Employment Outcomes of Vocational Rehabilitation Clients With Autism Spectrum Disorders

2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 144-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Y. Alverson ◽  
Scott H. Yamamoto

Research has consistently documented poor employment outcomes for young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Vocational rehabilitation (VR) services provide substantial federal and state commitments to individuals with disabilities to obtain and maintain employment. To date, little research has examined the relationship between VR services and employment outcomes of clients with ASD. The purpose of this descriptive study was to better understand employment outcomes of individuals with ASD. Data spanning 10 years from the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) 911 database were analyzed to identify characteristics of VR clients with ASD and the services they received. The percent of individuals who achieved competitive employment averaged 37% across the 10 years. Those who achieved an employment outcome participated in twice as many services as those who did not achieve an employment outcome.

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-159
Author(s):  
Ian Shadrick ◽  
Carol Etlen

The purpose of this study was to examine employment outcomes for adult vocational rehabilitation clients with deaf-blindness. Specifically, this study examined the relationship between case service provisions, and competitive employment outcomes for individuals with deaf-blindness. The sample was obtained from Rehabilitation Services Administration Case Service Report (RSA-911) data and included 135 cases of individuals with deaf-blindness identified as their primary or secondary disability and whose cases were closed during the fiscal year 2016. The independent variables consisted of vocational rehabilitation case service-related variables. The dependent variable was attainment of competitive employment. Results indicated that three vocational rehabilitation case service variables were associated with client outcomes for those with deaf-blindness seeking and obtaining competitive employment. Implications for improving employment outcomes for clients with deaf-blindness include supporting postsecondary educational attainment opportunities, providing job placement services, and providing job search-related services. Implications for services provided by vocational rehabilitation agencies are discussed.


2021 ◽  
pp. JARC-D-20-00017
Author(s):  
Kayli Seagraves

The unemployment rate of those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is staggeringly low. The low number of those with ASD in the competitive workforce can be connected to the complex and sometimes severe manifestations of the disorder. However, there are many supports and accommodations that individuals with ASD can use in order to alleviate the stress of finding and maintaining competitive employment. Natural supports can be provided through supportive supervisors, informed coworkers, and on-the-job trainings. Vocational rehabilitation services are provided in order to assess, prepare, and support individuals with ASD through their employment. Lastly, job modifications are used to alleviate any stressors that an employee with ASD may experience on the job. In this literature it was found that natural supports, vocational rehabilitation services, and job modifications were effective in improving the employment outcomes for individuals with ASD. Rehabilitation counselors can use the information found in this literature review to inform employers of successful and effective job supports for employees with ASD.


2005 ◽  
Vol 99 (5) ◽  
pp. 303-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele E. Capella-McDonnall

In this study, four variables were found to have a significant association with competitive employment outcomes for blind and visually impaired consumers of vocational rehabilitation services. These variables were the receipt of education as a rehabilitation service that resulted in an educational certificate or degree, having worked since the onset of the disability, reason for applying to vocational rehabilitation related to obtaining a job, and the relationship between the counselor and the consumer being rated as high quality.


2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele C. McDonnall ◽  
Jennifer Cmar

The purpose of this study was to investigate employment outcomes for vocational rehabilitation (VR) consumers with deaf-blindness, a population that has received no attention in the literature. The sample was obtained from Rehabilitation Services Administration Case Service Report (RSA-911) data and included 1,382 consumers with deaf-blindness identified as their primary or secondary disability whose cases were closed during fiscal years 2013, 2014, and 2015. Independent variables consisted of consumer personal characteristics and VR service-related variables. Two measures of employment outcomes were used: obtainment of competitive employment and a composite measure of job quality. Overall, the results indicate that several VR service-related factors are associated with whether deaf-blind consumers obtain competitive employment, but consumers’ personal characteristics are much more important in determining job quality. Implications for improving employment outcomes for consumers who are deaf-blind include providing job-related services, supporting educational advancement, and providing counseling and guidance. Results also support the importance of accounting for employment status at application in RSA-911 analyses and the efficacy of service provision by separate agencies for the blind.


2019 ◽  
Vol 113 (6) ◽  
pp. 518-537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily M. Lund ◽  
Jennifer L. Cmar

Introduction:The purpose of this article was to conduct a systematic review of peer-reviewed studies on factors related to employment in consumers who are visually impaired using Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA-911) Case Service Report data.Methods:We used database, hand, and ancestral search strategies to systematically identify peer-reviewed studies published between 1990 and August 2018 where researchers used RSA-911 data to address the target question. All included articles were coded by two reviewers for study and participant characteristics, quality indicators, and outcomes.Results:Nine articles consisting of 14 analyses were included. Twelve analyses concerned employment outcomes; two concerned earnings. Researchers in most studies used large samples of 3,000 or more consumers and used multivariable analyses, most commonly multilevel logistic regression. Factors that consistently predicted lower employment across studies included presence of a secondary disability and legal blindness; higher education level consistently predicted higher employment, as did earnings and self-support at vocational rehabilitation application. Few analyses included state- or agency-level variables or specific vocational rehabilitation services.Discussion:These results indicate that certain groups of vocational rehabilitation consumers with visual impairments may be at greater risk of unsuccessful closures; researchers should examine specific strategies that may improve outcomes in these groups. These results also highlight the importance of education in securing employment among people with visual impairments. Researchers should examine state- and agency-level variables that may affect outcomes as well as the effects of specific services on outcomes. Additionally, researchers should analyze factors that may affect employment quality as well as employment outcomes.Implications for practitioners:Practitioners who are working with visually impaired people who do not have a postsecondary degree should encourage and assist their clients in obtaining one; practitioners may also wish to provide more targeted support for consumers from potentially high-risk subpopulations.


Author(s):  
Sloane Burgess ◽  
Robert E. Cimera

Abstract The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the employment outcomes of transition-aged adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) served by vocational rehabilitation services (VR) over the last 10 years by state. A secondary purpose was to compare employment outcomes of individuals with ASD to those of the overall transition-aged population served by VR for the same time period. Although there was variability both within and among states, the results of this study indicate that, over time, the number of young adults with ASD seeking VR services has increased; however, employment outcomes including the percent of adults with ASD achieving employment, the number of hours worked, and wages earned have not improved for this group. The cost to provide VR services to transition-aged adults with ASD was relatively stable over time. Transition-aged adults with ASD were more likely to become successfully employed as a result of receiving VR services than the overall population of transition-aged adults served by VR. However, the employed transition-aged adults consistently worked fewer hours and earned lower wages than those in the overall population. Factors that may influence variability within and among states, and between groups, and implications for research and practice are discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 143-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole M. Ditchman ◽  
Jennifer L. Miller ◽  
Amanda B. Easton

Young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face poor employment outcomes following transition from school to adult life. Social network analysis is a useful approach for examining service patterns associated with employment success for this population. An advantage of this approach is its focus on the interdependence of variables rather than individual predictors. This study applies network methodology to examine the relations between vocational rehabilitation services and young adults with ASD to predict employment status. Using the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA-911) data set, participants included 2,219 individuals with ASD between the ages of 16 and 24 served by the public vocational rehabilitation system and closed as either competitively employed or not employed. A two-mode network was constructed such that a relation was defined for each service an individual received. Results from a core-periphery analysis indicated that of the 22 services available, core services included assessment, counseling/guidance, job placement, on-the-job support, job search support, and transportation services. Follow-up analyses suggested that the greater number of these six core services an individual received, the better the employment outcome. Findings highlight that these services should be viewed as interconnected and suggest a set of six core services that may be particularly beneficial for this population.


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