Innovative Policy 2021 on Employment and ICT
Government-led training and hiring services for people with intellectual disabilities
| Laws and regulations involved: | State of Vermont Transition and Post-Secondary Education Initiative |
|---|---|
| Responsible Body: | University of Vermont – Center on Disability and Community Inclusion |
| Country of Implementation | United States of America |
PROBLEMS TARGETED
The state of Vermont offers a variety of educational and vocational training programmes, but differences among them are often confusing to participants.
SOLUTION, INNOVATION, AND IMPACT
The state of Vermont works with selected implementation partners in post-secondary education facilities (‘provider agencies’) that organize three services to support training and education for people with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities (DD/ID). The first two programmes target the employment of young persons, while the third provides life-long adult learning opportunities. Business contacts are organized through the Vermont Job Developers’ Association, where job developers organize a unified approach to employers.
The Work Experience Program funds employers during the time of the job matching, which helps to motivate employers to offer new jobs without too much risk.
The companies themselves do not receive direct financial incentives but are reimbursed for the hiring and training cost if they retain a person in the job.
Graduates of the post-secondary education programmes have an 84 per cent employment rate. These results have led to Vermont having a 49 per cent employment rate of people with DD/ID.
Think College student Madeline interns in the catering department
OUTLOOK, TRANSFERABILITY AND FUNDING
Funding of the three programmes is provided by the federal Medicaid Waiver, which allows states to provide care or support for certain groups who are not normally covered by Medicaid.
All programme partners cooperate under the state umbrella, which guarantees financial stability for all organizations involved, enabling long-term planning. This is one of the pillars for the programme’s success over the years.
In the coming years, the project will work to incorporate its post-secondary education support services into State Medicaid Rules as a reimbursable service, which would guarantee federal funds.
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