Employment Trends in Rhode Island From 2011 to 2017 for Adults With Intellectual Disability and Developmental...

This study reports on state-level data in Rhode Island on employment and non-work activities of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities receiving services between 2011 and 2017. The goal was to examine the complex patterns of change over time in individual-level employment outcomes and the potential short-term impacts of a consent decree entered into by the state of Rhode Island to address integrated employment outcomes. Findings suggest that policy initiatives such as the consent decree can lead to reductions in reliance on facility-based work, but also highlight the importance of planning for the transition to competitive, integrated employment and not simply a shift toward non-work activities. Further, the data support the notion that the best predictor of integrated employment over time is previous experiences in integrated employment (not facility-based or other work or non-work activities), suggesting the role of ongoing supported employment and transition services that create and support the maintenance of integrated employment.