Lesson 13: Vocational Factors Impacted by Developmental Disabilities

Employment First Initiative

What is it?

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to:

• Identify the specific community resources available for individuals with Developmental Disabilities
• Contrast Developmental Disabilities with Psychiatric Disabilities

Teaching

The term "rehabilitation" implies that a person under these services is returning to a previous level of functioning following an illness...for many of our clients we are actually hoping to bring them to a level of independence and functioning that they have never experienced.

This applies to many populations including mental health and developmental disabilities.

Click HERE to read the American Psychiatric Association's document on DSM-5 changes to Intellectual Disability

Click HERE to read the American Psychiatric Association's document on DSM-5 changes to Autism Spectrum Disorders

The link below is a pdf which discusses the employment first initiative. This initiative is a policy put into place that states all persons with disabilities can work. And therefore initiatives have been developed and services made available to persons with disabilities to assist them in developing the skills needed to work and to offer them the support needed to maintain employment.

http://www.employmentfirstmaine.org/uploads/EmploymentFirstResourceList_7.2013_.pdf

Assessment

Possible Class Discussion

Discuss the unique factors that intellectual and autism spectrum disorders bring to vocational services. Keep in mind that you may have clients with co-occurring disorders of intellectual and autism spectrum disorder. How is the Employment First Initiative making a difference in Maine?

Lesson 13 Quiz

1. List five comparisons persons with mental health disabilities and developmental disabilities experience in regards to employment.
2. Write a couple of paragraphs describing what Maine has done to improve employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in light of the Employment First Initiative.