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Quality Indicator # 6: - Number of Individuals from the Program Working Regularly

Earlier in this paper, reference was made to the approximate 3:1 ratio of non-competitive to competitive work outcomes for persons served by MR/DD agencies nationally (Braddock et al, 2002). There are a high number of persons with significant disabilities who have very limited access to competitive employment. The negative impact of non-employment on the lives of people with disabilities is substantial. Participation in non-competitive work programs by people with a disability severely limits earnings, as demonstrated by the disparity between earnings from sheltered employment and earnings through supported empSloyment reported previously in this paper. It restricts personal choices, both in terms of available resources and opportunities. It creates unnecessary dependency and perpetuates the myths and stereotypes related to disability and non-productivity. And maintaining non-competitive programs locks down resources within more segregated settings, resources that are needed to provide community integrated workplace supports.

Identifying the number of persons from a program working regularly should not be limited to just those individuals who are in the supported employment program. Many supported employment programs are a component of larger agencies who offer multiple services, sometimes including non-competitive employment services (Wehman, Revell, & Kregel, 1998). The true measure of quality of supported employment outcomes achieved by a program is reflected in the percent of individuals in its overall enrollment who are working regularly in competitive employment. In an enrollment of 100 individuals, if 75 are involved in non-competitive activities while 25 are working regularly in competitive employment, this program is stuck at the national 3:1 ratio and fails this quality indicator. However if this same program establishes a clearly stated conversion goal and begins making steady progress towards a majority of its participants working in competitive employment, then it is making clearly observable progress. Programs can analyze the quality of their efforts to support their customers in working regularly in competitive employment by using data to answer the following questions:

• What is the average number of program enrollees presently working in competitive employment?
• What percent of program enrollees work regularly in competitive employment?
• For each of the last three years, what percent of program enrollees worked regularly in competitive employment?
• What is the satisfaction level of participants with their program of services?

There are a number of factors that influence the services offered by programs that provide supported employment services. The continuation of non-competitive employment services can reflect federal, state, and community level funding policies and precedents; pressure from families of individuals with disabilities to maintain these services; pressure from the Boards and Administrators to maintain traditional missions and services; and/or lack of confidence by program staff in their ability to support competitive employment outcomes for individuals with significant disabilities. However, quality supported employment programs have demonstrated that each of these prohibitive factors can be overcome. The number of persons working regularly in competitive employment is truly a critical quality indicator for a supported employment program.