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Employment

ISSUE:

According to the 2000 National Organization on Disability/Harris Survey of Americans with Disabilities, only 32% of working age adults with disabilities work full-or part-time. Of those respondents not working, over two-thirds say they would prefer to be working.

The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation of the Department of Workforce Development is funded with federal and state dollars under the Rehabilitation Act to obtain, maintain, and improve employment options for people with disabilities. The Rehabilitation Act places highest priority on serving individuals with the most severe disabilities. The State has established categories depending upon the severity of disability to determine which individuals should first receive services and to establish waiting lists.

The Division has been increasing waiting lists for services, currently over 4,000 people, due to funding shortfalls and budgetary problems. The shortfalls resulted in the Division closing all categories and discontinuing serving new clients beginning in August 2000. The Department requested and received emergency funding in December 2000 to resume serving people with the most significant disabilities.

Counties also provide employment and vocational services to individuals with developmental disabilities. About 2,400 people are on county waiting lists to receive employment services.

POSITION:

The WCDD supports a statewide goal to assist people with severe disabilities to obtain and retain employment consistent with their interests, abilities, and needs. The WCDD believes people with disabilities have the right to fair and equitable funding of necessary supports to accomplish their goals.

LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES:

WCDD supports the following legislative initiatives:

Department of Workforce Development/Division of Vocational Rehabilitation:

• Increase in state funds of $2,360,000 the first year and $2,663,700 the second year for total state fund appropriations of $13,396,649 the first year and $13,664,582 the second year. Fully funding DVR will capture $49,498,417 in federal funds the first year and $50,488,385 in federal funds the second year.
• Limit revenues from third party contracts to funds beyond the basic allocation of federal funds for client services as is written in the federal Rehabilitation Act.

Department of Health and Family Services/ Division of Supportive Living:

• Provide a minimum of $12.5 million each year of the biennium as part of the waiting list package initiative to virtually eliminate the county community services waiting lists for employment/vocational services provided by counties.

Back to WCDD Home Page > Introduction

1. Introduction
2. Birth to Three
3. Campaign Finance Reform
4. Children's Long Term Care Redesign
5. Community Aids
6. Community Integration Program
7. Community Options Program
8. Dental Care Access
9. Direct Service Workforce Shortage
10. Education of Students with Disabilities
11. Employment
12. Family Care Program
13. Family Support Program
14. Independent Living Assistive Technology
15. Medicaid Card Services
16. Mental Health: Fairness in Insurance
17. Mental Health: Services & Supports
18. Protecting People with Disabilities from Abuse
19. Respite Care
20. Specialized Transportation
21. State Centers for the Developmentally Disabled
22. Voting Reforms
23. Welfare Reform & People with Disabilities