Public Comment: Employment First plan

ndiana Commission on Rehabilitation Services:

In April, 2017, Indiana passed legislation regarding Employment First, meaning that employment is the first and preferred outcome for individuals with disabilities. The Employment First Act pertains to state agencies that provide services and support to help obtain employment for individuals with disabilities, and requires those agencies to effectively implement this employment first policy to advance competitive, integrated employment outcomes, including self-employment, for individuals with disabilities of working age. The Indiana Commission on Rehabilitation Services is responsible for developing a plan for advancing competitive, integrated employment as the first and preferred option, and the plan must include:

1. Identification of barriers to employment for individuals with disabilities;
2. An analysis of federal, state, and local agency policies concerning the provision of services to individuals with disabilities, including the impact of those policies on opportunities for competitive integrated employment; and
3. Recommendations to advance competitive integrated employment for individuals with disabilities.

The Indiana Commission on Rehabilitation Services has worked over the past year to draft an Employment First plan. This draft plan is now posted for public review and comment. The draft plan may be viewed by clicking here and the Commission on Rehabilitation Services welcomes comments from individuals with disabilities and their families, state agencies, schools, stakeholders, employers, provider organizations, advocacy groups, members of the public, and others. Comments may be submitted to VRCommission.vr@fssa.in.gov through Friday, December 13, 2019.