Project Description:
The overall purpose of the project is to scale up and sustain evidence-based practices in Missouri that support seamless transitions to integrated employment. This project seeks to address the needs of youth and young adults ages 16-30 with
developmental and intellectual disabilities (DD/ID) who are in the process of transitioning from secondary or post-secondary education settings to community employment. There exists a tremendous need in the state to improve access to integrated employment opportunitie;in fact according to 2007 data in a State Employment Leadership Network (SELN) report, only 9% of individuals with ID/DD were employed in
integrated settings, compared with 20% nationally. Objectives:
1. To build cross system and agency collaborations designed to exchange and transfer knowledge and
effective practices between partners.
2. To scale-up evidence-based practices within communities through the participation of key partners and
groups on a community level (e.g. Community Transition Teams, Missouri VR, Division of DD, Schools,
Employers, Self-Advocates, Families, Providers) that demonstrate the effectiveness of model practices.
3. To conduct a review of and make needed changes to collaborative funding options, policies, and
procedures that support broader implementation of the effective practices demonstrated within
communities.
4. To develop statewide capacity to scale up demonstrations through training, dissemination and broader
implementation.
5. To evaluate results and to sustain the scaled up practices.
Outcomes: Project objectives are designed to produce outcomes at the system, community and
individual levels. Outcomes include:
? System Level: Collaborations, funding, policies, and procedures are scaled up and sustained
? Community Level: Evidence-based practices within communities are scaled up and sustained
? Individual Level: Increase in individuals with DD/ID that transition to integrated employment
Target Audience:
Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Geographic Areas, Rural/Remote, Urban
