Affiliations: Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA,
USA | Institute for Community Inclusion, University of
Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Katherine J. Inge, Virginia
Commonwealth University, 1314 West Main Street PO Box 842011, Richmond, VA
23284-2011, USA. Tel.: +1 804 828 5956; E-mail: kinge@vcu.edu
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to present the findings from a national
survey of a random sample of community rehabilitation programs (CRPs) that hold
Special Wage Certificates established under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor
Standards Act (FLSA), 29 U.S.C. 214(c). The intent of the survey was to
identify the types of services provided, the trends in the employment services,
and the factors that were perceived as inhibiting and facilitating integrated
employment outcomes. The survey results are categorized for this report in the
following three areas: 1) characteristics of community rehabilitation programs,
2) organizational change trends, and 3) factors that influence the type of
employment program utilized by consumers with disabilities. Representative results from the survey are that overall,
facility-based programs continue to be the predominant service provided by
community rehabilitation programs holding 14(c) certificates. Of the 20,075
staff members identified as serving consumers, only 1,741 (8.7% are reported as
working with individuals earning at least minimum wage. Although competitive
employment and individual supported employment services among these CRPs are
growing at a faster rate than other services, use of facility-based services
continues to expand. Overall, the findings indicate that the organizations that
provide daily services to those Americans with disabilities utilizing 14(c)
certificates are continuing to predominately support facility-based work and
non-work activities versus services leading to integrated employment
outcomes.
Keywords: Community rehabilitation programs, employment of persons with disabilities, national employment survey
