THE EMPLOYMENT ODYSSEY:

A VIEW FROM THE CLIFF

PRESENTED BY STEPHANIE MACKAY,

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

ACRONYMS

IDD—Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

ASD—Autism Spectrum Disorder

SSDI—Social Security Disability Insurance

SSI—Supplemental Security Income

ADA—American with Disabilities Act

IDEA—Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

CRP—Community Rehabilitation Program

WIOA—Work Incentive and Opportunity Act

ABOUT COLUMBUS

• Our mission is to support individuals with disabilities to

live and work in the community with independence.

• Opened in1968 with 8 students, Columbus is

recognized locally and nationally as a well-

established, innovative social services nonprofit

agency.

• Provides services to 450 individuals with

developmental and physical disabilities.

• A “social enterprise” business model and one of 1,500

community rehabilitation programs in the U.S.

• 60% of revenue comes through fees for service; 35%

comes through earned income; 5% from donations.

• CARF accredited and regulated by 33 regulatory

bodies.

Columbus Community Center

3495 South West Temple

Salt Lake City, UT

www.columbusserves.org

801-262-1552

MILLENIALS—THE POST-ADA

GENERATION

• 1975 Education for all Handicapped Children Act

(Public Law 94-142) changed the integration of

children into education, the building block for a

future

• 1990 American with Disabilities Act guaranteed

equal access for individuals with disabilities

• 2004 IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities

Education Act) updated original Public Law 94-

142)

DISABILITY

STATISTICS

• 1 in 5 individuals in the general population has a disability

• 3% of the population has IDD

• 1 in 10 families is impacted by IDD

• 1 in 11 adults ages 16-64 is not in the workforce

LABOR STATISTICS 2014-15

Labor rate participation rate ages 16-64 (either employed or looking for employment (www.dol.gov/odep/):

• 68.3% participation rate by adults without disabilities

• 19.2% participation rate of adults with disabilities

Unemployment rate:

• 4.5% unemployment for adults without disabilities

• 12.1% unemployment for adults with disabilities

Not counted in the labor force:

• 10,000,000 with disabilities who aren’t counted

3 generations after 94-142 and ADA,true unemployment rate is 65-90% depending on disability

A PICTURE OF

PARTICIPATION

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

2010 2011 2012

Not in labor force

Unemployed

Employed

*2013 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium (www.disabilityCompendium.org)

**U.S. Census Bureau, Employ Status by Disability Status and Type, 2012 American Community Survey

MEET THE MILLENNIALS—

SARAH, JAMIE, AND JAMEE

See their stories at:

https://www.youtube.com/user/columbuscommunity

THE LIFECYCLE OF A FAMILY

WITHOUT A DISABILITY

Family & Child

Public Education (ages 6-18)

Employment = Paycheck, benefits,

taxes, continuing education

Acquisition of Family Income and Tax-

Supported Services

THE LIFECYCLE OF A FAMILY

WITH A DISABILITY

Family & Child

Public Education (ages 6-22)

Government Entitlements & Social Services

Redistribution of Family Resources

for Caregiving

FEDERAL REGULATIONS THAT

PROTECT, FUND, BEFUDDLE

FEDERAL AGENCY SERVICES

Department of Justice ADA (10 Federal agencies ensure compliance)

Public Education Special Education, Vocational Rehabilitation,

Ticket to Work, Pathways to Careers

Department of Labor 14C wage protection; FMLA

Health and Human Services Medicaid funding for IDD support

Dept. Agriculture SNAP, EBT, WIC

HUD Section 8 Housing

Social Security

Administration

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI),

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Transportation Public transportation

Executive Branch President’s Committee for People with

Intellectual Disabilities, WIOA, Section 503

FEDERAL FUNDING BUILDING

BLOCKS FOR A FAMILY

HHS

• IDD programs

• Medicaid

SSA

• SSDI

• SSI

Education

• Special Ed

• Vocational Rehabilitation

FEDERAL TO FAMILY

Federal funding, statutes, rules, compliance

State match, distribution, compliance, case management

Local distribution through counties and munincipalities

Services provided through school districts, social services agencies, nonprofits

Families receive services and supplement based on need, income, etc.

A NOD TO ECONOMIC

AND FISCAL POLICY

• We should be more critical about models that exclude all

consequential diversity and uncertainty of households

and firms—characteristics that in many ways are

fundamental to the outcomes of the actual economy.

• Now is the time to focus on fiscal policy that takes into

account long-term growth, incentives and disincentives

for labor, capital, technology, and innovation.

(John Silvia, NABE Presidential Address delivered on October 122, 2105. “A Career in a Less-than-Perfect

Economy,” Business Economics, Vol. 50, No. 4)

LIFE FROM 0 TO 22

Ages 0-5

Socialization through family

Medical care

Childhood development

Pre-school

Ages 6-17

Socialization through family and peers

Medical care

Childhood development

Public education

Ages 18-22

Socialization with peers

Medical care

Post-secondary education Employment

THE CLIFF

Ages 0-5

Diagnosis

Medical intervention

Behavior intervention

Family support

Case management

Caregiving

Insurance

Ages 6-22

IDEA/IEPs

Medical care/behavior intervention

IDD support services

VR support services

SSDI and/or SSI Insurance/Medicaid

Guardianship

Special needs trusts

Family finances

Sibling relationships

Caregiving costs

Case management

FMLA

Ages 23+

Independent living dependent on family circumstances

Safety net through entitlements

Preparation for employment through limited resources

EACH FAMILY FACED THE

CLIFF

See their stories at:

https://www.youtube.com/user/columbuscommunity

CAN WE LEVERAGE

INNOVATION?

Family with a disability

Government entitlements & social services

Family without a disability

Employment = Paycheck, benefits,

taxes, continuing education

Can we find innovation in this space?

LEVERAGING INNOVATION IN

UTAH TO SHIFT THE PARADIGM

• Nearly 0% unemployment in Utah and business leaders need to tap into an emerging labor force

• 2% of population with ASD

• Government leaders want to respond to the need

• State funding agencies are talking to each other and service providers

• Social Impact Investing is being operationalized

• Social Impact Bonds are shifting funding paradigms

• Activist parents are being heard and taking action

• Conservative state with entrepreneurial business climate (e.g. “Silicone Slopes”)

• University research and resources in cross disciplines

• Co-location of services geographically

• A strong ethic of service operationalized at all levels of society

FOCUS ON SUSTAINABLE,

INNOVATIVE, TRANSFORMATIVE

SOLUTIONS

Family

Nonprofits

Employers

Research

Education

Funding sources

Government