As an employment consultant or disability services professional, you may be aware of different processes for person-centered planning. In person-centered planning, a person with a disability identifies their strengths, goals, needs, and desired outcomes for their life and future. They do this with a group of people they choose to help them, but they remain… Read more »
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The Importance of Creating a Meaningful Day
Building a Meaningful Day is a framework designed to empower individuals with disabilities for a transition beyond sheltered employment. Providers, families, and individuals with disabilities can use this approach to create daily routines focused on skill development, independence, and social interaction. A thoughtfully structured day can significantly impact quality of life, providing a sense of… Read more »
The Family Role in the Transition Process from Sheltered Work to Community Integrated Employment
The December edition of the Shared Solutions blog explained the Family and Social Service Administration’s (FSSA) phased plan for the gradual elimination of waiver-funded, facility-based prevocational services, typically referred to as sheltered workshops. Phase 1, beginning July 2024, required no new transition-age youth to enter facility prevocational services using waiver funding. Phase 2, having started… Read more »
Transition to Competitive Integrated Employment
The Big Picture Indiana, like many states across the U.S., is amidst significant legislative and political shifts regarding rightful access to fitting, competitive employment for all persons impacted by a disability. Having historically relied on segregated training models featuring sub-minimum wage earnings and little to no individualization, those models are under persistent and increased scrutiny…. Read more »
Mind Matters: Mental Health and Employment
Winter often brings about seasonal depression, characterized by shorter days, colder weather, and more time spent indoors. These factors can negatively impact our mental health and many of those that we serve in our programs. Connecting with others, whether it’s participants, colleagues, friends, or family, through simple gestures like a greeting, a smile, or a… Read more »