Affiliations: University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of
Disability and Human Development, Chicago, IL, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: E. Garcia-Iriarte, University of
Illinois at Chicago, Department of Disability and Human Development, 1640 W.
Roosevelt Road, MC 626, Chicago, IL 60608, USA. E-mail: egarci3@uic.edu
Abstract: In this study we analyzed employment-related supports provided by
case managers in a transition program for urban ethnic minority youth with
disabilities. We further assessed the influence of these supports on employment
outcomes. Urban ethnic minority youth with disabilities often have lives that
are complicated by a host of factors related to living in poverty that
influence their ability to find and maintain employment. We found that program
staff provided two types of supports to address work needs and living issues of
these youth: job specific, related to on-the-job tasks, and off-site work
supports, related to other areas of daily living. The results showed that both
job specific and off-site work supports predicted higher employment retention
for youth with disabilities.
Keywords: Supported employment, case management, transition, ethnic minority, youth with disabilities
