The State of Employment for People With IDD: Implications for Practice, Policy, and Equity.

Meaningful progress in improving employment outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities continues to be elusive, despite 40 years of investment in research, policy, and supports. This article reviews the current state of employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and describes policy, practice, and individual factors that influence employment outcomes. Research suggests the need for a holistic approach to change that addresses systems-level strategy, policy, and fiscal investment while strengthening individual experiences with employment and related day services. Recommendations address strengthening the implementation of employment policy, developing pathways to employment, and engaging individuals with IDD and, in particular, individuals with diverse social characteristics in reflecting on the quality of their experiences and supports.

Supporting Employment Consultants to Implement Supported and Customized Employment.

Implementing supported and customized employment in all their components is essential for supporting job seekers with disabilities to achieve their career goals. We asked 42 employment consultants in nine employment programs to respond daily to three quick questions about their employment support activities, for 6 months. Through monthly coaching, we helped the managers of these organizations engage their teams of employment consultants to interpret the data, reflect, set goals, and take action for quality improvement. Based on the positive results of this pilot, we recommend that employment consultants be provided with data-enabled feedback that supports decision making and helps them fully implement supported and customized employment as a necessary step toward improving job seekers' employment outcomes.