Procedure 5.13.1
Employment First Procedure
A. Definitions
1. Employment First: Ensures that people live, work, and recreate in their community and
are seen as full, engaged partners with other members of the community. Employment
First is about removing barriers and identifying supports needed to help people make
more money and contribute to the community and society overall. Ultimately, integrated
employment is the preferred option for individuals.
2. Community First: The initiative of the Clinton County Board and the State of Ohio is to
encourage all individuals with developmental disabilities to work and engage in their
community and to receive the needed supports to do so. The initiative encourages the
exploration and growth of skills, interests, and job goals with the individual so that they
will be successful in their pursuit.
3. Least Restrictive: When a person receives only the services and supports needed to
participate in activities and become full partner and participant and to receive services
and support in the most typical environment.
4. Individual: A student or adult with a developmental disability.
5. IEP: The IEP is the Individualized Education Program for each student that is authorized
by the local school district.
6. ISP: The ISP is the Individual Service Plan for each adult that is authorized by the
County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
7. Person-Centered Planning Process: The purpose of the person-centered planning
process is to identify an individual’s unique strengths, interests, abilities, preferences,
resources, and desired outcomes as they relate to community employment.
8. Team: The individual’s supports and advocates that include but not limited to a Service
and Support Coordinator, a personal advocate, family, direct support staff, providers,
licensed or certified professionals, and other persons chosen by the individual to help the
individual think through possibilities and decisions. The purpose of the team is to
provide written and/or verbal information relevant to the development of the IEP or ISP
for the individual. Team members may be invited by the individual to actively
participate in the development of the IEP or ISP.
9. Community Employment: Competitive employment that takes place in an integrated
setting.
10. Competitive Employment: Full-time or part-time work in the competitive labor market
in which payment is at or above the minimum wage and not less than the customary wage
and level of benefits paid by the employer for the same or similar work performed by
persons who do not have disabilities.
11. Supported Employment Services: Intensive, ongoing supports provided in the
community that enable participants, for whom competitive employment at or above
minimum wage is unlikely, due to their disability, absent the provision of supports.
12. Vocational Habilitation: Services designed to teach and reinforce habilitation concepts
related to work including responsibility, attendance, task completion, problem solving,
social interaction, motor skill development, and safety.
13. Benefits Analysis: Information provided to individuals about the impact of work on
public assistance programs, including but not limited to, social security disability
insurance, supplemental security income, Medicaid/Medicare coverage, Medicaid buy-in
for workers with disabilities, veteran’s benefits, housing assistance, and food stamps.
14. Natural Support: A support that is not paid. Natural supports can include but are not
limited to family members, significant others, and community members who share
interests with the person they are supporting. Natural supports should be documented in
the IEP or ISP.
15. OOD/BVR: Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD)/the Ohio Bureau of
Vocational Rehabilitation (BVR) provides direct, personalized services to help
individuals with disabilities obtain or retain employment. The Vocational Rehabilitation
counselor works with individuals one-on-one to plan an individualized program leading
to gainful employment.
16. Provider: An agency provider or an independent provider that is certified or licensed by
The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities.
17. Transition: Refers to the time period before the individual exits high school and enters
work or college. Effective transition services and supports shall be in place in sufficient
time to discover the services and supports needed to ensure success.
18. Community Employment Skills Assessment: An instrument that is used to gather
information and data regarding a student’s preferences, abilities, job readiness, etc.
B. Transition Plan for Students
1. Individuals with developmental disabilities have the right to make informed decisions
about where they work, and to have opportunities to obtain community jobs that may
result in greater earnings, better benefits, improved health and increased quality of
life. Individuals with developmental disabilities should be encouraged to take part in
the workforce and to bring their individual strengths and talents to participate in
business and industry.
2. As students in high school are planning for their future and are considering services
from the Clinton County Board of DD, a discussion and plan would occur at their
annual review meeting. The County Board of DD Employment First Manager will
collaborate with local school districts, as well as workforce development, vocational
rehabilitation, mental health, and other applicable agencies, to facilitate the transition
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from school to work for students and serves as a key resource regarding employment
skill assessments, career planning, job training, and employment options. Establishes
an effective link between all interested stake holders leading to a successful transition
for each student.
All students are expected to engage in activities that will prepare them for community
employment as supported by the State of Ohio Employment First Initiative. Students
at age 14, as part of their IEP planning, will develop a transition plan. Their plan will
include a specific statement of their perceived future as well as goals that lead to the
development of job readiness skills.
Typically at age 16, as appropriate, students will be encouraged to begin the
Eligibility process with the CCBDD’s Intake/Eligibility Coordinator. In addition,
upon obtaining permission to do an evaluation, including a record review, a
referral will be made to a provider to complete a community employment skills
assessment. The Employment First Manager will make the referral to the
provider. The written assessment results will be submitted from the provider to the
Employment First Manager within a two week period unless an extension is
requested.
Data from the community employment skills assessment will be used to refine each
student’s transition plan.
At this time, a referral to the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation can be made by the
local school district, Employment First Manager, or family.
The Employment First Manager will facilitate a Benefits Analysis consultation with
the student and family as needed.
Students who do not follow through with the intake/eligibility process, but are
suspected of a qualifying disability by the County Board of DD staff, may receive
services by the Employment First Manager until graduation or exit from high school.
Just prior to graduation these students will be referred again for intake and eligibility
and referrals will be made to appropriate agencies or providers on their behalf.
C. Plan for Adults
1. Individuals with developmental disabilities have the right to make informed decisions
about where they work, and to have opportunities to obtain community jobs that may
result in greater earnings, better benefits, improved health and increased quality of
life. Individuals with developmental disabilities should be encouraged to take part in
the workforce and to bring their individual strengths and talents to participate in
business and industry.
2. Adults who are currently interested in adult service programs shall go through
eligibility and intake through CCBDD.
3. A Service and Support Coordinator will be assigned to each eligible adult. An
Individual Service Plan (ISP) will be developed using the person centered planning
approach. As part of the ISP process individuals will chose their provider of services.
The ISP shall consider integrated employment as the preferred option for each person
served and the team shall work cooperatively with persons served to obtain that
career goal. Any decision to not consider employment in the community for specific
individuals is to be re-evaluated on a regular basis with the reasons and rationale for
these decisions fully documented and addressed in service plans.
4. A referral will be made by the Service and Support Coordinator to the Bureau of
Vocational Rehabilitation (OOD) as appropriate.
5. The Service and Support coordinator will facilitate a Benefits Analysis consultation
with the individual as needed.
D. Data Collection
1. The Employment First Manager will facilitate the development of ongoing
benchmarks for increasing the number of individuals of working-age who are
engaged in Community Employment services.
2. The Employment First Manager will be responsible for the collection of data
regarding individuals who receive employment services as well as individuals who do
not receive employment services but who are engaged in competitive or community
employment.
3. The Employment First Manager will be responsible for submitting data to Ohio
Department of Developmental Disabilities as well as to community partners.
E. Additional Tasks
1. The Employment First Manager will use collected data to assist with the development
of the County Board’s strategic plan.
2. The Employment First Manager will disseminate information to individuals served,
families and community partners that promotes and facilitates community
employment.
3. The Employment First Manager will maintain the “Local Interagency Agreement for
Transition of Students with Disabilities to the Workforce”.
4. The Employment First Manager will successfully complete the online Employment
First training, Ohio’s Orientation to Supported Employment, that is provided by
Employment First of Ohio. The Employment First Manager will ensure that all
providers that contract with the Board to fulfill employment first principles/practices
will successfully complete this training prior to service provision that is outlined in
the contract.