Missouri Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities- Career Guide (2019)
“This guide will take the job seeker and his or her support team through the career planning process by providing information he or she can use during the career planning sessions. It should be noted that since everyone is unique, the individual planning process will be unique to each person as well. The guide is simply a framework to allow the job seeker and his or her team to create a vision and a plan to achieve a career that makes sense to the job seeker. It is less about the forms and more about generating ideas, clear action steps, and moving the person closer towards his or her ultimate career goals.”
“Missouri Alliance of Area Agencies on Aging (Ma4) was awarded a statewide 2019 CMS Navigator Cooperative Agreement serving Missouri’s working poor, constituting a majority of the state’s left-behind population, including: consumers in the Medicaid gap, those with fluctuating wages working in service industries such as—hair and nail salons, and the uninsured and insured; immigrant/refugee communities; persons with relatively expensive employer based coverage; persons without employer based coverage; and low-income adults often found using urgent care, hospitals, and clinics. The Sub-awardee/Subrecipient Contracted Organizations are Care Connection for Aging Services, Central Missouri Area Agency on Aging, Mid-East Area Agency on Aging (d.b.a. Aging Ahead), Northeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging, St. Louis Area Agency on Aging, Southeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging (d.b.a. Aging Matters), SeniorAge Area Agency on Aging. They will partner with the Cover Missouri Coalition, Veteran’s Administration call center, Centers of Independent Living, Community Action Agency offices across the state, County health departments, and Missouri Family Support Division.”
“1. The State of Missouri shall make best efforts to eliminate the disparity in the percentage of individuals with disabilities of working age in the population and the percentage of employees with disabilities in the State workforce, and set annual goals for continuing to increase the percentage of individuals with disabilities in the State workforce.
2. The Office of Administration shall, on an annual basis, collect data, based on voluntary self-disclosure, and report initial baseline numbers of state employees with disabilities. The Office of Administration shall report and evaluate the State’s progress in increasing the percentage of employees with disabilities in the State workforce.
3. The Office of Administration, Division of Personnel, shall identify and designate a State Disability Employment Coordinator or Coordinators, who shall be responsible for advising all state agencies on disability policy and compliance with state and federal disability rights laws, collaborating with and supporting all state agencies concerning recruitment, hiring, and retention of employees with disabilities, and training of state employees and managers on disability-related issues.”
“Prevocational Services provide one-to-one learning and group experiences to further develop an individual’s general, non-job task specific skills which are needed to succeed in paid employment in competitive, integrated community settings. Services are expected to occur over a defined period of time with specific and measurable outcomes to be achieved, as determined by an individualized assessed need through an ongoing person-centered planning process. Services are intended to develop and teach general skills that lead to competitive and integrated employment including, but not limited to:
ability to communicate effectively with supervisors, co-workers and customers;
generally accepted community workplace conduct and dress;
Missouri State Rehabilitation Council 2019 Annual Report
“During Program Year 2018, Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation helped 4,589 individuals reach successful employment outcomes with a success rate of 53.1 percent for individuals who received services and exited the program.
Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation works closely with school districts across the state. The program annually provides transition services, including pre-employment transition services, to approximately 10,000 high school students and youth with disabilities.
Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation grant dollars expended for purchased client services from community vendors are effective and help local economies. In addition, the total annual increase in earnings for individuals with successful outcomes was over $66 million. The program’s customer satisfaction survey results are consistently among the top in the nation.”
“Vocational Rehabilitation
A team will work with you in your home to develop a personal employment goal. Your individual team may include a rehabilitation counselor, teacher, and/or mobility specialist. Services include:
Diagnosis and evaluation
Counseling and guidance
Training
Transition services to help blind or visually impaired youth (age 14+) to transition to college and work
Job placement/post-employment
Rehabilitation technology and equipment to help you at your job
Business-Enterprise Program
The Business Enterprise Program (BEP) may be able to help you find success through self-employment. This program helps by developing business sites (state, federal, etc.) and providing business opportunities (ex. vending routes, snack bars, convenience stores, full service, etc.).
You must be referred to BEP through Vocational Rehabilitation and successfully pass the National Restaurant Association ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification to be eligible for help. You will need to complete an interview, test, work-site evaluations, and training (includes classroom instruction and on-the-job monitored training).”
Missouri Dept. of Education: Postsecondary Transition
“A comprehensive, online, career development and planning program that is provided free of charge to all Missouri citizens. Funded by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), this program supports the career development efforts of schools, community organizations, and adult job seeker programs.”
This page has a list of effective practices by disability category that link to information to include eligibility and other information, and state and national resources for individuals and their families.
State of Missouri Builds on Efforts to Become a Model Employer (2020)
“…Governor Mike Parson announced [on February 6] that Missouri is 1 of 13 states selected by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) to receive additional technical assistance (TA) to help more citizens with disabilities obtain competitive, integrated employment.
The ongoing TA is part of an emerging trend under the Visionary Opportunities to Increase Competitive Employment (VOICE) initiative that will help Missouri improve employment outcomes within its statewide mental health systems.
Last September, Governor Mike Parson signed Executive Order 19-16, announcing the Missouri as a Model Employer initiative.”
Missouri Division of Behavioral Health: Employment Services
“Individuals with substance use, mental health disorders and/or criminal justice backgrounds have strengths, talents and abilities that are frequently overlooked. The Division seeks to integrate clinical and vocational supported employment services though state-wide partnerships with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, agencies providing employment programs, community mental health centers, ADA providers and state-operated facilities. The goal is to help individuals who are interested in employment, participate in the competitive labor market, hired to do a job of their preference, with the appropriate level of professional help needed to be successful.”
Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council position on employment and sub-minimum wage
“In partnership with others, the MODDC will promote competitive, community based employment which we define as: jobs that occur in the community for at least minimum wage, at typical community businesses where employees with and without disabilities work in close proximity to each other, and have the same benefits, responsibilities and expectations. The MODDC believes that all people who want to work can work with the right supports. That all people have a responsibility to share their abilities, strengths and talents with others in the community, to make their community a better place.”