The author, Mark Shriver, PhD, is the director of the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) at the Munroe-Meyer Institute.
In Nebraska, we have been fortunate during this difficult pandemic to still boast the lowest unemployment numbers in the nation. Unfortunately, employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities continues to be an area of need, both in Nebraska and nationally.
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and the U.S. Department of Labor has declared the theme of the month to be “Increasing Access and Opportunity.” The Munroe-Meyer Institute UCEDD is actively working to facilitate access and opportunity for employment for individuals with IDD.
Project Search is a national program that the MMI UCEDD provides locally through a partnership with Madonna, Omaha Public Schools and Nebraska Medicine. Project Search includes both students in transition and adults. It is focused on providing classroom instruction and real-world work internship experiences. MMI’s Project Search has an 88% competitive employment rate for graduates. See more information about Project Search.
MMI UCEDD has recently hired a full-time employment services liaison, Saige Vohs, who will start on Oct. 5. She most recently has been employed with North Dakota Vocational Rehabilitation and also has worked with Nebraska Vocational Rehabilitation.
Saige will be responsible for collaborating with Project Search, collaborating and building systems with employment agencies in Nebraska, and helping individuals with IDD effectively navigate employment services in Nebraska.
As is the case for many other recent high school graduates, one pathway to employment for individuals with IDD is participation in post-secondary educational experiences. The MMI UCEDD, in collaboration with the University of Nebraska at Omaha, offers post-secondary educational programming at UNO. Programs include the MMI-UNO Trailblazers Program, an inclusive postsecondary education program for students with intellectual disabilities, and the MMI College and Career Exploration Program (CCEP), a college and career readiness program for transition-aged youth that focuses on college and career skill building, self-determination, self-advocacy and social skills. See additional information about these programs.
Coordinated by the Nebraska Statewide Independent Living Council, the MMI UCEDD is collaborating with many other disability partners in Nebraska to plan a weeklong virtual educational series on disability employment issues in Nebraska during the last week of October. Stay tuned to MMI Monthly and MMI’s social media channels for more information soon.
Finally, related to the topic of employment, it is very important to acknowledge the impact of employment on caregivers of individuals who are aged or who have disabilities. Employed caregivers are stressed during this pandemic, as resources have been limited and isolation has increased. Stress and caregiving responsibilities can lead to lowered employment participation for caregivers. Respite services are available to help caregivers.
MMI UCEDD has collaborated with the Nebraska DHHS and the Nebraska Lifespan Respite Network to disseminate respite resources with statewide employers for the last five years. This year, we also are conducting a statewide “Working Caregiver Survey.” We are currently working with 80 employers across Nebraska but would like to add more.
If you know an employer who would like to participate in the statewide Working Caregiver Survey, please contact Kim Falk at 402-559-4951 or via email.