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Speakers
Patty Quatieri received a standing ovation after sharing her story about leaving sheltered work for employment in the community.
DDS Commissioner Elin Howe expressed DDS' commitment to integrated employment by supporting individuals and families via information forums and providers via capacity building and staff training. Howe acknowledged that change will occur at a
slower pace if new funding does not accompany the employment plan.
EOHHS Secretary for Disability Programs and Policies, Rosalie Edes, stated that movement to community employment for people with disabilities is a natural evolution.
 EOHHS Secretary John Polanowicz acknowledged the importance of integrated employment for persons with disabilities and he understood that substantive change cannot occur without an investment of additional resources.
 Guest speaker John Butterworth, ICI Director of Employment Systems Change and Evaluation, highlighted a framework for employment and stated that Massachusetts
is doing a little better than the nation as a whole in making employment a priority.
 Representative Denise Garlick said that she favors reform. Garlick also stated that the goals in the plan are admirable, but change cannot occur without investment dollars.
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Conference Materials
To view speakers' presentations, materials, and handouts,
go here.
Employment Forums
The Arc of Massachusetts, in collaboration with Mass. Families Organizing for Change and Mass. Advocates Standing Strong, is organizing employment forums. If you would like to host one for individuals and families, contact The Arc.
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On behalf of ADDP and the Employment Workgroup, I want to share the following information about ADDP's
Employment First: From Vision to Reality conference that was held last week at Bentley University. About 300 people joined this powerful event. It provided an opportunity for professionals and advocates to share information, ideas, and stories about employing individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the community.
We were fortunate to have so many dynamic speakers. At the bottom of the sidebar, you will find links to keynote, guest, and breakout speakers' presentations, as well as the DDS/ADDP/Arc Employment Workgroup's proposed employment plan.
Great questions and comments were raised about the proposed employment plan at the conference. To submit comments or questions about the plan in the future, email [email protected]. The Employment Workgroup will soon respond to these questions, so stayed tuned.
Regards,
Mandy Nichols
ADDP Director of Programs and Analysis
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Thaler stresses families, consumers, and federal law on employment reform
In her keynote presentation, Nancy Thaler, Executive Director of the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services urged Massachusetts disability advocates to note that the issue of employment reform would continue to escalate as consumers and families evolve in their expectations and belief in what people with disabilities are capable of achieving.
Thaler noted that the passage of the ADA and Education Entitlements for people with disabilities has translated into families no longer be satisfied with sheltered workshops or institutional based services. She noted that the current generation of parents and people with disabilities have never encountered institutions or school districts that refused all elements of education (as was the case pre-1975) and thus families of people leaving public education are leaving with higher expectations than those of a generation ago, wanting to live their lives to the fullest and eager to participate in real jobs.
Thaler also urged providers and advocates to understand the urgency of the legal climate surrounding employment reform spurred by the passage of the ADA, the Olmstead decision, the Department of Justice agreements in Georgia, Oregon and Rhode Island.
Nancy Thaler's PowerPoint presentation can be found here.
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Employment plan seeks to rid sheltered work
Given recent federal policy changes and directives, a mutual, proactive plan was created by representatives of ADDP, The Arc of Massachusetts, and DDS to increase integrated employment opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities (ID) in Massachusetts. The five-year plan sets forth a path for the Patrick Administration to be a leader among states to close sheltered workshops and increase employment in the community for persons with ID.
Key pieces of the plan include:
- Halting new referrals to sheltered workshops as of January 1, 2014.
- Closing sheltered workshops by June 30, 2015.
- Transitioning participants in sheltered workshops during FY 2015 to integrated individual or group supported employment and/or Community-Based Day Services (CBDS).
- Continuing to transition individuals from CBDS to integrated individual or group supported employment that pays minimum wage or higher.
- Phasing out - on a gradual basis - group employment settings that pay less than minimum wage.
It has been acknowledged by many that the plan cannot be successfully implemented without new funding. DDS has committed to funding an 18 month capacity building initiative starting this month. DDS has also requested an additional investment estimated at $26.7 million; however, ADDP and The Arc of Massachusetts recommend $32 million to address training and regional employment collaboratives.
The employment plan was presented by Employment Workgroup members: DDS Deputy Commissioner Larry Tummino, Work Inc. COO Sharon Smith, and EMArc Executive Director Richard Royse.
 Panelists (right to left) MRC Commissioner, Charles Carr; CLASS President/CEO, Bob Harris; The Arc of Massachusetts Director of Government Affairs, Barbara L'Italien; and ADDP CEO/President, Gary Blumenthal, respond after employment plan was presented. |
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