The family adjustment of parents (N=117) of young adults with mental retardation to their son/daughter's initial entry into supported employment was evaluated using the Resiliency Model of Family Stress Adjustment and Adaptation as an analytical framework. Results indicated that family strength dimensions are related to family adaptation and that…

The attitudes of employers toward workers with severe mental and physical disabilities and supported employment programs were examined through structured interviews with 47 employers who had hired or supervised workers participating in supported employment programs. Results indicated the employers generally held favorable attitudes regarding the…

The success of supported employment for persons with mental retardation is discussed. Major implementation issues including long term funding, technical assistance needs, transportation availability, and the need to serve the most severely handicapped are identified. (Author/DB)

This exploratory resource allocation model for implementing community-based supported employment services for persons with mental retardation uses a multivariate linear regression approach to project the hours required to develop a job site based on the size of the community, the rate of unemployment, and the percent of service jobs. (Author/DB)

A table presents, by state and by year (1988 and 1990), the percentages of individuals reported by mental retardation/developmental disability agencies as being served in segregated and integrated employment programs. Accompanying text analyzes increases in individuals served in integrated employment from 1988 to 1990 and increases in total…

This study employed direct observation to assess social interaction patterns of eight employees with severe disabilities and seven without disabilities in a supported employment setting. Variance was substantial among individual employees. Although patterns of interaction were similar between groups, statistically significant differences were…

Study of a sample of 93 individuals with disabilities participating in supported employment programs in Connecticut found that monthly wages and levels of integration increased significantly when compared to working situations prior to supported employment placement. (JDD)

Monetary costs and benefits of supported employment to individuals with mental retardation (n=20), taxpayers, and society were assessed, as was the quality of life of supported employees. Supported employment was found to be cost-effective over a five-year period during which programs moved from sheltered to supported employment. (DB)

This study provides longitudinal analysis of day program and work activities of 61 individuals leaving Minnesota state institutions and a comparison group of 71 people remaining institutionalized. Only 13% of movers experienced integrated employment. As a group, the people who remained institutionalized actually earned more money. (Author/CR)

This study examined the activities of employment specialists and nontraditional support providers in a supported employment program for transition-age youth with significant disabilities. Results are detailed for employment characteristics, types of supports needed or desired, identifying and arranging sources of support, support providers, and…

Three adults with developmental disabilities in supported-employment settings were successfully taught self-management strategies for addressing hygiene issues. The intervention included: a checklist with steps necessary to address particular hygiene issues, modeling the steps to each participant, providing praise and feedback, and teaching the…

This study investigated effects of a self-operated auditory prompting system on work performance of two supported employees with severe disabilities in community employment settings. Musical tapes embedded and interspersed with the auditory prompts increased work performance for each employee. Future research for implementing such systems in…

The authors compared 3 approaches to vocational rehabilitation for severe mental illness (SMI): the individual placement and support (IPS) model of supported employment, a psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) program, and standard services. Two hundred four unemployed clients (46% African American, 30% Latino) with SMI were randomly assigned to IPS,…

Effective transition planning is of paramount importance in maximizing post school outcomes for students with disabilities. The purpose of this study is to examine data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study--2 regarding the transition planning for students with mental retardation. In addition, for comparison purposes, data on transition…

The author describes her 30 years of experience in the design and conduct of a series of large-scale randomized controlled studies in the field of public welfare. She describes how these studies came about, what lessons can be drawn about research methods, what was learned about the effectiveness of these programs (the National Supported Work…