investigate the complex relationships among post-injury work outcomes: wages, accommodations, returning to the same or different employer, and duration of work absence. We argue the different aspects of post-injury work experience may be jointly determined, making post-injury job characteristics endogenous in a duration model. To explore the endogeneity issues we instrument post-injury job variables from first-stage equations and compare results from this "informed" model to a "naive" model that treats the variables as exogenous. We find that returning to one's pre-injury employer is associated with more favorable post-injury work outcomes, including higher wages, greater likelihood of job accommodations, and shorter durations of work absence relative to workers who change employers. We also find substantial differences between the naive and informed models, with accommodations having the predicted negative effect on duration only after we control for endogeneity .

The Kirkpatrick model: A useful tool for evaluating training outcomes

2009-08-21T11:22:03.360

Services employing staff to support people with disability usually provide training in a range of areas including communication and managing challenging behaviour. Given that such training can be costly and time-consuming, it is important to evaluate the evidence presented in support of such programs. Efficacy in clinical practice is measured using evidence-based practice. However, there is currently no model that is widely used to compare and evaluate training programs despite the large number of training programs reported each year. Six studies published in the last decade that reported the outcomes of communication-based training and six that reported on the outcomes of challenging behaviour training were evaluated using the 4-level Kirkpatrick model. Comparison of the levels of evidence is made for these 12 studies. The Kirkpatrick model provides one technique for appraisal of the evidence for any reported training program and could be used to evaluate whether a training program is likely to meet the needs and requirements of both the organisation implementing the training and the staff who will participate.

What Happens to Medicaid Buy-In Participants After They Leave the Program?

2009-10-09T10:45:50.480

This issue brief, the ninth in a series on workers with disabilities, examines the prevalence and characteristics of Medicaid Buy-In participants who leave the program as well as their participation status in other public programs and their employment outcomes after disenrollment.

A Review of Recent Evaluation Efforts Associated with Programs and Policies Designed to Promote the Employment of Adults with Di

2009-10-09T10:54:04.240

Based on the findings of a review of evaluations of 27 programs promoting employment for adults with disabilities, the authors, Gina Livermore and Nanette Goodman, recommend two strategies for improving outcomes: undertake bolder initiatives and generate better evidence on the impacts of the initiatives undertaken. The evaluations are of programs that represent a federally sponsored program, policy, or initiative designed specifically to improve employment of the working-age adult population with disabilities, and evaluate the effectiveness of the initiative.

CDC: Center for Health Statistics

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The Centers for Disease Control's National Center for Health Statistics', a rich source of information about America’s health. As the Nation’s principal health statistics agency, they compile statistical information to guide actions and policies to improve public health.

CDC Fast Stats A to Z: Work-Related Injury/Occupational Injury section.

The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is sponsored by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The survey is a nationally representative sample of the resident civilian, non-institutionalized U.S. population, both children and adults. It does not include residents of long-term care facilities, persons on active duty with the Armed Forces (though their dependents are included); or U.S. nationals living in foreign countries. The NHIS has been conducted annually since 1957. Sampling and interviewing are done continuously throughout the year.

Series 10 reports include annual basic survey estimates for various population subgroups, including those defined by age, gender, race, family income, and other variables. Separate reports are issue for the U.S. population, the adult population, and children.

The National Health Interview Survey on Disability (NHIS-D) was sponsored by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Unlike the annual NHIS, the NHIS-D was conducted only once beginning in 1994, in two phases. The Phase 1 Disability questionnaire was administered to respondents as a supplement to the regular annual NHIS (the "core") in 1994-5. It elicited information on disability for members of each household surveyed, and was used a screening device for Phase 2, the "Disability Followback Survey" (DFS). The DFS was administered to people who were identified as having disabilities through the Phase 1 NHIS-D and also by their responses to disability-related questions in the core NHIS. Phase II was conducted several months after the core NHIS and Phase 1 interviews and lasted from 1994 through 1997.

CDC: Center for Health Statistics

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

CDC Fast Stats A to Z: Work-Related Injury/Occupational Injury section.

Transforming Disability Policy for Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities

2009-09-09T13:20:56.350

This MPR issue brief highlights policy issues to be addressed by transition-aged youth with disabilities.

California 2004 SPI Report

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This link to the 2004 State Partnership Initiative (SPI) report for California summarizes findings on how benefits counseling services affected participant earnings and employment. The primary method used in the report's evaluation is a matched-comparison, quasi-experimental design.

Nebraska Medicaid Buy-In (MIWD) Evaluation Report

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This link will take you to Nebraska's evaluation web page, including a link to the April 2007 evaluation report on the Medicaid Insurance for Workers with Disabilities (MIWD) program. The purpose of the evaluation of MIWD was to obtain an accurate and meaningful picture of clients, determine the value of the program for the clients, evaluate the Medicaid Eligibility Workers’ awareness of program procedures, attitudes about people with disabilities and employment, and provide recommendations for improvement of MIWD.

Cornell University - Disability Statistics

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor Relations. This website is a treasure trove of statistics and rigorous data and information on disability.

State Chart Book on Wages for Personal and Home Care Aides, 1999-2008

2009-09-30T12:29:03.523

The State Chart Book on Wages for Personal and Home Care Aides, 1999-2008, prepared by PHI, provides information on the wages received by Personal and Home Care Aides (PHCA) in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the nation over a 9-year period.

What Is the Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment (DMIE) and Who Is Participating?

2009-05-19T15:21:25.040

The sixth policy brief in a Mathematica series on working with disability looks at the Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment (DMIE), which allows states to provide Medicaid-equivalent or “wrap-around” coverage to supplement existing health insurance for workers with potentially disabling conditions. The brief reviews the rationale for the DMIE and describes programs and participants in four states—Hawaii, Kansas, Minnesota, and Texas.

Social Security and Mental Illness: Reducing Disability with Supported Employment

2009-05-19T15:34:43.723

Social Security Administration disability programs are expensive, growing, and headed toward bankruptcy. People with psychiatric disabilities now constitute the largest and most rapidly expanding subgroup of program beneficiaries. Evidence-based supported employment is a well-defined, rigorously tested service model that helps people with psychiatric disabilities obtain and succeed in competitive employment. Providing evidencebased supported employment and mental health services to this population could reduce the growing rates of disability and enable those already disabled to contribute positively to the workforce and to their own welfare, at little or no cost (and, depending on assumptions, a possible savings) to the government.

Acronyms and Glossary

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This is a list of commonly used acronyms with definitions. You will be re-directed to the toolkit section of this website.

TANF and Hard-to-Employ Populations

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This link to the Urban Institute website is to a July 2007 discussion paper on state approaches to employment for TANF populations. Study results are based primarily on structured interviews with state TANF program officials in 17 states including the states with the largest TANF caseloads.

Iowa 2005 Survey Report

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This is a link to Iowa's 2005 survey report on people with disabilities. The purpose of this report was to compare findings and differences between the 2004 survey report and 2005 version.

SSA: Statistical Compilations on SSI and SSDI

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This link will take you to the SSA's Office of Policy data section. It contains SSA produced reports on the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs, including state-level aggregations.

State Agency Data

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This website generates customized charts of state, national, and individual disability data. The site currently includes data sets from state mental retardation/developmental disabilities agencies, the Rehabilitation Services Administration, the Social Security Administration, and the U.S. Department of Labor. StateData.info automatically creates accessible text versions of each chart.

Allen Jensen's Website

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

Allen Jensen is a senior research scientist and the Director of the Work Incentives Project at George Washington University (Washington, DC). He has advised states on implementing Medicaid Buy-In programs for people with disabilities. In addition, he is a policy expert on the SSI and SSDI programs and served as a staff member for the U.S. House of Representatives' Ways and Means Committee. This link provides lots of useful research information such as an updated table of states with Medicaid Buy-In programs and guides to estimating program enrollment and costs.

Reflections from Employers on the Disabled Workforce: Focus Groups with Healthcare, Hospitality, and Retail Administrators.

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of employers with workers with disabilities. Three focus groups were conducted with 21 administrators from three business sectors (i.e., healthcare, hospitality, and retail). Content analysis indicated five primary themes: (1) importance of disability employment agencies and disability advocates; (2) persistence of manager bias; (3) lack of promotion opportunities; (4) costs associated with having workers with disabilities; and (5) benefits associated with having workers with disabilities. Implications include the need for intervention studies that address the challenges experienced by individuals with disabilities, particularly during hiring and promoting phases of employment, and educational efforts to inform administrators and managers of the few costs and numerous benefits associated with having workers with disabilities.

Hernandez, Brigida, Katherine McDonald, Marielle Divilbiss, Elizabeth Horin, Jessica Velcoff, and Oscar Donoso. 2008. "Reflections from Employers on the Disabled Workforce: Focus Groups with Healthcare, Hospitality and Retail Administrators." Employee Responsibilities & Rights Journal 20, no. 3: 157-164. Business Source Corporate, EBSCOhost (accessed August 1, 2008).8p.

National Post-School Outcomes Center

2009-10-16T12:04:59.447

The National Post-School Outcomes Center aims to help state education agencies establish practical and rigorous data collection systems that will measure and profile the post-school experiences of youth with disabilities. The results will be used for national, state, and local reporting and-most importantly-to guide and improve transition services to this population.

Clearinghouse for the Community Living Exchange Collaborative

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This HCBS clearinghouse website, supported by CMS, provides a link to state MIG research reports and other documents. Please note that some state documents and reports may not be the most current or updated version.

Alaska Employment Barriers Survey Report

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

Findings from a 2004 survey of Alaska Medicaid Buy-In participants are presented here, including demographic information, employment status, and barriers to employment.

Survey Examples

2009-08-04T17:41:14.870

Below you will find several examples of surveys developed by MIG Researchers.

Surveys of Consumers/People with Disabilities

2009-08-07T15:05:21.903

New Hampshire Medicaid Buy-In Evaluation Report

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This research study provides an economic evaluation of New Hampshire's Medicaid Buy-In (the MEAD Program) over a 3-year period. The report provides demographics, enrollment by county, impact on participants' employment earnings, health care utilization and costs, and types of employment.

National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth

2009-10-16T12:14:19.530

The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) assists state and local workforce development systems to better serve all youth, including youth with disabilities and other vulnerable youth. The NCWD/Youth, created in 2001, is composed of partners with expertise in education, youth development, disability, employment, workforce development and family issues. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the NCWD/Youth is housed at the Institute for Educational Leadership in Washington, D.C. NCWD/Youth offers a range of technical assistance services to state and local workforce investment boards, youth councils and other workforce development system youth programs.

Wisconsin Medicaid Buy-In Evaluation Reports

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

Wisconsin has had an ongoing evaluation of it's Medicaid Buy-In (MAPP) since its inception in 2001. This link will take you to a series of annual evaluation reports.

DMIE Kansas

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This link from the University of Kansas includes newsletters for the DMIE program, which provides supplemental coverage of enhanced benefits (e.g., vision, dental care) to participants in the statwide high-risk insurance pool (KHIA). Participants may have pre-existing conditions which make it difficult to find affordable private health insurance. Treatment group members are eligible for lower out-of-pocket costs via lower co-payments and the elimination of deductibles (up to $10,000).

DMIE Texas

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This link from the University of Texas at Austin provides a real-time update on the recruitment of DMIE participants, which started in April 2007. The DMIE program seeks to enroll individuals in the Houston area (Harris County) who have a severe mental illness or a physical diagnosis co-occurring with either a non-severe mental illness or substance abuse disorder. Participants must already have been enrolled in the Harris County Hospital District (HCHD) to qualify.

Barriers to the career advancement of disabled professionals.

2009-05-19T15:35:01.480

Despite governmental efforts and organizational initiatives, the number of disabled professionals in full-time employment is small, and the number of those occupying leadership positions remains even smaller. Past research into disability and employment has outlined a range of barriers that disabled people face in seeking and maintaining employment. Yet, not enough is known about the challenges they encounter in top ranking appointments. This article extends Ryan's and Haslam's notion of the glass cliff to help explain the precariousness experienced by a group of disabled employees in leadership positions - focusing on the nature of the positions they hold and the difficulties they encounter as they attempt to advance their careers.

Wilson-Kovacs, Dana, Michelle K. Ryan, S. Alexander Haslam, and Anna Rabinovich. "'Just because you can get a wheelchair in the building doesn't necessarily mean that you can still participate': barriers to the career advancement of disabled professionals." Disability & Society; Dec2008, Vol. 23 Issue 7, p705-717, 13p

Missouri 2003 MIG Employers Report

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This link to a 2003 report includes a summary of employer attitudes and concerns about hiring people with disabilities. The data are based on results from a survey and focus group. For a copy of the survey instrument and focus group questionnaire, go to the Toolkit section of this website.

Research Summary: Postsecondary Service Use and Outcomes Among Maine Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Clients

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This study looks at the characteristics of DVR clients who used postsecondary services, at spending on postsecondary services, and at the relationship between postsecondary education and several employment outcomes.

Michigan Medicaid Infrastructure Grant/Freedom to Work Medicaid Buy-in Projects

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This link includes access to research and materials relevant to the growth of Michigan's MBI and the outcomes of the MIG relative to reducing barriers to employment.

National Evaluation of Medicaid Demonstration: Home- and Community-Based Alternatives to Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facil

2010-01-11T12:17:22.587

This report provides an overview of the status of the Medicaid Comminity-based Alternatives to Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities Demonstration Program that is currently being implemented in nine States. It provides background information on the Demonstration waiver program and evaluation, an overview of the waiver plans for each of the nine States, a cross State comparison table and discussion of sucessses, barries to success, and lessons learned.

West Virginia Medicaid-Work Incentive (M-WIN) 2008 Participant Survey Report

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The West Virginia Medicaid-Work Incentive (M-WIN) allows a working individual with a disability to pay premiums (buy-in) to obtain or maintain health care coverage through Medicaid. This report presents the results of the 2008 Participant Survey and offers an analysis of some of the key findings and conclusions.

A summary of the results from the 2007 Exit Survey can be found here.

Effects of Job Development and Job Support on Competitive Employment of Persons With Severe Mental Illness

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This study examined theeffects of job development and job support among other serviceson acquisition and retention of competitive employment. Data used in the analysis came from seven sites of the EmploymentIntervention Demonstration Program (EIDP).

Employment Intervention Demonstration Program (EIDP)

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The Employment Intervention Demonstration Program (EIDP) is a multisite research study of innovative programs that combine vocational rehabilitation with clinical services and supports. The study explores the complex factors involved in securing and maintaining satisfying employment among mental health consumers. The major focus of the program is on how these factors are influenced by different types of service interventions. These services are delivered by mental health and rehabilitation professionals, local and state government agencies, and self-help and peer support organizations.

Project Summer

2009-10-16T12:42:14.437

The purpose of this project is to identify the skills, experiences, supports, and connections that youth with disabilities need—both during the school year and summer months—to transition successfully into adulthood. Throughout this three-year development project, we will collaborate with schools, communities, and families to discover how best to deliver transition services. In the end, we hope to refine and evaluate an intervention approach that makes a real difference in young people’s lives.

Assessment of WEB Page Concepts To Aid Clients with Disabilities Seeking Employment

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The Washington Department of Social and Health Services has designed a framework for a potential website that can assist clients with disabilities in making decisions about whether to seek employment. The website would also assist clients who want to work in determining the impact that taking a job might have on their medical and support benefits.

This report contains findings from focus groups conducted with clients with disabilities and providers in three different locations across Washington State in an effort to learn more about how clients with disabilities and their providers react to the employment decision concepts and how well these proposed web page topics meet client needs.

The Long-Term Impact of Comprehensive Vocational Assessment for Youth with Disabilities in Transition: Evaluation of Virginia's

2009-10-16T14:45:35.517

There has been an increasing emphasis in recent decades on providing effective services to youth with disabilities in the process of transitioning from high school into post-secondary education and employment. While the importance of vocational assessment for this population has been discussed, to date there have been no studies of its longterm impact on employment outcomes. The purpose of this study, which makes use of a quasi-experimental design with a matched “business as usual” comparison group, as well as data analysis methods adopted from labor economics research, is to examine the long-term impacts of participation in an innovative program designed to help students with disabilities transition successfully to post-secondary education options, including vocational training. Our evaluation of Virginia’s Post-Secondary Education/Rehabilitation Transition (PERT) program show that PERT participation has significant positive impacts on earnings that increase over time, and provide evidence for the importance of comprehensive, individualized vocational assessments such as those provided through the PERT program.

The Rehabilitation Act: Outcomes for Transition-Age Youth

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This report is a comprehensive assessment of the impact of the Rehabilitation Act on the employment and postsecondary education outcomes of eligible transition-age youth.

The study examines the extent to which VR’s existing federal/state structure promotes the delivery of effective transition services to adolescents and young adults with disabilities, the long-term results of VR’s investment in postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities, and the effectiveness of collaborative efforts among vocational rehabilitation, secondary and postsecondary education, and other service systems in the planning and delivery of transition services.

The Rehabilitation Act: Outcomes for Transition-Age Youth

Center for Studying Disability Policy

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The Center for Studying Disability Policy was established in 2007 by Mathematica to inform disability policy formation with rigorous, objective research and data collected from the people disability policy aims to serve.

Addressing the Underemployment of Persons with Disabilities: Recommendations for Expanding Organizational Social Responsibility

2009-10-19T08:25:03.870

The underemployment of persons with disabilities continues to be a societal problem; many persons with disabilities have difficulty securing and maintaining employment. This difficulty contributes to the relatively higher rates of poverty among persons with disabilities as well as their underutilization as productive members of society. This research examines factors that contribute to this underemployment problem. Based on this examination, we develop questions organizations must consider for addressing the problem. These questions are based on creating working relationships for persons with disabilities at an individual level that may be an extension of an organization’s corporate social responsibility program. Individuals with disabilities have a right to obtain and maintain successful employment opportunities; this research outlines the factors at play and provides suggestions for employers to consider in addressing this social problem.

Report: An analysis of self-employment outcomes within the Federal/State Vocational Rehabilitation System.

2009-10-19T08:26:21.527

The article presents the reports of the START-UP/USA project, funded by U.S. Department of Labor, The Office of Disability Employment Policy. The objective of the project was to study the effectiveness of the Federal/State Vocational Rehabilitation Program in supporting self-employment vocational alternatives for individuals with disabilities in the country. The report provides an analysis of self-employment participation and outcomes by individuals with disabilities within the Federal/State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) System and it also focuses on outcomes in selfemployment. The outcomes are gathered through a longitudinal analysis of closure data contained in the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) 911 Closure Reports for the period covering Fiscal Years 2003-2007.

Empirical Analysis on the Incidence of Part-Time Work Among Women With Disabilities.

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This study analyzes the determinants of part-time employment and examines the impact of having a disability on the probability of working part-time. Using data from the ad hoc module on disability of the Spanish Labour Force Survey 2002 (which contains detailed information on key characteristics of disabled population), the author used a bivariate probit model to estimate the probability of disabled women working part-time and of being employed.

The results show that disabled women have a higher probability of working part-time as compared to non-disabled women, especially those with progressive illnesses, digestive and stomach disorders and chest or breathing problems. In addition, there is a positive relationship between longer disability durations and levels of part-time employment.

Part-time employment can be used as a means to increase the levels of employment of disabled women, especially for those who face important barriers and difficulties as they try to enter into the labour market (e.g., those with epilepsy, mental, emotional conditions and other progressive illnesses or having long-term disabilities).

Pagan-Rodriguez, Ricardo. "Empirical Analysis on the Incidence of Part-Time Work Among Women With Disabilities." Disability and Rehabilitation. Volume 31, Number 2, January 2009 , pp. 73-83(11).

Barriers to Employment as Experienced by Disabled People: A Qualitative Analysis in Calgary and Regina, Canada.

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

Public policies stress greater inclusion of disabled people in the labour market and suggest ways to implement accommodative measures to these ends. Often missing from this literature is the experiences of disabled people in labour markets. This article reports results from a qualitative study conducted in 2005 and 2006 consisting of one-to-one and focus group interviews with 56 disabled individuals participating in employment training programmes in Calgary and Regina, Canada. Findings suggest the presence of workplace and employer discrimination and labelling as primary factors impeding respondents' success in securing and maintaining employment in the labour market. The 56 respondents provide strong evidence that perceptions of disability have a greater impact on their inability to maintain and secure employment than does the lack of accommodative practices and measures in the workplace.

Shier, Michael, John Graham, and Marion Jones. "Barriers to Employment as Experienced by Disabled People: A Qualitative Analysis in Calgary and Regina, Canada." Disability and Society; Volume 24, Number 1, January 2009 , pp. 63-75(13).

The Employment Rate of People with Disabilities

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The article examines three issues in assessing the success of employment policies for the disabled. Using information from three surveys – 2000 Decennial Census, CPS and SIPP – the article focuses on definitions and measurement of employment and disability status in those surveys.

Doing Disability: Disability Formations in the Search for Work.

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This article looks at how disability identities are constructed as people search for work. The authors show that people's interactions with employers and employment agencies have important influences on how disability identities are constructed. They borrow from the “doing gender” and “racial formations” paradigms to introduce an interactive approach to looking at how disability identities are constructed. They introduce the concept of disability formation to highlight how disability identities are continually negotiated through interactions with employment agencies and employers. Their findings are based on focus groups with 58 people who self-identified as having a disability and were working or searching for work.

Brown, Keith, Doris Hamner, Susan Foley, and Jonathan Woodring. "Doing Disability: Disability Formations in the Search for Work." Sociological Inquiry; Feb2009, Vol. 79 Issue 1, p3-24, 22p

Survey of Employer Perspectives on the Employment of People with Disabilities

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This report, released by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) contains findings of the most extensive survey in history of employers' actions and attitudes toward employing people with disabilities. CESSI, a division of Axiom Resource Management Inc., conducted the survey of 3,797 companies, which statistically represent more than 2.4 million companies nationwide. This survey found that a majority of large businesses are hiring people with disabilities and discovering that costs for accommodations differ very little from those for the general employee population. Additionally, the survey showed that once an employer hires one person with a disability, it is much more likely that employer will hire other people with disabilities. However, the survey also revealed some resistance among businesses to viewing people with disabilities as able to advance up the corporate ladder.

Summary of Findings

Full Text

Influences on Job Retention Among Homeless Persons with Substance Abuse or Psychiatric Disabilities.

2009-11-20T11:04:39.040

Job retention is an important psychosocial rehabilitation goal, but one that is not often achieved. We investigate facilitators of and barriers to employment retention among homeless individuals with psychiatric and substance abuse diagnoses who were re-interviewed eight or more years after participating in a traditional vocational rehabilitation program. Most program graduates who maintained employment had secured social support from a variety of sources; personal motivation was also a critical element in job retention and compensated in some cases for an absence of social support. Both the availability of social support contacts and personal motivation influenced likelihood of maintaining sobriety. Physical health problems prevented continued employment for several individuals despite social support and desire to work, while receipt of disability benefits seemed to reduce work motivation.

Kansas Working Healthy Data Chartbook

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The Chartbook documents trends in enrollment, earnings, medical expenditures, consumer experiences, and consumer satisfaction from the inception of the Kansas Medicaid Buy-In, Working Healthy, in 2002 through 2007. In brief, it summarizes survey and administrative data that document increased earnings and taxes paid by participants, and decreased medical expenditures for those continuously enrolled. Data also reflect improved quality of life and financial status for participants.

Kansas Data Inventory on the Employment and Health of Kansans with Disabilities

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This document represents Kansas' first effort to compile a comprehensive inventory of data relevant to persons either running programs related to people with disabilities in Kansas or doing disability-related research. It includes descriptions of numerous data sources, including inclusion criteria for consumers receiving services and contact information for the data holders.

Washington’s Medicaid Buy-In Program- Healthcare for Workers with Disabilities: Supporting and Encouraging Employment

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

Washington State’s Healthcare for Workers with Disabilities (HWD) program provides medical coverage to low-income workers with disabilities by allowing them to purchase full Medicaid coverage with monthly premiums based on a sliding income scale. This study found that HWD participants were more likely to be employed, had higher earnings, had more stable Medicaid coverage, and relied less on the Basic Food program (i.e., food stamps) in the year following enrollment than very similar people covered by conventional Medicaid. Findings suggest that HWD participants may be achieving greater self-sufficiency while obtaining comprehensive health care and benefits needed by workers with disabilities.

Monthly Data Series on the Employment Status of People with a Disability

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

In June 2008, questions were added to the Current Population Survey (CPS) to identify persons with a disability in the civilian noninstitutional population age 16 and older. The addition of these questions allowed BLS to begin releasing monthly labor force data from the CPS for persons with a disability. The collection of these data is sponsored by the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy. Publication of CPS disability data began in February 2009 with the issuance of labor force data for January 2009.

Surveying Persons with Disabilities: A Source Guide, Version II

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This newly updated guide provides an easily accessible source of research on the methodological issues associated with surveying persons with disabilities. Mathematica prepared the first version of the guide in 2006. This updated version has 75 new abstracts and reference citations—more than half dating from 2004 or later. All references—dating from 1974 to 2007—are from multiple and diverse sources, including online journal articles and social science resources; conference presentations, papers, and summaries; citations from articles and books; federal websites; internet search engines; and working papers and dissertations

Disruption, disbelief and resistance: A meta-synthesis of disability in the workplace.

2009-12-04T11:15:20.830

This article presents the findings from a meta-synthesis of qualitative research on the experiences of persons with disabilities in the workplace. The purpose of this review was to explore how organizational culture influences the experiences of people with disabilities in the workplace, and the impact of disability on organizational culture. Findings from seven qualitative peer-reviewed studies on the experiences of people with disabilities at work and organizational culture published between 1995 and 2006 were synthesized using the meta-ethnography approach. The findings highlight how experiences of people with disabilities and organizational culture intersect in the workplace. Specifically, accessibility in the workplace involves more than removing physical barriers. People with disabilities are affected by the degree of acceptance and flexibility in the workplace, and relationships with co-workers and supervisors. However, the presence of disability may be perceived as disruptive to the organization, operation and structure of the workplace, resulting in disbelief and resistance. The findings suggest that attention and resources should be directed supporting the implementation of disability and human rights legislation and increasing tolerance for diversity in the workplace.

Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities: Services in Washington, Research Evidence

2009-12-17T16:38:58.680

The Washington State Institute for Public Policy was directed by the 2008 Washington Legislature to estimate the effectiveness, costs, and benefits of programs for individuals with developmental disabilities (excluding special education). Services and support programs for individuals with developmental disabilities are individualized, which makes evaluation research challenging. However, we did find a number of studies that assessed the impacts of service and support programs using a comparison group design.

Corporate Culture and Employment of People With Disabilities: Role of Social Workers and Service Provider Organizations

2010-01-07T12:02:13.887

Corporate culture reflects an organization's value system and impacts the recruitment, retention, and promotion of employees. Individuals with disabilities are positively impacted by a corporate culture that espouses and establishes a diverse workforce as a priority. This article provides an overview of corporate culture and the employment of individuals with disabilities, and presents a case example of the corporate culture of a large not-for-profit disability service organization. With an in-depth understanding of corporate culture and disability issues, social workers can be particularly helpful to applicants and employees with disabilities as well as employers.

Moving Beyond Misperceptions: The Provision of Workplace Accommodations

2010-01-07T12:03:23.857

This mixed-methods study examined the provision of workplace accommodations in the health care, hospitality, and retail sectors. First, focus groups with administrators from each sector revealed that accommodations costs were viewed as minimal (although frontline managers were perceived as having misperceptions). Second, the provision of accommodations as documented through human resources records for health care and hospitality indicated that accommodations were infrequent, not costly, and provided to employees with disabilities. Finally, retail employees (irrespective of disability status) reported many more accommodations than health care and hospitality workers. To dispel misperceptions related to accommodations, education is critical and social workers are well-positioned for this role.

Predicting community- versus facility-based employment for transition-aged young adults with disabilities: The role of race, eth

2010-01-11T08:32:54.490

This study examines the effects of socio-economic, attitudinal, and support-related variables on the employment status of young adults with disabilities who participate in community-based and facility-based work settings. It was based on a nationally representative sample of 1,899 young adults with disabilities, ages 18 to 26, from White, Black/African-American, and Latino backgrounds living in the U.S. Secondary analyses of the data showed that race/ethnicity, gender, education, socioeconomic level, perception of disability by respondents and family members, and the availability of formal (e.g., vocational rehabilitation service) and informal supports (e.g., family/friends) are significantly related to community-based employment. The results suggest that non-White young adults with disabilities are less likely to be employed in a community-based setting, compared with their White peers, even after controlling for other variables. The need for more effective policies and programs to support successful transition into community-based employment for members of ethnic and racial population groups is discussed.

Predicting community- versus facility-based employment for transition-aged young adults with disabilities: The role of race, eth

2010-01-15T08:19:30.130

Factors Affecting Vocational Rehabilitation Intervention Outcomes

2010-02-15T09:23:07.843

Vocational rehabilitation (VR) services are designed to helpindividuals with disabilities achieve gainful employment. Thisstudy examines VR’s effectiveness in assisting minoritiesachieve gainful employment. The study uses case management datafrom 617,149 cases closed by VR in 2006 in all states. It examinesdifferences in access, employment, and earnings for White andethnic minority clients. Multivariate techniques are used toassess factors that influence competitive employment outcomes,hourly earnings, and hours worked. Findings show significantdifferences in employment and earnings outcomes for minorityand majority clients, with minorities faring worse. VR interventionlength and per capita expenditures for services significantlyinfluence employment and earnings outcomes. VR is more effectivewith White than with minority clients. There is a need to implementpolicies or practices that ensure equity in access to servicesthat might translate into more equitable employment and earningsoutcomes.

The Effects of State Policy Decisions on the Employment and Earnings of Medicaid Buy-In Participants in 2006

2010-02-15T09:24:03.517

This article examines the Medicaid Buy-In program, so namedbecause workers with disabilities "buy into" Medicaid coveragewith monthly premiums. In 2006, 97,491 individuals were enrolledin 32 state Buy-In programs. States have taken different pathwaystoward the program’s dual objectives: expanding Medicaidcoverage to vulnerable populations and promoting employmentof working-age adults with disabilities. Analyses indicate that(a) some states appear to have accomplished both objectives,whereas other states have emphasized one over the other, andthat (b) certain program features (e.g., higher earned incomelimits) contribute to both larger percentages of Buy-In participantswho are employed and higher earnings of employed participants.The authors’ findings have implications for Buy-In designand the study of federalism in health care.

Experimentation and Collaboration to Enhance Employment for Persons with Disabilities: Assessing the Wisconsin Pathways Projects

2010-02-17T15:37:55.020

This is a preliminary report about how an entity called Pathways to Independence has sought to achieve "systems change" for the purpose of supporting the employment goals of persons with significant disabilities.
We examine collaboration among Pathways and its various partners in six separate efforts with the aim of elucidating patterns between the terms of collaboration and the performance of the putative system changing activities. These case studies are organized into three pairs. The first pair consists of two demonstration projects that involved both testing an important change in current policy in the context of more coordinated service delivery. The second pair includes two efforts with the goal of increasing the capacity of entities external to Pathways to improve or increase service provision thought to be necessary components of a transformed system. The final pair looks at broad priority setting processes aimed at directing effort and resources to support desired systems change.

Factors Supporting Success in Return-To-Work Programs for Persons with Severe Disabilities: An Exploratory Analysis from Wiscons

2010-02-17T15:45:34.327

From July 1999 through September 2004, the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services operated a "return-to-work" demonstration project for disabled Social Security beneficiaries and recipients as part of the State Partnership Initiative. The project resulted in what can be characterized as modest, but significant, gains in the probability of employment, in earnings, and in income for those who received the intervention.
However, there was substantial variation in intervention group outcomes. This exploratory study utilizes logistic regression to attempt to identify the reasons that some participants had much better employment outcomes than others.

OASDI Beneficiaries by State and County, 2007

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This annual publication provides data on the Social Security population at the local level. It presents basic program data by type of benefit (retirement, survivors, and disability) and category of beneficiary (retired and disabled workers, wives and husbands, widows and widowers, and children).

Temporary and Partial Disability Programs in Nine Countries

2009-05-28T13:52:18.567

This article reviews and compares disability benefit systemsin nine countries—Australia, Germany, Great Britain, Japan,the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, and the UnitedStates. It focuses on temporary and partial disability benefitprograms and on how such programs may help return persons withdisabilities to work. An analysis of the general advantagesand disadvantages of temporary and partial disability programsis presented. Specific concerns if such programs were to beimplemented in the United States are addressed. Time-limitedprograms seem to have the potential to improve return to workamong persons with disabilities and reduce program costs. Cautionis needed in adopting such a program, as implementation wouldbe complex and the employment outcomes of recently adopted time-limitedprograms overseas are yet to be evaluated. In contrast, thestudy found that partial disability benefit programs are complexto administer and appear to offer little potential to encouragereturn to work.

The national costs of supported employment to Vocational Rehabilitation: 2002 to 2006

2009-05-28T15:47:02.173

This study investigated the costs accrued by all supported employees (i.e., 192,756) funded by Vocational Rehabilitation from 2002 to 2006 throughout the entire United States and its territories. Costs were examined in relation to the number of hours supported employees worked, and total wages that they earned, per week. The impact of disability, presence of secondary disabilities, the supported employee's level of education and employment history were also examined

Iowa 2008 Survey Report

2010-02-16T10:34:04.763

This is a link to Iowa's 2008 report on the Medicaid for Employed People with Disabilities (MEPD) program. It is the fourth evaluation report completed on the program, and includes data on program satisfaction, consumer demographics, and attitudes toward work.

Iowa 2009 Survey Report

2010-02-16T10:36:48.827

This is a link to Iowa's 2009 report on the Medicaid for Employed People with Disabilities (MEPD) program. It is the fifth evaluation report completed on the program, and includes data on program satisfaction, consumer demographics, and attitudes toward work.

Ticket to Work - Journal of Vocation Rehabilitation, Special Issue

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

"Ticket to Success? Early Findings from the Ticket to Work Evaluation. Introduction to the Special Issue." Special issue, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 27, no. 2, November 2007, edited by Craig Thornton, Robert Weathers, and David Wittenburg.

A special issue of the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, titled "Ticket to Success? Early Findings from the Ticket to Work Evaluation," summarizes the early implementation experiences and impacts of the Ticket to Work (TTW) program. The program, together with other initiatives created by the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act, attempts to develop a new employment services marketplace to increase the level and mix of employment support services for people who receive disability benefit payments from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Rather than setting up a single training program, TTW includes payment mechanisms designed to induce employment-service providers to increase the supply of programs and the range of approaches. Six papers in the special issue, edited by Craig Thornton, Robert Weathers, and David Wittenburg, provide an early picture of both the potential for the TTW program and the challenges involved with reaching this potential.

"Slow Change in the Employment Services Market: The Early Years of Ticket to Work." Craig Thornton and Paul O'Leary.

This paper reviews early findings for the three essential ingredients necessary for TTW success: (1) beneficiary demand for employment services that will enable them to eventually leave SSA benefits; (2) an adequate supply of employment service providers that can deliver effective employment support services; and (3) efficient support from SSA to facilitate the new market, including the provision of information to beneficiaries and providers and the management of the ticket payment system. Survey data indicate that many beneficiaries have at least a general interest in employment services that TTW could fill. The supply of new and innovative employment service providers, however, has thus far been anemic because of providers' perception that the new program is too risky and cumbersome relative to potential payments offered. SSA has made strides in implementing the program and continues to offer program changes to improve how TTW functions.

"Social Security Disability Beneficiaries: Characteristics, Work Activity, and Use of Services." Gina A. Livermore, Nanette Goodman, and Debra Wright.

This article presents findings from the 2004 National Beneficiary Survey, a nationally representative survey of Social Security disability beneficiaries conducted by Mathematica for SSA as part of its Ticket to Work program evaluation. The data provide an overview of the health and sociodemographic characteristics of Social Security disability beneficiaries, and highlight their employment activity, work aspirations, and use of employment-related services. Although most beneficiaries have significant health problems that limit their ability to work, the data suggest that there is potential demand for employment and employment-related services among Social Security disability beneficiaries. The data also suggest, however, that even if beneficiaries have employment aspirations and attempt to work, many potential challenges need to be addressed. In addition to the activity limitations and poor health associated with their disabling conditions, most beneficiaries have low levels of education that might limit their employment opportunities; are living at or near poverty, suggesting that they and their families may rely on public programs for which eligibility could be jeopardized by earnings; and many have experienced work-related obstacles, such as a lack of reliable transportation, inaccessible workplaces, and discouragement from work either by others or through their own experiences.

"Beneficiary Participation in Ticket to Work." David Stapleton, Gina Livermore, and Jesse Gregory.

The authors examine the participation of SSA disability beneficiaries in the TTW program through December 2004. On an absolute scale, participation is very low, and perhaps much lower than many had hoped. Participation is not low relative to the historical rate for program exits due to work, however, and certain groups of beneficiaries participate at higher rates than others. A large majority of participants assign their Tickets to state vocational rehabilitation agencies (SVRAs), predominantly under the traditional, cost-reimbursement payment system. Most SVRA administrators indicate that they have not made major changes to the way they serve their beneficiary clients as a result of TTW. These findings suggest that, through December 2004, TTW does not represent a significant departure from the past. Participants with Tickets assigned to Employment Networks (ENs) are substantially more likely than those with Tickets assigned to SVRAs to earn at a level that will lead to program exit. This finding likely reflects the strong incentives that ENs have to serve only those with a high likelihood of exiting the rolls, but might also reflect greater focus on achievement of high earnings.

"Experiences of State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies with the Ticket to Work Program." Bonnie O'Day and Grant Revell.

The authors examined administrative data from the SSA and the Rehabilitation Services Administration and conducted site visits and telephone interviews with SVRA officials in 25 states as part of a five-year evaluation of the TTW program. The recession of 2001-2002, along with recent financial constraints resulting from increased service demand and shrinking state budgets, has negatively affected implementation. SVRAs have spent significant time and energy implementing TTW, particularly assigning Tickets with little apparent benefit to their clients, according to SVRA officials. They also expressed concerns about conflicts between the necessity to obtain Ticket assignments from new and existing clients to receive SSA payments under the traditional cost reimbursement system and the requirements to provide maximum consumer choice under the Rehabilitation Act. New draft regulations rescind this requirement, and it remains to be seen what the future role of SVRAs will be.

"The Involvement of Employment Networks in Ticket to Work." Tim Silva.

A major key to success for TTW would be increasing consumer choice and establishing a competitive market for return-to-work services. State vocational rehabilitation agencies long had been the dominant players in this field, but under TTW, a wide variety of private and public entities can register as Employment Networks (ENs) to accept Tickets from, and provide services to, disability beneficiaries who want to work at a level that will take them off cash benefits. A variety of measures suggest that ENs' involvement has been limited. By June 2005, about 1,400 organizations were registered as ENs, but they were not necessarily readily available to many Ticket-eligible beneficiaries. A majority of ENs had not accepted a single Ticket, and ENs accounted for less than 10 percent of all Ticket assignments. ENs' involvement in TTW has been substantially influenced by three main factors: concerns about financial feasibility, low demand for EN services, and administrative challenges.

"Initial Impacts of the Ticket to Work Program on Social Security Disability Beneficiary Service Enrollment, Earnings, and Benefits." David Wittenburg, Thomas Fraker, David Stapleton, Craig Thornton, Jesse Gregory, and Arif Mamun.

This paper presents estimates of TTW impacts on service enrollment, earnings, and benefit amounts during the first two years of program implementation. Estimates indicate that TTW had a small impact on promoting service enrollment during the first year of rollout. However, there is no compelling evidence that TTW affected beneficiary earnings and benefits during its first two years. Impact findings for all outcomes are consistent with the expectation that changes in service enrollment would occur before changes in either earnings or benefit receipt. Additionally, the relatively small size of the service enrollment impacts is consistent with the low TTW participation rate, which was less than 1 percent during the first year of the rollout.

Options for Revisions in the Medicaid Buy-In Program in Arkansas

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This draft report discusses options for successfully implementing Arkansas' Medicaid Buy-In program as part of a comprehensive employment initiative for persons with significant disabilities based on the experience of other states.

Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey (CPS)

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

In June 2008, questions were added to the Current Population Survey (CPS) to identify persons with a disability in the civilian noninstitutional population age 16 and older. The addition of these questions allowed BLS to begin releasing monthly labor force data from the CPS for persons with a disability. Support materials that provide information on comparisons with other data sources, variability of the data, and the types of data are also available.

Benefit Offset Four State Pilot

2009-06-01T15:29:07.403

The purpose of the Benefit Offset projects is to determine the effect of various interventions in combination with a benefit offset on employment outcomes including wages, benefits, hours worked, and job retention. SSA is testing a $1 reduction in SSDI benefits for every $2 in earnings in combination with employment supports, with the goal of helping beneficiaries with disabilities return to work. Participants will also maintain ongoing eligibility for health care benefits and other supports linked to SSDI eligibility.

On December 11, 2008, SSA published a notice in the Federal Register announcing plans for a gradual phase-out of this project. Approximately 300 beneficiaries who completed their trial work periods by December 31, 2008 will continue in the project until the end of the special 72-month Extended Period of Eligibility. Beneficiaries who did not complete their trial work periods by December 31, 2008 returned to regular program rules effective January 1, 2009.

Benefit Offset National Demonstration

2009-06-01T15:33:56.100

The purpose of the Benefit Offset projects is to determine the effect of various interventions, in combination with a benefit offset, on employment outcomes including wages, benefits, hours worked, and job retention. In the benefit offset demonstration, SSA will test a $1 reduction in benefits for every $2 in earnings over substantial gainful activity (SGA) levels, in combination with benefits counseling, with the goal of helping beneficiaries with disabilities return to work. The project will allow beneficiaries to face this gradual reduction in their benefits, eliminating the abrupt loss of cash benefits in the SSDI disability program when a beneficiary works and has earnings over a specific amount. Participants will maintain ongoing eligibility for health care benefits and other supports linked to SSDI eligibility.

On September 7, 2004, SSA notified Congress of its intent to conduct the national demonstration project. The contract for the national study program design was awarded to Abt Associates on September 30, 2004. In September 2008, SSA concluded the design contract with Abt Associates. The contract for the implementation and evaluation of the project will be awarded in 2009.

Homeless Outreach Projects & Evaluation

2009-06-01T15:38:51.220

Congress provided $8 million annually in FY 2003, 2004 and 2005 directing SSA to conduct outreach to "homeless and other under-served populations." SSA used this earmarked funding to establish the Homeless Outreach Projects and Evaluation (HOPE) in support of the President's Initiative to end chronic homelessness within 10 years. The HOPE initiative is focused on assisting eligible, homeless individuals in applying for SSI and SSDI benefits. The HOPE projects will help SSA to demonstrate the effectiveness of using skilled medical and social service providers to identify and engage homeless individuals with disabilities as well as assist them with the application process.

SSA awarded $6.6 million in cooperative agreement funding to 34 public and private organizations in April 2004. Twenty of the original 34 projects ended April 2008. SSA awarded an additional $1.2 million in cooperative agreement funding to 7 organizations in November 2004. The 7 additional projects ended October 2008. A total of 6 projects continued operating under no-cost extensions until April 2009. Westat, the HOPE evaluation contractor issued their Final Evaluation Report October 2007.

Enhancing Service Delivery to Minority Farmers: VR Counselors' Perceptions and Recommendations

2009-06-22T08:11:06.613

The study uses primary data from a research project conducted in the Mississippi Delta to answer the questions: a) What do VR counselors perceive to be factors that deter effective service provision to minority farmers? b) What can VR learn from the USDA field agents about serving minority farmers? C) What are VR counselors' recommendations for improving service provision to minority farmers? That project interviewed 124 VR counselors and conducted eight focus group discussions with 72 VR counselors. To gather further insight into service provision in rural areas and to farmers the project interviewed 167 USDA field agents. This study analyzed VR counselors' experiences, perceptions and recommendations for enhancing VR effectiveness in serving rural minorities and compared experiences and perceptions of VR counselors to those of USDA field agents. The data analysis indicates that VR service provision effectiveness is hampered by: VR system rigidity, high case loads, frustration among VR counselors, lack of information about VR services, a cumbersome application process, forbidding paperwork and lack of diversity among VR personnel. Service provision could be enhanced by more VR personnel diversity, collaboration with other agencies active in rural areas such as AGRABILITY, USDA agencies and with minority institutions.

Person-Centered Employment Planning Teams: A Demonstration Project to Enhance Employment and Training Outcomes for Persons with

2009-06-22T08:15:15.183

The 1998 Workforce Investment Act legislation created the One-Stop Career Center system out of a fragmented federal, state and local employment and training system. Among many changes, One-Stop Center staff is now expected to serve individuals with disabilities, a population previously underserved by the former employment and training system. The person-centered, employment planning team (PCEPT) demonstration project was developed to help One-Stop staff work more effectively with one another in serving persons with disabilities seeking job and training placement. This project examines the employment and training trajectory of a self-selected sample of One-Stop customers with psychiatric disabilities. Sixty-five percent were ultimately placed in a job or training program. The PCEPT process appears to fill an important service gap for a minority of individuals with severe disabilities seeking services within the One-Stop System. Replication issues are discussed.

CMS Ticket to Work Reports

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This CMS website includes an overview of the MIG, Medicaid Buy-In program, and DMIE , which are part of the Ticket Act. The GRPA report includes a summary of Buy-In enrollment and policy changes.

CMS Ticket to Work Reports

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This CMS website includes an overview of the MIG, Medicaid Buy-In program, and DMIE , which are part of the Ticket Act. The GRPA report includes a summary of Buy-In enrollment and policy changes.

Vermont Research Reports

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This link will take you to a series of research reports from Vermont. Included are reports on Vermont's Medicaid Buy-In (MEPD) and State Partnership Initiative (SPI) project, and research done on PAS services.

The Other Three Months: Connecting Transition-Age Youth With Disabilities to Meaningful Summer Experiences

2009-10-16T12:56:06.310

For high school students and teachers alike, summer represents a highly anticipated reprieve from the rigors of classes, homework, testing, and assessment. Although the classroom doors might close in May or June, an array of potentially rich and varied learning opportunities for youth with and without disabilities continue throughout the summer months. Indeed, summer represents an opportune time to further students' transition-related goals within community contexts and provide youth with meaningful opportunities to gain the skills, experiences, and connections.

Availability of and Access to Career Development Activities for Transition-Age Youth With Disabilities

2009-10-16T12:58:52.107

Equipping youth with and without disabilities for the worldof work has been the focus of ongoing legislative and policyinitiatives. The authors examined the extent to which careerdevelopment and vocational activities were available to andaccessed by youth with severe disabilities or emotional andbehavioral disorders attending 34 urban, suburban, and ruralhigh schools. Although school-level representatives (e.g., administrators,guidance counselors, student services directors) identifiedan array of career development opportunities offered by theirschools, participation by youth with disabilities in these experienceswas reported to be fairly limited. Potential factors influencingthe participation of youth included disability-related needsand limited professional development opportunities for educators.The authors present recommendations for improving research andpractice aimed at better preparing youth with disabilities fortheir future careers.

Self-Determination Skills and Opportunities of Adolescents With Severe Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

2009-10-16T13:00:22.827

We asked teachers and parents to assess the self-determination prospects of 135 youth with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities. Teachers typically reported that youth evidenced limited knowledge about self-determined behavior, ability to perform these behaviors, and confidence regarding the efficacy of their self-determination efforts. Parents and teachers diverged in their evaluations of the self-determination capacities of youth but agreed that opportunities to engage in self-determined behavior were available both at school and home. Although social skill and problem behavior ratings both were significant predictors of teachers' ratings of students' self-determination capacity, opportunities at school, opportunities at home, and problem behaviors were negatively correlated with ratings of students' self-determination capacities and opportunities.

Special Educators' Perceptions of Summer Employment and Community Participation Opportunities for Youth with Disabilities

2009-10-16T13:02:48.903

Although connecting youth with disabilities with early work experiences has emerged as a recommended practice in transition education, little is known about the extent to which the summer months might offer a meaningful context for providing such experiences. To understand the perspectives of special educators regarding promoting summer employment and other community activities for youth with disabilities, the authors interviewed 14 teachers from 10 high schools. Although teachers identified the summer months as a promising avenue for engaging youth in career development experiences, they articulated several school-, family-, and employer-related barriers that may hinder youth from accessing these experiences. This article discusses recommendations for engaging youth more meaningfully during the summer months and offers direction for future research.

/uploads/NE_YiT_Lessons_Learned_report.doc

2009-10-16T14:18:19.623

This document presents systems change goals, activities, and outcomes for the Youth Employment Solutions project. The Youth Employment Solutions project is a subcontract of Nebraska’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid funded Medicaid Infrastructure Grant. The purpose of Youth Employment Solutions is to increase, through systems change, the competitive employment of Nebraska’s Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and Childhood Disability Benefits (CDB) eligible youth who are transitioning from school to adulthood.

Emerging Employer Views of People with Disabilities and the Future of Job Development

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

Employer views of people with disabilities and vocational rehabilitation programs have evolved along with societal views of disability and legislative initiatives to prevent employment discrimination. This article discusses relevant literature on these employer perspectives, relates these perspectives to an evolving paradigm of dual customer and demand-side job development, and discusses the implications of these perspectives for job development practice, especially as they relate to facilitating job development with job seekers who have requirements for unusual or extensive accommodation and support.

Accelerated Benefits Demonstration

2009-06-01T15:12:27

Beneficiaries selected for the demonstration project will be randomly assigned to one of three groups. All will receive their regular SSDI cash benefits with no change in program rules. In addition, one group will be provided health benefits, a second group will be provided health benefits and receive support under a care management model, and a third group will be a control group that will be used as a comparison to see if the intervention results in a difference in health and employment outcomes. The target population will be newly entitled SSDI beneficiaries, under age 55 with at least 18 months before entitlement to Medicare.

Phase I of the project began in October 2007 in 4 sites. Phase II began in March 2008.

Presentations on Buy-in from the National Association of State Medicaid Directors Conference

2009-11-20T14:34:27.640

Provides background information on Buy-in, discusses national trends, and presents three State examples of successful Buy-in programs.

Evaluation of the Work Requirement for MassHealth’s CommonHealth Working Program

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

Massachusetts MIG researchers also helped the state’s Medicaid agency respond to a request by CMS to evaluate the effectiveness of the 40 hours per month work requirement for eligibility for CommonHealth Working. Unlike most Buy-In programs, CommonHealth Working requires 40 hours of documented work per month (or 240 hours in the past six months) and also has no asset or income limits for eligibility.

The evaluation compared CommonHealth Working to other Massachusetts Medicaid programs and to other state Buy-In programs, examining enrollee earnings, hours worked, expenditures and enrollment patterns. The study also analyzed the impact of eligibility rules and case closure data on enrollment.

Healthcare for Workers with Disabilities (HWD) Enrollee Survey, 2007

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This document contains findings from a 2007 survey of enrollees in Washington's Medicaid Buy-In Program - Healthcare for Workers with Disabilities (HWD).

Iowa 2004 Survey Report

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This is a link to Iowa's 2004 survey report on employed people with disabilities. This report won an award at the March 2007 NFI conference in Baltimore and includes a detailed survey instrument (Appendix A) and an executive summary on the characteristics of respondents (n=676), program satisfaction, work attitudes and experiences.

Iowa 2007 Survey Report

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This is a link to Iowa's 2007 report on the Medicaid for Employed People with Disabilities (MEPD) program. It is the third evaluation report completed on the program, and includes data on program satisfaction, consumer demographics, and attitudes toward work.

Missouri 2006 MIG Needs Assessment

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This 2006 MIG needs assessment report is a summary of barriers to employment for people with disabilities and training needs from both consumer and employer perspectives. The authors invited several consumer groups in Missouri to a retreat (and employer groups to a separate retreat) and solicited feedback on questions related to employment challenges and needs.

Pursuing an Integrated Demand and Supply Side Research Agenda at the State Level: Musings on Potential Opportunities from Wiscon

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This paper was presented at the 2008 ISE State of the Science Conference on Strengthening the Intersection of Demand-Side and Supply-Side Disability Employment Research. The author discusses the need for greater integration between employment research that looks at both the "supply-side" (i.e., the preferences, barriers, incentives, assets, and limitations associated with workers or potential workers) and the "demand-side" (i.e., those focusing on the preferences, barriers, incentives, assets, and limitations associated with employers) and offers some suggestions for states to develop initiatives to fill that need.

Self-Employment Q and A: Information on Entrepreneurship for Youth with Disabilities

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

A 2005 poll from Junior Achievement found that 69% of teen-aged youth want to become entrepreneurs. This is not a surprising finding, since the "American Dream" often has been equated to owning a business. In 2003, the United States Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) joined forces to find ways to improve small business opportunities for individuals with disabilities. One result of this effort was the publication, Road to Self-Sufficiency: A Guide to Entrepreneurship for Youth with Disabilities, which was developed by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth), a technical assistance center funded by ODEP. This edition of the Self-Employment Q and A highlights some of the important information found within this guide.

Ticket to Work at the Crossroads: A Solid Foundation with an Uncertain Future

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency program (TTW) was designed to enhance the market for services that help SSI and SSDI beneficiaries successfully enter the workforce. This report looks at how well the TTW market functions and the extent to which the introduction of TTW changed enrollment in employment-support services, employment, and receipt of SSDI or SSI benefits.

The study found that program participation remains low but continues to grow, and survey findings indicate substantial potential for growth in participation. In addition, new payment regulations for providers may breathe new life into the market.

The Technical Appendices of this report are a good source for statistics on participation in the TTW program.

Ticket to Work at the Crossroads: A Solid Foundation with an Uncertain Future

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

The Technical Appendices of this report are a good source for statistics on participation in the TTW program.

Experiences and Outcomes of the Utah Medicaid Work Incentive Program

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

This report presents a summary of findings of a telephone survey and in-person interviews with UMWI participants conducted between December 2004 and February 2005.

The study found that the Utah Medicaid Buy-In program (UMWI) is valued by participants but not fully understood; participants are also largely unaware of other employment support services offered by the State of Utah. Program participants tend to restrict their earnings so that they do not lose medical, housing, or cash assistance benefits. Where the UMWI program is effective in increasing the work efforts of program participants, it seems to be the result of a confluence of supportive influences—interpersonal support, secure housing, appropriate education and/or training, and a stable health condition.

Other research reports from Work Ability Utah can be found here.

Disability and Employment: An IssueLab CloseUp

2009-04-21T23:54:47.837

IssueLab, an online publishing forum for nonprofit research, compiled a collection of research on Disability and Employment, specifically addressing the following topics:

Youth with disabilities transitioning from school into the workplace
The effectiveness of one-stop centers and other government support systems
The advantages and challenges for businesses employing PWD
Strategies and tactics for employers to accommodate PWD
The long term impact of un and under-employment on health and retirement benefits for PWD
The adequacy of workers' compensation and disability prevention and prevalence of late-career disability

A podcast on Disability and Employment is also available at this link. Stacy Kessler, IssueLab's Collections Assistant, chatted with: Kathy Krepcio, executive director at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University about communicating research most effectively; Lucy Baker, executive director at the Oregon Business Leadership Network about connecting businesses with research and resources about people with disabilities; and, Lisa Dworkin, Director of Vocational and Training services at Little City Foundation about how research figures into the day-to-day work of someone who connects people with disabilities with employment.

Access to Disability Data: An InfoUse Project

2009-05-19T16:05:34.293

InfoUse has prepared this site for use in research on disability in the United States as a product of the Center on Access to Disability Data (NIDRR-funded). This site is based on information published in NIDRR Chartbooks released from 1996-1999

American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

2009-05-19T16:05:44.387

The American Foundation for the Blind (ABF) website includes information, links, and publications in the areas of Accessibility, Public Policy, Events, Publishing, Research, and Consulting. AFB's Policy Research department produces and interprets valuable statistics about all nonmedical aspects of blindness and visual impairment in order to better understand the demographic characteristics of the visually impaired community. This department is one of the few think tanks dedicated to sorting through the maze of survey data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau and other national agencies. Reports include "The Social and Economic Status of Working-Age Adults (21-64) with Sensory Disabilities".

Transition of Youth with Visual Impairments, Multiple Impairments, or Deaf-Blindness: National Longitudinal Transition Study 2

Employment Statistics

American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

2009-05-19T16:05:44.387

Transition of Youth with Visual Impairments, Multiple Impairments, or Deaf-Blindness: National Longitudinal Transition Study 2

Employment Statistics

CDC: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

2009-05-19T16:06:15.590

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is the world’s largest, on-going telephone health survey system, tracking health conditions and risk behaviors in the United States yearly since 1984. Conducted by the 50 state health departments as well as those in the District of Columbia with support from the CDC, BRFSS provides state-specific information on the prevalence of disability, activity limitations, and other chronic health conditions. Go to the "State Prevalence Data" link.

CDC: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

2009-05-19T16:06:15.590

Cornell University: Employment and Disability Institute

2009-05-19T16:06:45.150

The main page includes links to Disability Benefits and Work, Disability Statistics Research, as well as current publications and policy briefs. One of the stronger academic websites for disability research!

Disability Research Institute

2009-05-19T16:07:10.490

The Disability Research Institute is a cooperative project between the U.S. Social Security Administration and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. The central purpose of the DRI is to conduct research and evaluations, disseminate information on disability topics, and inform policymakers and the public in understanding policies as they relate to people with disabilities and programs under the Social Security Act. Current research projects include "The Business of Employing People with Disabilities: Four Case Studies".

Disability Research Institute

2009-05-19T16:07:10.490

EconPapers

2009-05-19T16:07:37.150

A quick search brings up 100 papers on work-related disability. An example is the Michigan Disability Prevention Study on the impact of various employer policies and practices on the prevention and management of workplace disability.

EconPapers

2009-05-19T16:07:37.150

GAO

2009-05-19T16:09:13.303

From time to time the Government Accountability Office (GAO) produces reports on work and disability issues.

National Association of State Medicaid Directors

2009-05-19T16:09:34.777

This website provides legislative information and text related to Medicaid regulations, waivers, and updates. Some of the reports and publications that are posted on this website may be useful to researchers.

Part D information

InfoUse: Access to Disability Data

2009-05-19T16:09:51.027

The InfoUse website has been designed for use in research on disability in the United States, as a product of the Center on Access to Disability Data, a project funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). The website provides access to four major reports/chartbooks, including one on Work and Disability.

InfoUse: Access to Disability Data

2009-05-19T16:09:51.027

Interagency Committee on Disability Research

2009-05-19T16:10:20.630

The Interagency Committee on Disability Research is a portal that facilitates exchange of information on disability and rehabilitation activities. The website promotes the latest disability statistical reports and current research in progress.

Interagency Committee on Disability Research

2009-05-19T16:10:20.630

National Academy of Social Insurance

2009-05-19T16:10:33.463

The National Academy of Social Insurance is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization made up of the nation's leading experts on social insurance. Its mission is to promote understanding and informed policymaking on social insurance and related programs through research, public education, training, and the open exchange of ideas. Key areas of interest include Medicare, Social Security, and Unemployment Insurance; publications include working papers on employment and disability.

National Council on Disability

2009-05-19T16:10:49.510

The National Council on Disability (NCD) is an independent federal agency making recommendations to the President and Congress to enhance the quality of life for all Americans with disabilities and their families. NCD's overall purpose is to promote policies, programs, practices, and procedures that guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities; and to empower individuals with disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society. NCD is currently working on a series of reports known as Investing in Independence, which focus on transitioning people from Social Security income to work, long term supports and services, the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and financial incentives related to employment and living independently.

National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research (NCDDR)

2009-05-19T16:11:15.430

The Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) operates the National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research (NCDDR) through funding from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). NCDDR'S work will focus on developing systems for applying rigorous standards of evidence in describing, assessing, and disseminating outcomes from research sponsored by NIDRR. Significant features of the NCDDR site includes development of a Standards and Research Review Board to develop standards of evidence for NIDRR-sponsored research, and creation of registries of NIDRR-sponsored research and of evidence-based reviews addressing disability and rehabilitation research.

Research Information for Independent Living

2009-05-19T16:11:36.547

Research Information for Independent Living (RIIL), a RTC/IL at the University of Kansas and (ILRU) project, was developed with a NIDRR grant. The site contains links to research briefs and disability statistics on employment, benefits, and PAS.

Research Information for Independent Living

2009-05-19T16:11:36.547

RAND Corporation

2009-05-19T16:11:56.920

The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. Their publications list includes a range of work disability issues.

SUNY at Buffalo: Cornucopia of Disability Information

2009-05-19T16:12:23.480

Cornucopia of Disability Information is the main page of the University at Buffalo (SUNY), School of Public Health and Health Professions’ website. It consists of both an Internet Directory of Disability Information and a repository of electronic disability documents, dating back to the early 1990s. There are links to disability statistics, employment, government documents, and disability directories.

SUNY at Buffalo: Cornucopia of Disability Information

2009-05-19T16:12:23.480

SUNY at Buffalo: Cornucopia of Disability Information

2009-05-19T16:12:23.480

Syracuse University: Center on Human Policy, Law, and Disability Studies (CHPLDS)

2009-05-19T16:12:44.213

The Disability Studies site includes lists of: Syracuse University publications, research endeavors, academic programs, links to other disability resources.

WUMC: Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Substance Abuse, Disability, and Employment

2009-05-19T16:12:55.807

In 2006, the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) funded the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Substance Abuse, Disability, and Employment at the Wright University Medical School, which addresses employment issues among persons with disabilities and co-existing substance use disorders.

University of Minnesota: Research and Training Center on Community Living

2009-05-19T16:13:09.180

The Research and Training Center on Community Living provides research, evaluation, training, technical assistance and dissemination to support the aspirations of persons with developmental disabilities to live full, productive and integrated lives in their communities.

http://rtc.umn.edu/statistics/
A major activity of the RTC is to analyze various data sets to learn about the status and characteristics of individuals with disabilities in the United States.

University of Minnesota: Research and Training Center on Community Living

2009-05-19T16:13:09.180

Urban Institute

2009-05-19T16:13:21.607

Urban Institute has produced a number of reports on return-to-work issues for the disabled.

University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana: Disability Research Institute

2009-05-19T16:13:33.120

The Disability Research Institute of the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana) provides access to studies on work disability. It also has an extensive annotated section on Research Resources (http://dri.uiuc.edu/links.htm) that is well organized and comprehensive.

University of Hawaii: Center on Disability Studies

2009-05-19T16:13:43.980

The Center on Disability Studies (CDS) is a University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents recognized Center focused upon development and conduct of interdisciplinary education/training, research/demonstration and evaluation, and university and community service. The CDS is also is home to the Review of Disability Studies journal. One of their five initiative areas is Transition, Postsecondary Education, and Employment.

http://manoa.hawaii.edu/livehealthy/

http://www.fipse.hawaii.edu/

University of Montana: Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities

2009-05-19T16:14:01.213

The U.S. Department of Education funds the Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities to explore issues important to the 12.5 million rural Americans with disabilities and develop solutions to the problems they encounter in accessing telecommunications, becoming effective self-advocates and community leaders, and in living independent, healthy lives. The site includes links to demographic data and publications, including Progress Report #8: part of the first National Study of People with Disabilities Who are Self-Employed.

University of Montana: Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities

2009-05-19T16:14:01.213

VCU: Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Workplace Supports and Job Retention

2009-05-19T16:14:25.840

The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, supported by the Virginia Commonwealth University, focuses on assisting individuals with disabilities maintain employment and advance their careers. The emphasis is on those who are unemployed, underemployed or at risk of losing employment.

VCU: Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Workplace Supports and Job Retention

2009-05-19T16:14:25.840

UCSF: Disability Statistics Center

2009-05-19T16:14:47.173

The Disability Statistics Center at the University of California at San Francisco produces and disseminates policy-relevant statistical information on the demographics and status of people with disabilities in American society. The Center is based at the Institute for Health and Aging at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). It receives funding from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR).

UCSF: Disability Statistics Center

2009-05-19T16:14:47.173

UCSF: Center for Personal Assistance Services

2009-05-19T16:15:02.947

The Center for Personal Assistance Services provides research, training, dissemination and technical assistance on issues of personal assistance services (PAS) in the United States: The relationship between formal and informal PAS and caregiving support, and the role of assistive technology (AT) in complementing PAS; Policies and programs, barriers and new models for PAS in the home and community; PAS Workforce development, recruitment, retention, and benefits; and Workplace models of formal and informal PAS and AT work.

Temple University: Institute on Disabilities

2009-05-19T16:15:21.650

The Institute on Disabilities promotes, conducts, and disseminates constituency-oriented, collaborative research and evaluation inclusive of people from diverse cultures as collaborators and participants in research and evaluation process.

Vermont SSDI Benefit Offset Pilot Impact Report – March 2008

2009-07-03T10:42:22.340

The Vermont Offset Pilot Demonstration is one of four small state pilots initiated as a first step in preparing for the Benefit Offset National Demonstration (BOND). The purpose is to test whether changing SSDI rules to provide a glide ramp off SSDI cash benefits (gradual reduction instead of abrupt cessation—the “cash cliff”) would encourage more beneficiaries to work at a high enough level to reduce or eliminate cash benefit payments.

Vermont Benefits Counseling Study

2009-07-03T10:43:04.140

This link provides the abstract of a study of benefits counseling impact conducting in Vermont during the State Partnership Initiative (SPI) project. The citation for this article is:

Tremblay, Tim; Smith, James; Xie, Haiyi; Drake, Robert, (2007). The Impact of Specialized Benefits Counseling Services on Social Security Administration Disability Beneficiaries in Vermont. Journal of Rehabilitation, Vol 70, No 2.

For more information on this article, please contact Anne Reither at areither@gmail.com.

A Structural Model of Social Security's Disability Determination Process

2009-11-20T11:35:13.810

We estimate a multistage sequential logit model reflecting the structure of the disability determination process of the Social Security Administration (SSA), as implemented by state Disability Determination Services (DDS) agencies. The model is estimated using household survey information exactly matched to SSA records on disability adjudications from 1989 to 1993. Information on health, activity limitations, demographic traits, and work is taken from the 1990 Survey of Income and Program Participation. We also use information on occupational characteristics from the Directory of Occupational Titles, DDS workload pressure, and local area economic conditions from unpublished SSA sources. Under the program provisions, different criteria dictate the outcomes at different steps of the determination process. We find that without the multistage structural approach, the effects of many of the important health, disability, and vocational factors are not readily discernible. As a result, the split-sample predictions of overall allowance rates from the sequential model performed considerably better than the conventional approach based on a simple allowed/denied logit regression.

Statistical Methods for the Estimation of Costs in the Medicare Waiting Period for Social Security Disabled Worker Beneficiaries

2009-11-20T11:43:57.033

This paper presents the statistical methods used to estimate Medicare costs in the waiting period that were presented in text tables 2–3 of Bye and Riley (1989). The first part describes the development of Medicare utilization equations for each Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) program status group. The second part describes how these equations were used to predict expected costs per month and how the monthly estimates were aggregated to yield estimates of costs in the full 2-year waiting period and in the second year only. Finally, there is a brief discussion of the accuracy of the predictions.

Counting the Disabled: Using Survey Self-Reports to Estimate Medical Eligibility for Social Security's Disability Programs

2009-11-20T11:45:05.937

This paper develops an approach for tracking medical eligibility for the Social Security Administration's (SSA's) disability programs on the basis of self-reports from an ongoing survey. Using a structural model of the disability determination process estimated on a sample of applicants, we make out-of-sample predictions of eligibility for nonbeneficiaries in the general population. This work is based on the 1990 panel of the Survey of Income and Program Participation. We use alternative methods of estimating the number of people who would be found eligible if they applied, considering the effects of sample selection adjustments, sample restrictions, and several methods of estimating eligibility/ineligibility from a set of continuous probabilities. The estimates cover a wide range, suggesting the importance of addressing methodological issues. In terms of classification rates for applicants, our preferred measure outperforms the conventional single variable model based on the "prevented" measure.

Under our preferred estimate, 4.4 million people—2.9 percent of the nonbeneficiary population aged 18–64—would meet SSA's medical criteria for disability. Of that group, about one-third have average earnings above the substantial gainful activity limit. Those we classify as medically eligible are similar to allowed applicants in terms of standard measures of activity limitations.

Disability Claimants Who Contest Denials and Win Reversals Through Hearings

2009-11-20T11:46:20.140

This paper presents the social and demographic characteristics of those disability claimants whose cases go to hearing. Particular attention is given to how these characteristics may be related to (1) the individual decision to contest a denial or accept it; (2) the general increase in disability claims and contested applications in recent years; and (3) the high proportion of reversals in hearings.

The National Cost-Efficiency of Supported Employees with Intellectual Disabilities:

2009-07-13T14:31:33.103

This study explored the cost-efficiency of supported employees with intellectual disabilities who were served by Vocational Rehabilitation throughout the United State from 2002 to 2007. Findings indicate that, on average, supported employees with intellectual disabilities were cost-efficient from the taxpayers’ perspective regardless of whether or not they had secondary disabilities. Additionally, the presented data found no changes in cost-efficiency during the period investigated. The data, however, did demonstrate considerable variability in cost-efficiency throughout the United States and its territories.

Profile of the Dual Eligible beneficiaries in Rhode Island, 1995-2005 Chartbook

2010-01-13T09:15:26.470

This Chart Book highlights demographics, healthcare services, expenditures and the variation in cost by settings of care for seniors and people with disabilities in Rhode Island who were enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid between 1995 -2005. It also provides information on how someone becomes dual elligible and what benefits they receive.

Workforce Infrastructure in Support of People with Disabilities: Matching Human Resources to Service Needs

2010-01-25T08:29:31.907

This report presents recommendations that call for partnerships among federal departments and agencies, their State counterparts, and the private sector, including organizations involved with education/training, health care, and employment services. NCD calls for policymakers at all levels of government to proactively address these shortages and examine how labor market changes are driving both current and future supply.

Some of those recommendations include:

– Establish a mechanism to track ongoing economic, social, labor market, and professional developments so that new information can be used to redirect planning and actions in support of the disability services infrastructure.

– Establish systematic efforts to acquire information on the supply of infrastructure workers.

– Ensure that partnership opportunities are encouraged between the public and private sectors.

– Promote opportunities to encourage new entrants into critical infrastructure occupations, such as home health aide, personal care assistant, mental health worker, and rehabilitation counselor.

– Infrastructure employers will have to increase the salaries and benefits, and provide training to upgrade the skills and value of their employees if they are to attract and maintain a suitable infrastructure workforce

OECD Employment Outlook: Tackling the Jobs Crisis. Chapter 4, Pathways onto(and off) Disability Benefits – Assessing the Role

2010-02-04T14:22:26.983

Disability benefit recipiency rates have increased in a majority of OECD countries, particularly among women, young adults and individuals with mental health problems. While health problems appear to be important drivers of the inflow into disability benefits, other individual and work-related factors matter for both retention of workers and entry into disability benefits. Disability recipiency rates are also found to vary across countries, partly because of different economic and labour market conditions but mainly because of wide differences in disability policy. Indeed, new OECD indicators of disability policy reveal a diversity in both the generosity aspect and the employment integration component of disability policy. At the same time, most countries have tightened access to benefits in the last decade while improving employment integration. This is a promising development because there is evidence that more generous disability policy is associated with higher numbers of beneficiaries while more comprehensive employment and rehabilitation programmes are associated with lower recipiency rates.

Glossary

2009-08-03T18:20:31.837

This glossary provides a list of commonly used acronyms and definitions.

Research Design

2009-08-03T18:20:31.837

This section provides information on designing research projects.

Data Management Tools

2009-08-03T18:20:31.837

This area provides information on managing data from multiple sources and checking data quality. It also contains tools for working with data.

Survey Tools and Research

2009-08-03T18:20:31.837

Here you'll find survey questionnaires and information on administering surveys. This includes both state-developed survey instruments and publicly available measures.

Focus Groups

2009-08-03T18:20:31.837

This area includes information on how to conduct a focus group effectively.

Analytical Tools

2009-08-03T18:20:31.837

This section provides information statistics and quantitative methods along with other analytical tools.

Presenting Your Research

2009-08-03T18:20:31.837

This area provides useful tips on how to present your research findings to different audiences.

Research Planning and Management

2009-08-03T18:20:31.837

This section includes information and examples for developing materials for conducting research with human subjects and arranging for access to administative data.

"How-To" Guide for Doing Surveys

2009-08-04T17:41:14.870

This book chapter discusses Mathematica's experience conducting phone interviews with people with disabilities and presents recommendations for making phone surveys more accessible. Concrete examples of minor modifications to the survey instrument that can remove barriers and improve self-response rates are provided. The authors note that these minor modifications are neither costly nor difficult to implement.

Survey Tips to Improve Response Rates for People with Disabilities

For additional information on ordering the book or to access other reports on surveying people with disabilities, click here: Survey Division Publications (MPR)

Research using Focus Groups

2009-08-04T17:41:14.870

Below are materials from focus groups provided by other MIG Researchers.

Missouri Employment and Mental Illness Focus Group Summary