Joseph A. Fuemmeler, Linda L. Moore, Daniel J. van Ingen,
Kelly Ryan, Carol Kampfer, Kara Townsend
Chrestomathy, Inc.
Research on Job Perspectives of Adults with ID
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Adults with ID frequently feel that jobs are being
“chosen for them” (Bass & Drewett, 1997).
Adults with ID often complain that jobs lack sufficient
stimulation (Walker, 2000).
Adults with ID feel they are not being challenged
(Wistow & Schneider, 2003).
Research on Inclusion for Adults with ID
◦ Workers with intellectual disabilities felt lonely and
excluded when inclusion in community life was low
(Petrovsky & Gleeson, 1997).
◦ Paid employment improves the quality of life for
individuals with an intellectual disability (Eggleton,
Robertson, Ryan, & Kober,1999).
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Methods
◦ Case study—review of Chrestomathy, Inc. clients
 Over 25 years as a day program in Minneapolis
 Clients “on the edge of inclusion”
◦ Selection of the Six Factors
 Factors identified from examination of job placements
 Factors that were outside of Client or Provider
influence were eliminated.
◦ Development of the Supported Employment Survey
 Review of assessment process
 Consolidation of relevant items into single form
“Chrestos” meaning “useful”and “mathein” meaning “to
learn”
Day program provider serving Adults with IDD
 Services help the whole person
 Vocational
 Educational
 Therapeutic
Most clients are “on the edge of inclusion”
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Progress is not a straight line to the top.
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Success is rarely static, often cyclical.
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Improvement
Relapse
“Bouncing back”
The goal is to reduce long term effects of relapse
and bounce back to greater achievement.
Vocational
 Skills training
 Opportunities for pay both onsite and offsite
Educational
 Communication
 Community Integration
Therapeutic
 Anger Management and Social Skills Group
 Behavioral Supports and Interventions
 Physical Exercise/ Sensory Integration
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Long-term focus—“no demit” policy for clients with
complex needs
 Dual diagnosis, Autism, Behavioral needs
 Over 50% demitted from other programs for behavioral
problems.
 Almost 30% came directly from school programs due to need
for enhanced supports.
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Chrestomathy provides specialized supports
 High staff to client ratio
 Individualized Behavior Support Programs
 Transportation to and from job sites as well as residence
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The Six Factors
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Behavioral Stability
Match of Skills and Job Duties
Following a Long Term Plan
Independence in a Job Setting
Unique Services or Strengths that Add Value
Supportive Relationships
Each of the six factors has two sides
◦ Client makes choices about how to use their talents
◦ Provider plans for support of the client
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Client is responsible
for behavioral choices,
learning to make better
choices through
behavior program
plans
Client
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Provider creates
program structure for
learning through
consequences
Provider
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Client works on skill
sets through vocational
training
Client
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Provider finds ways to
match the skills and
job duties
Provider
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Client learns more
about being a part of
the workforce through
exposure to different
types of paid activities
and career counseling
to understand what
types of work are
suitable.
Client
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Provider assesses
long-term interests
and potential for
stability and outlines
short term outcomes
that support the long
term goal
Provider
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Client learns how to
meet the standards
through practice, using
individualized supports
and assessment of the
quality of own work
Client
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Provider trains Job
Coaches to bridge the
gap between client’s
current ability and the
immediate needs of
the job by providing
communication and
feedback on quality of
work
Provider
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Client contributes to
the workforce through
filling non-traditional
employer needs
Client
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Provider uses available
resources to provide
employers with
incentives to hire (job
coaches, support
system, transportation)
Provider
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Client adopts positive
attitudes (optimism
and perseverance) by
looking to role models
and encouragers in his
or her work and social
environments
Client
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Provider helps client to
re-frame negative
thinking to find the
positives in daily work
situations and
encourage effort and
development of skills
Provider
Instrument based on aspects of 6 factors
◦ A useful tool in discussions with other people who
support the individual about planning for
employment success
◦ Offers an “at a glance” picture of readiness, and a
final score that can be used to identify those who
are most ready
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See Handout
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Questions?
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Contact info: joe@chrestomathyinc.org
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Chrestomathy Website:
www.chrestomathyinc.org