Supportive Employment Project - Research Paper Example

? SUPPORTIVE EMPLOYMENT PROJECT In a typical society, there is the presence of people with a varied range of disabilities like physical or mental incapacities. These people ought to be integrated into the social institutions and facilities enjoyed by the able members of that community. In this context, every society aims at establishing mechanisms of incorporating these disadvantaged members into the economic, socials and political institutions (Frank, 2009). These mechanisms aim at achieving distributive social justice, with respect to the ability level of people present in any given integrated social setting. The aspect of striving to achieve equitable social justice for every member of the society, regardless of the member’s ability level is practical on the employment platform. Every member of the society has to engage in some economic activities. In this case, even the disadvantaged members should get employment in the same places where the other people work. As a result, there is a need to structure a social justice system to highlight the problem of opportunity inequality. In this regard, emergence of supportive employment principles serves to address the issue. State authorities, local policies and political forces are working together to implement the principles of supportive employment. In workplaces, employees expect to conduct their duties in a favorable environment which facilitate optimal application of their skills and resources in ensuring efficient productivity. For effective delivery of their duties, employees should be armed with the required set of skills demanded by the working environment. At this juncture, we should acknowledge that actual work places incorporate members with varied level of abilities. In this case, dispensation of the required skills to every employee in a work place requires varied efforts. Social justice systems aim at ensuring equal treatment of everyone in any social institution Therefore, the aspect of supportive employment proves beneficial in addressing inequalities in work organizations. The objectives of the supportive employment project are to facilitate equipment of disadvantaged members in a work place with the required technical and social skills that will help them to develop a health relationship with the customers, fellow employees and the entire community. The entire process of supportive employment facilitates the placement of these disadvantages members into a fair, competitive position in the work place. Implementation of supported employment projects takes into consideration some of the fundamental elements which include equitable distribution of financial benefits among employees, equal opportunities in integrated work places and the provision of continued support to these disabled members. The federal, state and local authorities are responsible for development and implementation of programs meant to address the aspect of disability in the society (Simons, 2010). Summary The social governing systems are working towards achievement of social justice in the economic and social systems. There are numerous systems that are operating within the US population, which aims at achieving the aspect of social justice. All the governing systems ranging from the federal, state and the local governments are working tirelessly towards implementing and ensuring continual adoption of social justice programs in the society. Supportive employment is the dominant route of achieving social justice in all these governing authorities. Federal, state and local systems have stipulated policies that serve to address the aspects of supportive employment. In this context, supportive employment programs like social security initiatives are the channels through which the funds committed by these social governance systems reach the disable members of the society. Supportive employment programs facilitate achievement of equality and fairness in the work place. Therefore, we will discuss the various roles played by the three governing systems and their policies meant for supportive employment purposes (CRP Brief, 2004). Federal Policies The federal government, which is the highest authority in any given federal district, acknowledges the aspect of disability in the society. The elements of a federal government aim at addressing the issues affecting the entire federal district population. In this regard, federal systems of governance have instituted functional programs meant to tackle the social and economic problems in the society. These programs governing the practices meant to address social problems are clearly stipulated in the federal policies. In this context, the aspect disability in the society has attracted attention of the federal district leaders. In addition, the state representatives at the federal positions propagated the efforts meant to address issues of disability in the society, and especially at the labor environment (Becker & Deborah, 2011). Federal state agents responded to these concerns by formulation federal policies aimed at achieving the effect of social justice to the disabled members of the society. In the United States Federal district, concerns of disabilities have been addressed at numerous policies governing the economic system. The federal involvement to support members with disabilities has been formalized in the American with Disabilities Act. Most of the policies contained in this act focuses on the aspect of supportive employment. The federal policies recommend implementation of social programs meant to facilitate fairness and equality in the employment sector. These federal supportive employment programs are covered in the larger Social Security Administration programs. The US Congress passed legislations meant to address the pains of disabled members of the society in the work force. Majority of these disabled members comprise of employees with mental disabilities especially psychiatric disorders. Statistics shows that the federal government is under intense pressure because the number of people eligible for employment supportive programs due to psychiatric disorder is increasing. This is attributed to the fact that the number of employment opportunities has increased immensely over the past few years. People faced with severe and long term mental disabilities are continually expressing their desire to enter the federal work force. As a result, the federal system is forced to devise programs meant to address the aspect of supportive employment in the economic sector (Joanne & Marsha, 2010). At the federal level, the social security programs comprises of two categories which include the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and the Supplementary Security Income (SSI). In the context of Social Security Disability Insurance program, the federal system stipulated federal policies that would see the provision of social security compensations to the severely disabled members of the society who could no longer demonstrate gainful productivity in the job market. In addition, the federal system extended the scope of SSDI to include young employees with disabilities that could last for a short period. Moreover, federal policies stipulated and implemented in 1988 asserts that those mentally disable workers under the SSDI program should be provided with medical insurance for at least three years upon entry into the job market (Joanne & Marsha, 2010). The other social security program under the federal system is the Supplemental Security Income SSI. This program covers the individual members with disabilities and their families. It entails provision of financial assistance. This program also extends to provide medical assistance in terms of medical insurances to the disabled employees and their family members. The federal system is responsible for funding all these social security programs. Federal statistics shows that the federal government spends approximately 2.8 % of America’s gross domestic products in funding the social programs. This transforms to about $ 280 billion as depicted in the US 2009 budget. However, this value is set to go up as the number of disabled members in need of supportive employment increases. Federal forecasts show that continual funding of these programs poses some negative effects to the nation’s economy. State Policies The federal government works hand in hand with the state government in addressing the issue of supportive employment. The states have formulated its policies and programs that work towards implementing supportive employment programs at the state level. The federal system is responsible for funding these programs and projects adopted at the state level. In this context, it is the duty of the state authorities to manage these funds by planning and executing supportive employment programs at the local work place settings. Some of these programs include development of mechanisms meant to dispense the funds to the specific work environments. In addition, the state authorities need systems of appraising the effectiveness of their supportive employment programs (CRP Brief, 2004). Some of the state programs include provision of mentorship and personal assistance programs to the disabled employees. In this case, disabled workers join mentorship programs at their respective work environments. These mentorship programs, which are funded by the state government, facilitate motivation among the employees through personal development lessons. In addition, the state policies recommend placement of mental and physical disability physicians in every work environment. These physicians and psychiatrists will help in evaluating the technical needs of the employees in their respective job responsibilities. In this case, an organization’s management can assign the employees with disabilities duties according to their technical abilities. Each state government has established counseling and support facilities in every region in the state. These facilities provide unlimited and customized support aimed at enabling disable employees to retain their respective jobs (Simons, 2010). Local Authorities Policies Local policies operate within the contexts of the local economic settings. Every organization in the society integrates some operational policies relating to the subject of supportive employment. In this context, every local authority acknowledges the fact that every disabled member of the society should work in a supportive employment setting. In this regard, the local authorities formulate rules and guidelines that provide directions concerning business and employment practices directed towards the disabled members of the society. In this case, the local authorities set standards which define the eligible members that meet the requirements of receiving supported employment services (Hamond & Ronald, 2011). Some of these policies include evaluation of the individual’s level of disability to appraise if they meet the requirements. Upon certification of eligibility, the subject employee should enter into a contract defining the supportive employment practices provided by the employer. At the local context, some of the supportive employment includes provision of intensive supportive services for 18 months upon incorporation into the work environment. Moreover, some typical programs applicable at the local policies platform includes customized or situational assessments, job placement programs, training programs, employment stabilization programs and the extended services. Situational assessment programs apply to individual employees based on the level and nature of their disability at work place. In this case, the company adjusts the performance management systems to suit the competence of the disabled employee with respect to the employee’s disability. In this case, an organization gauges an employee with a tailor made performance appraisal system which takes into consideration the aspects of weaknesses caused by the disability. Job placement programs included in local policies aims at creating a job seeking advantage to the disabled members of the society. These programs include training programs that instills the members with job seeking skills in any labor market. The specific elements of the program include skills concerning preparation of job application documents like resumes and cover letters. The disabled members acquire coaching concerning the aspect of direct marketing to the employers especially in the context of cold calling. In addition, these trainees acquire knowledge concerning interview skills with respect to the common interview questions and the appropriate answers for those questions (Hamond & Ronald, 2011). At the local arena, supportive employment programs are also applicable at the context of job stabilization. Upon entrance into a work environment, the responsible organization provided disabled employees with services meant to stabilize them at their work places. In this case, some local authorities like the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) and the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD) participates under a joint agreement aimed at ensuring job stabilization in the job market within their jurisdiction. The efforts provided by these local bodies aim at providing integrated efforts in pursing the supportive employment to stakeholders with disability nature that meet their requirements (Frank, 2009). The local corporations accumulate, channel and manage supportive employment funds provided by the funding corporations. These stabilization programs include specification of reasonable job responsibilities to every disabled individual that takes into consideration the employee’s disability nature. In addition, these local authorities assert that every organization must manage the assigned funds in a manner that will facilitate provision of quality stabilization programs. These quality services required include planning, coordinating and implementation of vocational training programs to employees with disabilities. In addition, the local authorities and the employers integrate their efforts in identifying the possible barriers that hinders effective incorporation of disabled employees in the work place. Upon identification of these barriers, the relevant parties work towards developing solutions meant to remove the effects of these barriers (Joanne & Marsha, 2010). Reference List Hamond, V. B. & Ronald, H. (2011). Strategies for funding supported employment: A review of federal programs. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation. New York: IOS Press, 5(12). Joanne, H. P & Marsha, C. (2010). An overview of research in Supported Employment: Effectiveness in the Work Place. Journal of Disability Policy Studies. New York: SAGE, 7(9). Becker, E.D & Deborah, R.B. (2011). Supported Employment: Journal of Evidence-Based Practice, 7(13), 34-35. CRP Brief. (April 2004). Issues in Supported Employment for People with Psychiatric Disabilities, Journal of Social Research, 12(6). Frank, R. R. (2009). Social Work services in workplaces: Towards Quality Psychosocial care. Journal of Rehabilitation, 5(8), 5-12. SAMHSA News. (2002). Employment: A Workplace Option Despite Mental Illness, Volume 10, No 1 Simons, K. F. (2010). Provision of Training services to Mental Patients. Journal of Advanced Critical Care, 5(11), 56-60. Read More