Heike Boeltzig

Achieving Community Membership through Community Rehabilitation Provider Services: Are We There Yet?.

Findings from an analysis of the characteristics and services of community rehabilitation providers (CRPs) in the early years of the 21st century are presented. Services provided by CRPs can be categorized along two dimensions: purpose (work, nonwork) and setting (facility-based, community). The number of individuals with disabilities present provides a third perspective for analysis. The majority of CRPs provided both work and nonwork services, and the majority of those that provide employment services offered both integrated and facility-based employment. Individuals with developmental disabilities were most likely to be supported in facility-based work (41%), followed by nonwork services (33%), and integrated employment (26%). Despite some changes in CRP characteristics, the goal of community membership has not yet been widely achieved.

Agents of change in the disability field: bridge‐builders who make a difference

Purpose – This paper seeks to highlight the systemic conditions that facilitate the emergence, longevity, and effectiveness of bridge‐builders across organizations.Design/methodology/approach – Researchers conducted longitudinal case studies in six One‐Stop Career Centers across the USA over four years. Interviews were conducted with approximately 20 people in various positions at each of the sites visited. The data analyzed spanned the four years of the study.Findings – Researchers uncovered particular characteristics present in individual bridge‐builders that enabled them to accomplish their goals. This research indicates that, when the right conditions intersected with the right type of person, champions emerged who helped move the organization in new and innovative directions.Originality/value – This paper provides an outline of the organizational change that can happen in the disability field. By delineating bridge‐builders and the context in which they operate, others can identify the conditions wit...

Collaborative Relationships Between Vocational Rehabilitation and Other One-Stop Partners Policy Considerations for Supporting Partnerships

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) brought together federal job training and employment programs to create one comprehensive service system. Among WIA’s core tenets are streamlined services to be developed, designed, and implemented by a variety of mandated and nonmandated partners. The public Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency is a mandated partner, and the only one that focuses on disability. Although the intention of WIA was mutual benefit and interaction, the exact nature of the VR partnership with the One-Stop varies. Using a longitudinal research design and case study method, collaborative relationships between other partners in the One-Stop and VR in six U.S. locations was explored. The findings uncovered four models of collaboration: full-time colocation of a few VR staff members, colocation in the same building complex, itinerant staffing, and limited itinerant staffing. There were a number of barriers to collaboration and strategies used in and among the various models to facilitate involvement of VR.

Disability Specialist Staff in US One-Stop Career Centers and British Jobcentre Plus Offices: Roles, Responsibilities, and Evidence of Their Effectiveness

The One-Stop Career Center system in the United States and the Jobcentre Plus system in Great Britain provide universal access to public employment services targeted at all job seekers, including people with disabilities, and employer services. Studies have identified challenges with these universal models in that some job seekers with disabilities may have additional or more intense support needs. Disability specialist positions provide one way of addressing these needs. This article examines their roles and responsibilities and their effectiveness in improving employment service delivery through these systems. The article highlights commonalities and differences associated with the roles between the two countries and discusses implications for improving effectiveness. Findings are based on a scoping review of existing empirical research that was conducted in 2008. The article concludes with directions for future research.