Consumer perspectives on improving engagement in federal work incentive programs
What is it about?
We conducted a small pilot study, using first-person accounts, which supports the importance of consumer-led input into long-term support programs and the importance of customized employment programs in state vocational rehabilitation. Considering the ambiguity expressed by the participants, customized employment may be a viable solution to reduce load on agencies and increase participation in Federal programs. From a policy perspective, this study illustrates the value of small pilot studies and first-person accounts to determine participants’ ability to understand complex activities and to decide to act. It also reinforces the importance of consumer-led input into long-term support programs. We also offer recommendations on how rehabilitation professionals may reframe disability to reduce stigma, address re-entry concerns, and help individuals with disabilities navigate ‘tickets’ in their return to work, with a focus on the value of consumer input.
Why is it important?
If an inclusive society is our goal, then negative societal and workplace attitudes, functional limitations due to disability, lack of employable skills, and navigating numerous complex and cumbersome systems are everyday challenges that must be addressed, discussed, accommodated, and resolved in an individual’s quest to become employed. In addition to emphasizing the importance of consumer feedback in program design and implementation, we also describe Florida's vocational rehabilitation initiative to integrate the customized employment strategies and the Discovery process as an example for better alignment of employment opportunities with the job seeker's interests, talents, and conditions for employment.