1. Lets Talk Strategies: Employment First in Action
Wendy Parent-Johnson
2016 National APSE Conference
Cincinnati, OH

2. What’s Happening in SD? 50.1 % people employed
Lowest unemployment rate
Ranked 8th on State Employment System Performance Score
(Smith & Butterworth, ThinkWork)

3. Governor Daugaard’s Employment Initiative

4. SD Employment Works Task Force
Recommendations
Find and support businesses to employ people with disabilities.
Connect businesses to employees with disabilities.
Eliminate disincentives to employment for people with disabilities.
Develop flexible systems and promote promising policies.

5. Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Transition
Project Skills
Transition Services Liaison Project
Youth Leadership Forum
Indicator 14 Outcomes
General
CESP Certification
25% rate increase
Ticket to Work Payments
½ dollars on Job placement & job coaching
Establishment Grants (15)
Training and TA
511 Reviews

6. Division of Developmental Disability Services
Communicate with families earlier
Person Centered Thinking
Change the culture and trajectory for employment
Employment First Alliance
National Core Indicator interviews
Waiver cost-share removal

7. Everyone Works Together

8. What Makes EF Work? Commitment Leadership Opportunity Engagement
Innovation
RPJ, 2013

9. Are We There Yet? Still Have: 49.9% not working
1,284 people receiving subminimum wage
63% say they want a job
Implementation issues
We Are Seeing:
Change in conversations
Shifting expectations
New questions being asked
More people becoming employed

10. Let’s Talk What EF activities are happening in your state?
What do you feel has influenced employment practices?
What strategies have been effective in impacting outcomes?
What ideas and suggestions would you like to see implemented?

11. For more information, contact
Wendy Parent-Johnson, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Center for Disabilities
University of South Dakota
(605)