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Abstract

Community-based employment, widely accepted as the major goal for most persons with moderate to severe disabilities, has yet to be fully realized at the local agency level. This paper describes a successful model of supported employment developed by a single small agency previously providing services as a segregated day activity center in a small midwestern city. Included is discussion of the service agency, program methodology, barriers to successful community-based employment along with the manner in which they were overcome, and program outcomes. Included in these outcomes is a current community employment rate of 80% and increased income for workers along with increased community integration. Several recommendations for practice are made from both administrative and programming standpoints.

Keywords

activity center community integration developmental disabilities employment integration job placement supported employment

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Small Agency Conversion to Community-Based Employment: Overcoming the Barriers

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