The Social Security Administration is funding a random assignment evaluation of six demonstration projects to improve employment and other outcomes for youth ages 14 to 25 who are either receiving disability benefits or are at high risk of receiving them in the future. This report reviews the Youth Transition Demonstration (YTD) projects, located…

This review of the literature on supported employment for individuals with severe disabilities begins by outlining two Federal definitions of supported employment and noting their similarities. Literature on approaches to supported employment is examined, focusing on individual jobs at distributed or scattered sites, enclaves, mobile crews, and…

This paper examines current issues in supported employment in the areas of assessment, job analysis, instructional technology, and management. How supported employment can be implemented more effectively is discussed along with areas in which further policy implementation and research are needed. (Author/DB)

The "Open Road" project is a three-year supported employment program for adults with severe mental handicap in Dublin, Ireland. This paper describes the program's development of integrated day services; job development; program participants; and issues in program effectiveness such as family concerns, staff development, organizational…

This commentary on "Natural Supports in the Workplace: The Jury Is Still Out" (Test and Wood), argues that the principles of natural supports should not be subject to empirical testing because they function as a guide to strategy development and strategy selection. Discusses the difficulties in examining natural support strategies. (CR)

A 1992 conference on strategies to secure and maintain employment for person with long-term mental illness brought together providers, consumers, family members, researches, and others to develop as complete an overview as possible of the current state of knowledge in the field. This booklet summarizes findings from the conference. There were many…

This paper describes a successful model of supported employment developed by a single small agency previously providing services as a segregated day activity center. Included is discussion of the service agency, program methodology, barriers to successful community-based employment, manner in which barriers were overcome, program outcomes, and…

This theme issue addresses current trends and new developments in ensuring that individuals with disabilities have meaningful employment opportunities, especially in the context of recent federal legislation. Stressed throughout is the importance of collaboration among professionals, individuals with disabilities, and family members in achieving…

Evidence from the past 4 years confirms that private sector jobs are the best and first resort for welfare recipients seeking to enter the workforce and that the private sector can well absorb the entry of these new workers. The model of wage-based transitional employment may be a more effective means of helping hard-to-employ welfare recipients…