Supported Employment

The ORS Supported Employment (SE) Services are designed to assist individuals with the most significant disabilities, who have been found eligible for ORS, to find and keep a job in an integrated real work setting, and to earn at least the prevailing minimum wage.  Individuals with significant disabilities often do not have opportunity to experience traditional competitive employment or have had that experience interrupted due to the severity of their disability.  It is anticipated that the Supported Employment Program will identify, arrange and coordinate the services and ensure access to the ongoing/intermittent supports needed by the individual to obtain and maintain employment. 

The Supported Employment Services that may be enlisted to help an individual with a significant disability to move toward a goal of employment include:

• An assessment or vocational evaluation to discover work interests, abilities and preferences.  
• An opportunity to try real work in an interest area to clarify goals and identify support needs.
• Job Preparation services provide an opportunity to learn about the work routine, expectations of a boss, the interview process and identifying individual barriers that may hinder employment success. 
• Job development and placement services that help to get a job consistent with the career goal of the Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE).
• Job coaching and retention services that cluster supports that help the individual learn and keep the job.  Supported Employment Services are available to assist in sustaining employment. 

Key Components:

• Supported Employment (SE) assists individuals with the most significant disabilities, who have been unsuccessful with traditional employment strategies and need ongoing supports, to choose, find and keep employment.
• SE is competitive employment (at or above minimum wage, with pay commensurate to a non-disabled worker performing the same tasks).  Pay check must come from employer not service provider. ORS has a standard that employment must be at least ten hours per week
• Work must be in an integrated setting (person works and/or interacts with non-disabled population).  Training occurs after placement.
• ORS provides intensive ongoing supports for a time-limited period. * Long-term ongoing supports are provided through other funding sources, and also include natural supports.

*On-going Supported Employment means services that are based on an assessment of employment stability and provision of specific services needed to maintain employment.  These services must include at least twice monthly monitoring of the individual in supported employment either at the work site or off-site (based on individual preference).  The IPE can be amended to identify any other service needed in order to ensure employment stability.

For more information on Supported Employment, please contact Melanie Sbardella, Assistant Administrator - Supported Employment at 401.332.9018 or by email at melanie.sbardella@ors.ri.gov.