Employment First – Other States

ARKANSAS

• AR Task Force Report – Final Report of Arkansas Employment First Task Force.
• AR Executive Order

CALIFORNIA

• CA Legislation (passed): Text of AB 287, California’s legislation on Employment First, signed into law in October 2009, establishing Employment First Committee, and calling for the establishment of an Employment First Policy.
• CA Legislation (Proposed)

COLORADO

• Employment First in Colorado

CONNECTICUT

• CT Employment First Policy – Employment First Policy issued by Connecticut Department of Developmental Services in April 2011.
• CT Policy Regarding Employment as Priority – Companion to April 2011 Employment First policy regarding implementation steps in individual planning process.
• CT Employment First Update

DELAWARE

• Delaware Legislation (passed): Text of House Bill 319, Delaware’s legislation on Employment First, signed into law in July 2012
• Delaware Employment First Statement – Statement from Delaware Division of Developmental Disabilities Services on Employment First.
• Delaware DDDS Newsletter – Newsletter from Delaware DDDS with further details on Employment First .

FLORIDA

• Developmental Disabilities Council Employment First Statement – Statement from Florida DD Council in support of Employment First

GEORGIA

• Employment First Georgia
• GA DD Council Statement – Statement issued in 2010 by Georgia Developmental Disabilities Council calling for an Employment First policy in the state.

ILLINOIS

• Illinois Employment First Initiative
• Illinois Employment First Initiative Additional Details
• Illinois Employment First Legislation (proposed): HB 2591 Illinois Employment First Act, introduced in 2013.
• Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities
• Report from the Employment First Summit – Report from January 2012 IL Employment First Summit

INDIANA

• IN Employment First Fact Sheet – Fact sheet summarizing 2005 Indiana Employment First Summit

IOWA

• Iowa Employment First Initiative – Increasing Employment for People with Disabilities

KANSAS

• Kansas Employment First Legislation (passed) – Text of Kansas House Bill 2336 that establishes a statewide policy of employment first for all people with disabilities. This bill was signed into law in May 2011.
• Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns – Website with information on Employment First efforts in Kansas
• Kansas Employment First Initiative Work – Initial Report (May 2009)
• Kansas Employment Systems Change Coalition
• Kansas Employment First Oversight Commission 

LOUISIANA

• Employment First Policy – July 2011 Employment First policy statement from the Louisiana Office of Citizens with Developmental Disabilities

MARYLAND

• Maryland Employment First
• Employment First Overview – Overview of Maryland’s Development Disabilities Administration Employment First initiative
• Employment First in Maryland 3.0

MAINE

• Employment First Maine
• ME Employment Policy – 2010 Maine Department of Health and Human Services Employment Policy, indicating that all individuals are presumed able and have the opportunity to work

MASSACHUSETTS

• MA Employment First Policy – 2010 policy issuance from Massachusetts Department of Developmental Disability Services

MICHIGAN

NEW YORK

• NY OPWDD – Statewide Comprehensive Plan – 2010-2014 – October 2010 report indicating that “OPWDD is promoting Employment First as a preferred outcome for all people with developmental disabilities”
• NY OPWDD 2011 Interim Report on State Plan – February 2011 interim report on 2010-2014 OPWDD Statewide Comprehensive Plan, that includes summary of efforts on Employment First (pp. 6-7)
• NY OPWDD – Road to Reform Report – (Download the PDF)

NORTH CAROLINA

• NC Employment First
• NC AFP Position Paper – February 2012 Position paper from the North Carolina Alliance for Full Participation Paper on Employment First
• North Carolina Governor Cooper Signs Executive Order to Increase Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities 

NORTH DAKOTA

• ND Legislation (passed): Legislation signed into law in April 2013, establishing a Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, for furthering the goal of employment as the first option for people with disabilities.

OHIO

• Ohio Employment First
• Ohio Employment First Executive Order

OKLAHOMA

• OKDDSD Employment Policy – Oklahoma Developmental Disabilities Services employment policy, stating that the optimal goal of waiver services is full-time employment in the community.

PENNSYLVANIA

• PA OMR Employment Policy  – 2005 policy document from Pennsylvania Department of Public welfare on supporting community employment for individuals living in Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Mental Retardation, indicating community employment as a priority without regard to level of disability.
• Annual Report on Employment Outcomes for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005-2006, a FY 2006-2007 Action Plan for Employment, and related information.

RHODE ISLAND

• Rhode Island Employment First Policy
• Rules and Regulations for the Licensing of Developmental Disability Organizations
• 1115 Waiver Task Force / Employment Workgroup Recommendations Paper – 2009

TENNESSEE

• TN DIDD Employment First Website
• TN Employment First Overview – Publication from the Institute for Community Inclusion providing an overview of Tennessee’s Employment First policy
• ARC of TN Statement – Statement from ARC of Tennessee in support of Employment First

TEXAS

• Legislation (Proposed): Text of Texas House Bill 785, introduced in 2009, requiring that employment services be structured to ensure employment of people with disabilities in integrated settings.

UTAH

• Legislation (Passed): Text of Utah House Bill, that requires that employment be the first priority for individuals with disabilities receiving publicly funded supports. Bill was signed into law in March 2011.

VIRGINIA

• DOJ Settlement Agreement Mandating Employment First Policy
• VA DBHDS Strategic Plan for Employment First
• VA DBHDS Individual and Family Support Program (IFSP)

WISCONSIN

• WI APSE – A variety of materials on Wisconsin’s Employment First efforts are posted on the Wisconsin APSE website, including; a) Employment First Mission and Values Statement; b) Employment First Booklet; c) Moving Employment First Forward in Wisconsin; d) Employment First 2009 Summary; e) Employment First Update 2012
• Sign-On Agreement for Wisconsin Employment First Coalition – Agreement for organizations and individuals for signing on in support of Employment First
• WI Managed Care and Employment Task Force Final Report