Jean Winsor

Pushing the Employment Agenda: Case Study Research of High Performing States in Integrated Employment

Organizational variables, including policies, practices, collaborations, and funding mechanisms resulting in high performance in integrated employment, were described through case study research in 3 states. Findings address how contextual factors, system-level strategies, and goals of the system are related as well as how they sustain systems change. Strategies such as flexibility in funding and practices; communication of values through data, rewards, and funding incentives; and innovation diffusion through relationships and training were most successful when they were embedded within the context of a solid values base, a network of dedicated stakeholders, and clarity about systemic goals. Implications are presented with respect to state systems, community rehabilitation providers as partners in planning, and future leadership in the field.

What Do Employment Specialists Really Do? A Study on Job Development Practices.

This study examined the extent to which employment specialists implemented the job development practices recommended in the research literature when assisting job seekers with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Self-reported data were collected through a Web-based survey from 163 employment specialists from 74 employment programs in 28 states. Questions focused on the following four clusters of activities: Getting to know job seekers, finding job openings, engaging employers to hire, and facilitating transition to a job. Findings showed that some employment specialists self-reported practices conflicted with the practices advocated in the literature. On the basis of our findings, we recommended a greater emphasis on implementing job development activities recommended in the literature as well as furthering research on effective, evidence-based practices.

Jobs by 21 Partnership Project: Impact of Cross-System Collaboration on Employment Outcomes of Young Adults With Developmental Disabilities

In 2007, the low level of young adults with developmental disabilities who were employed in the 3 months postgraduation from high school led the Washington State legislature to authorize and fund the Jobs by 21 Partnership Project. The intent of the project was to identify and demonstrate best practices in sustainable partnerships among Washington States school and adult service systems. Results indicated that participants in the project were more likely to be employed following school exit and had stronger employment outcomes than students who did not participate. Further, data suggest that improved employment outcomes were supported by the leveraging and maximization of financial and in-kind resources and the strengthening of collaborative relationships across project stakeholders.

Knowledge translation in job development: strategies for involving families.

BACKGROUND Although United States employment policies have increased support for people with disabilities working in community settings, the unemployment rate for this population remains very high, particularly for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Research shows that job developers (direct support professionals who assist people with disabilities to secure, maintain, and advance in employment) are critical to achieving quality employment outcomes. However, the extent to which job developers use practices that are considered promising in their field (such as engaging families) is not well known. METHODS This brief report summarizes findings from a qualitative study about the extent to which job developers use the recommended promising practices when working with individuals and family members. RESULTS Qualitative analysis identified the following themes among job developers: factors affecting family involvement, perceptions of family involvement, and the influence of expectation on strategies. CONCLUSIONS The field of job development faces a challenge common to many professions: translating research on best practices to those who need this knowledge the most and can use it to greatest effect. Future research should address how community rehabilitation providers (CRPs) communicate about and instill best practices, including effective family engagement, within their organizations.

From Research to Practice: Knowledge Translation in Job Development

Abstract Researchers consider job developers key to the successful negotiation of the complex factors that people with intellectual disability face when pursuing employment. Unfortunately, knowledge about the characteristics and their use of research tested strategies in job development is limited. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the practices and attitudes of job developers and the implementation of best practices as described in the literature. The current study is an outgrowth of a large online survey of job development practices (Migliore, Hall, Butterworth, & Winsor, 2010). Researchers reached out to a subset of survey participants via telephone and conducted qualitative interviews with eight job developers. Findings from this study further explain the conclusions of Migliore et al. (2010) regarding the gap between the literature and field. Findings from the study also indicate that the issues, challenges, and strategies that job developers use with each customer group (famil...

Data systems and decision-making: State intellectual/developmental disability agencies and their employment data collection systems

BACKGROUND: A growing emphasis on government accountability has increased interest in the collection and use of employment outcomes data. At the national level, data on employment for individuals with disabilities are available through multiple data collection systems. However, many disability data systems are fragmented and only loosely coordinated across agencies. OBJECTIVE: Research on states that support a high percentage of individuals in integrated employment suggests that a clear and visible data collection system that provides individual outcome data is critical (Hall, Butterworth, Winsor, Gilmore, & Metzel, 2007). This article offers a qualitative, in-depth look at how employment data is collected and used within four state intellectual/developmental disability agency systems. METHODS: Case study research focused on the development and use of data systems related to integrated employment and their relationship to agency priorities, decision-making, and policy development. RESULTS: Data systems reflected both new and ongoing priorities of state systems. States used their data and data systems to shape relationships with service providers; the frequency and consistency of data collection helped to cement relationships and underscore the importance of data. Research showed the importance of data both at the state and local levels. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that the data collection process, as well as the data it produces, is critical in informing and promoting conversation about employment.

Building an Evidence-Based, Holistic Approach to Advancing Integrated Employment:

Since the introduction of supported employment in the Developmental Disabilities Act of 1984 and the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1986, there has been continued development and refinement of best practices in employment services and supports. Progress includes creative outcomes for individuals with significant support needs including customized jobs and self-employment, community rehabilitation providers that have shifted emphasis to integrated employment, and states that have made a substantial investment in Employment First policy and strategy. Despite these achievements, the promise of integrated employment remains elusive for the majority of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The number of individuals supported in integrated employment by state agencies has remained stagnant for the past 15 years, participation in nonwork services has grown rapidly, and individual employment supports have not been implemented with fidelity. This article presents preliminary findings from activities completed by the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Advancing Employment for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and discusses a framework for organizing state and federal investments in research, practice, and systems change.