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Employment
GAO Studies
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Welfare Reform: Outcomes for TANF Recipients with Impairments
http://www.gao.gov - Report #GAO-02-884
This report, issued by the U.S. General Accounting Office, found that impairments are common among TANF recipients and their children, with 44 percent of TANF recipients reporting that they or their children had impairments, compared with 15 percent of the non-TANF population. Moreover, recipients with impairments were more likely to be white and over age 35 than those without impairments. GAO found that people with impairments who left TANF were less likely to be employed than leavers without impairments, but many leavers with impairments received Supplemental Security Income. This report also looks at a number of strategies to identify barriers to employment, and how states most commonly screen recipients for domestic violence issues, substance abuse, physical disabilities, and chronic health problems.
Workforce Investment Act: States' Spending Is on Track, but Better Guidance Would Improve Financial Reporting
http://www.gao.gov - Report #GAO-03-239
This report, issued by the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO), assesses whether the U.S. Department of Labor's spending information is a true reflection of states' available funds. The GAO examined the spending rates for states, what DOL does to determine how states are managing their funding, and what factors affect states' WIA expenditure rates.
Business Tax Incentives: Incentives to Employ Workers with Disabilities Receive Limited Use and Have an Uncertain Impact
http://www.gao.gov - Report #GAO-03-39
This GAO report studies existing tax incentives that encourage businesses to employ and provide accommodations for people with disabilities. The report provides information on the current usage of tax incentives, the incentives' ability to encourage the hiring and retention of workers with disabilities, and options to enhance awareness and usage of the incentives.
Welfare Reform: More Coordinated Federal Effort Could Help States and Localities Move TANF Recipients With Impairments Toward Employment
http://www.gao.gov - Report #GAO-02-37
Federal agencies, including the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Education, have many research and technical assistance initiatives underway to facilitate state and local efforts to help TANF recipients with impairments become employed. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grants emphasize the importance of work and personal responsibility rather than dependence on government benefits. To avoid financial penalties, states must demonstrate yearly that an ever-increasing proportion of adults receiving TANF are working or engaged in work-related activities. The U.S. Census Bureau's Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) for 1999 show that 44 percent of TANF recipients nationwide had physical or mental impairments, a proportion almost three times as high as among adults in the non-TANF population. Still, for the one-third of counties that reported service data, fewer than half of recipients with impairments were receiving services to move them toward employment. This report looks at ways the states can improve services.
Government/Census Data Related To Disability
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State Strategies for Working with Hard-to-Employ TANF Recipients
http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-02-00-00630.pdf
This report is by the U.S. Health and Human Services' Office of the Inspector General and it identifies and discusses employment strategies used by each of the states to assist this population. The report is based on discussions with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families' (TANF) researchers and practitioners, and it identifies -- and bases the report on its findings for -- eight main barriers to employment.
Job Development for People with Disabilities: Overview
Assisting people with disabilities to find employment is in many ways not much different than working with any other customer. Like anyone else, people with disabilities need to:
- Have a clear idea of the type of job they wish to pursue.
- Consider what type of work environment would be the best fit for them.
- Use their personal and professional networks as a key component of their job search.
The biggest difference for people with disabilities is that they may need some support and assistance as they go through a job search, and that some of the steps are somewhat more painful, intensive and deliberate. There also may be some considerations that must be addressed as a result of their disability, such as disclosure of disability to employers. Many of the techniques used to assist people with disabilities are also effective with other individuals who are considered to have "barriers" to employment.
Job Ready? Jobs Now! The Issue of Job Readiness and Job Matching
Programs and services for people with disabilities have often focused on the concept of "job readiness", spending months and even years getting an individual "ready" for employment. However, one thing that has been proven consistently is that professional "experts" are poor predictors of who will and won't succeed in employment.
Instead of worrying about job readiness, focus on "job matching": finding a job environment and description that suit the current interests, support needs, personality, and skills of the individual with a disability. Starting with the belief that anyone can work, provided that they have a job that's a good match, will go a long way toward assisting people with disabilities to find employment. Once people are done with their formal education, they are for the most part as "job ready" as they are going to be. As advocate Gerry Provencal has said, "We're far too patient with the passage of time for people with disabilities. Time is as precious for a person with a disability as it is for all of us."
Example of a Good Job Match
- A woman who is loud and boisterous gets a job working in a warehouse, where other people are loud and sociable. Another person with a similar personality gets a job in a "bargain basement" sales floor which is full of activity.
- An individual with limited physical movements, who uses a wheelchair, gets a job doing data entry. He enters data by hooking his augmentative communication device (a computerized device through which he "speaks") into a computer.
- An individual who is quiet, and prefers not to interact with others, gets a job doing filing and other solitary clerical tasks.
- A man who has issues with hygiene gets a job in a recycling plant.
- A person who needs periodic assistance gets a job in an office environment where people work in an open space with a good deal of interaction.
- A person whose disability is cyclical in nature gets a job in an environment that offers flexible hours and time off policies.
- A woman who has mental retardation and needs periodic monitoring, gets a housekeeping job in a hotel cleaning the public areas (the lobby, offices, hallways). She uses a picture book to keep track of her tasks.
The Role of Further Education and Training
The emphasis on job matching does not preclude consideration of additional job training and education (possibly through the use of an ITA to enhance an individual's job skill). People with disabilities, like others, may need such training to attain work goals.
Job Development - Where To Begin
In assisting a customer with a disability to find employment, the staff should begin by working with the individual as they would with any other customer, selecting the most useful options from the full range of services and resources that exist within the center. What classes, assessment tools, and activities are available? Does the person need to work on their resume or interview skills? Will there be on-site employer presentations and interviews in which the person can participate?
During this process, staff should work with the individual to determine:
- The types of assistance and accommodations the person will need to fully access and benefit from One-Stop services.
- The additional supports and resources (beyond the typical services) the person needs to find and keep a job.
- Use the America's Labor Market Information System. As with any other customer, staff should assist people with disabilities to use the resources of America's Labor Market Information System (ALMIS) and America's Career Kit. Among these resources are:
* America's Job Bank - The world's largest pool of active job opportunities.
* America's Learning Xchange - Provides information on career exploration, training, education, testing, assessment, and other career tools.
* America's Career InfoNet - Includes a wealth of information on job trends, wages, and national and local labor markets.
* O*NET Online - A database that describes a wide variety of occupations, their requisite skills, and earnings potential. Click here for additional information on O*NET tools.
Get Beyond Task Skills
Job development for people with disabilities tends too often to focus exclusively on an individual's task skills. Yet many people (with and without disabilities) succeed or fail on a job based not on their skills but how well they fit into the social environment of the workplace. When developing successful employment opportunities, ask the following questions:
* What environments does the individual enjoy?
* In what environments has he or she succeeded?
* What social skills does he or she bring to the work environment?
* In what environments would his or her personality & social skills be considered an asset? For example, a customer service director would value a friendly, outgoing applicant; a quiet person might be better off doing clerical work.
* What types of work environments should be avoided?
It is imperative that staff work to get a complete picture of the individual. This means staff should look beyond the person's disability and their own possible misperceptions of the person's true capabilities.
Employment Issues For People With Mental Illness
One of the most misunderstood disabilities is mental illness. Major advances have been made in the understanding and treatment of mental illness, and are continuing to be made. Through a combination of counseling, medication, self-help groups and other support services, many people with mental illness lead very productive lives. Employment program staff may have significant concerns and questions about their ability to meet the needs of people with mental illness. However, as with any other individual with a disability, by simply practicing good customer service, -- combined with respect, understanding, and following some simple guidelines -- staff can assist many people with mental health issues to find employment and advance in their careers. People with mental illness include doctors, lawyers, software engineers, university professors with Ph.D.'s., architects, teachers - people from virtually every profession and background.
Although a person with a psychiatric disability might have complex needs, this does not preclude his/her ability to contribute through working. One of the most significant barriers to employment for people with mental health issues are attitudes: their own, those of family members and helping professionals, and employers. Poor work history or poor social behavior can also be barriers.
How to Assist
The following principles have been shown to be effective in helping people with mental illness to get jobs. Program staff need to:
- Believe that the goal of employment is both valuable and possible.
- Be able to instill hope, support, and enthusiasm for the goal of work.
- Be aware that using a variety of strategies is most likely to lead to success
- Understand that employment advocacy is crucial.
An essential element for success is to have the job seeker direct the job search and be involved in all aspects of the process. As with any job seeker, it is essential to do everything possible to ensure a good match between the individual and the work environment.
The Issue of Stigma
People with mental illness are probably more overtly stigmatized and discriminated against than are those with other disability labels. This, in combination with the symptoms of the illnesses themselves, leads to an unemployment rate estimated to be as high as 90%. Dealing with the stigma of mental illness may be more handicapping to the individual than the effect of the disability itself! That is why it is so important for program staff to provide an environment of hope, belief, and support.
16 Myths and Facts about Mental Illness
MYTH: Mental illness is rare.
FACT: Mental illnesses are more common than cancer, diabetes, or heart disease. In any given year, more than five million Americans experience an acute episode of mental illness. One in every five families is affected in their lifetime by a severe mental illness, such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and major depression. (Source: NAMI)
MYTH: Someone who is mentally ill is likely to get much worse.
FACT: The course of severe mental illness over an extended period of time is not necessarily just maintenance (staying the same) or regression (getting worse). The treatment success rate for schizophrenia is 60 percent, 65 percent for major depression, and 80 percent for bipolar disorder. Comparatively, the success rate for heart disease ranges from 41 to 52 percent. One half to two thirds of people with schizophrenia achieve considerable improvement or recovery over 20 to 25 years. With time, resources, ongoing intervention, and enough support, an individual can reach significant employment outcomes.
MYTH: If someone looks or acts odd it means that staff need to be concerned about the potential for violence.
FACT: Contrary to media focus, individuals with mental illness are no more prone to violence than the general public, and in fact, are more likely to be the victims of violence than the perpetrators. The exception is adding the presence of substance abuse, which increases the likelihood of aggressive behaviors (as it does with the general public).
MYTH: If someone's mental illness is not under control, they are not "job ready".
FACT: Individuals with complex needs, including psychiatric disabilities, have often been labeled as not "job ready". However, individuals with similar needs can be found working successfully in the community. Waiting for all disability-related issues to be under control may mean that the customer is never judged to be "ready". Job readiness really happens when "the skills, interests, values and needs of a person [are matched] with the demands of a specific job and the values and needs of a particular employer." (Marrone, Gandolfo, Gold, Hoff, 1998). Job readiness is a dynamic, not a static, concept.
MYTH: The stress of working is likely to cause relapses for someone with severe mental illness.
FACT: Part of the stress response for these individuals is the knowledge that the typical new worker adjustment period might be misread as a recurrence of mental illness symptoms. All people undergo stress in making major life changes, both positive and negative ones. If the changes caused by a new job are planned and have built-in supports, stress can be minimized. Individuals who are taught coping skills to anticipate potential problems are likely to do better at handling stressful situations. Education on self-monitoring can be an important tool for the individual adjusting to a new work environment.
MYTH: A person with mental illness who states he/she is not ready to enter the world of work is obviously not ready.
FACT: Individuals with mental illness may be fearful at the prospect of work due to poor self esteem or inexperience. These individuals need to build confidence through career exploration activities, such as those listed elsewhere in this section. Assisting such individuals by gradually introducing them to the world of work, through classes on interview techniques and resume building, informational interviews, job shadowing, tours, and so on. Participating in-group activities at a One-Stop Center, especially activities that include individuals without disabilities, can be particularly helpful in building the confidence of people with mental illness.
MYTH: If customers request or need help to get a job, they are not ready to work.
FACT: Asking for help is a sign of health, not weakness. The professional is there not to "do it all" but to enhance that customer's skills, presentation, and self-confidence. Professionals can help by:
* identifying assets
* providing training and support
* gathering information
* presenting options
* counseling on implications
* bringing in other contacts.
MYTH: A person with mental illness always needs specialized disability resources to get a job.
FACT: Specialized resources can help, but basic strategies are always useful. Networking, in particular, is invaluable to all job seekers. People with mental illness may find that connections are helpful in lessening the chance of being automatically rejected due to lack of recent job experience, gaps in work history, previous terminations from jobs, and discriminatory attitudes.
MYTH: If a person with mental illness is really motivated to work he/she should be willing to try out any job.
FACT: Every person has different needs and concerns. Severe mental illnesses often arise in late adolescence or early adulthood. A person with a mental illness therefore, may not have had the opportunity for much vocational exploration and, early on in the personal journey into (or back into) employment, may need to try out different jobs based on preferences as opposed to aptitude, knowledge, or experience.
MYTH: A person with a mental illness should only work at low stress jobs that require no interpersonal contact.
FACT: While mental illness can cause problems in interpersonal relations, each person's strengths and deficits are different, as are each job's requirements. (For example, the interpersonal skills needed for a desk clerk at a Motel 6 are different than those required for a desk clerk at a five-star hotel.) Rather than broadly generalizing about personal barriers, it is best to help job seekers with mental illness understand their own capabilities and how those capabilities fit into a specific job match.
MYTH: Since it seems impossible to find a job listing that fits a particular customer, it is unlikely he/she will be able to find any appropriate job.
FACT: There are many points of entry into the world of work. Networking and personal relationships are important ways to create jobs that fit. Employers are much more flexible then we often realize. One-Stop staff should work on finding out the needs of employers and proposing to fill them in a way that is a "win-win" for all involved.
MYTH: Only employers who are "Good Samaritans" will hire someone with mental illness.
FACT: Employers hire people with mental illness for a number of reasons. The primary reason is the same reason that they hire anyone else - in order to get the services of a good employee. Additionally, employers may hire an individual with a mental illness because they appreciate the consultation and support that an agency offers, and/or because they believe it is the right thing to do.
MYTH: Employers need to know that a person has a mental illness.
FACT: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers cannot ask about a person's disability, and people are under no obligation to disclose that they have a disability. It is essential to discuss the issue of disclosure with a customer early in the job hunting process, and to help that person make an informed choice about the best course of action to pursue.
MYTH: Employment settings are limited in their ability to handle people who are perceived as deviating from the norm.
FACT: Community settings can and do accommodate a range of skills and behaviors, and employers are getting better every day at creating environments which value and support a wide range of personalities.
MYTH: It is very difficult to accommodate a worker with a mental illness.
FACT: By definition, accommodation is specific to an individual and a job. There are many types of possible accommodations, such as flexible work schedules, job creation and job carving, and providing a co-worker mentor. It is important to approach the issue of accommodations with an employer in the spirit of cooperation. Most data show that accommodation costs are minimal (less than $500) in the overwhelming majority of situations.
MYTH: If person with mental illness gets a job and it does not work out, it means that that person is less likely to succeed in another job.
FACT: Different job situations, even the same job titles with different employers, have both similarities and differences. When a person with a mental illness loses a job, that person should not be precluded from seeking another job right away. The fact that the person was successful in becoming employed should be celebrated. At the same time, help the person understand what went awry and how it can be avoided in the future. The loss of a job can be a learning experience. Focus on what the individual learned about his/her strengths and abilities, and then use this knowledge to find a better job!
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