Work to Include

Building a coalition of people with disabilities and family members to promote Employment First.

with funding from the

The Coalition Goals

Eliminate barriers and design a statewide system that works for all.
Develop local initiatives to dispel myths about community employment.
Document the employment success of people with disabilities.

State of the State.

Indiana ranks in the middle on a number of measures of employment outcomes and near the bottom for employment of individuals with more significant support needs. Fewer than 21% of adults with disabilities in the state are working compared with 31% nationally. However, since the state has always prioritized individual versus small group community employment, those who are working have better more customized job outcomes. The state ranks very low in employment for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities with only 10% in competitive, integrated employment services, compared with 71% in the state of Washington.

While we have some information from the US Census Bureau and Department of Labor, Indiana service agencies do not currently share information regularly on employment status of persons served. With no central reporting mechanism, it is difficult to set and meet goals across state systems.

Employment First makes data collection a priority so that the employment status of all individuals with disabilities served by the state is reported annually and improvement addressed.

By the numbers.

1 in 4 adults in the United States have a disability

2x as many individuals (age 18-64) with a disability live in poverty compared to the general population

2 out of 3 unemployed adults with disabilities want a job

20.8% of working age Hoosiers with a disability were employed in 2019 compared to 68.7% without a disability

The Summit in Review

The 2021 Work to Include Employment First Summit

The Summit provided an opportunity to learn from experts across Indiana, Oregon, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Colorado about how we can advance competitive employment for all.

Learn More Here

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Volunteer now for your local coalition.

It all begins with you. Work to Include is interested in having passionate people invested in our mission. We are looking for people around the State of Indiana to get involved and volunteer their time with our local coalitions. Contact us today!

Pre-Employment Transition Services Webinar

Hosted by the Work To Include Coalition

This webinar focuses on Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) for students with dis/abilities. Funded by Vocational Rehabilitation, these services are intended to prepare young adults for transition to employment after high school and involve a partnership between public schools and adult service agencies in Indiana. Pre-ETS services include job exploration counseling, work-based learning experiences, and instruction in self-advocacy.