A Manifesto on the Employmentof Minnesotans with Disabilitiesin the Integrated, Competitive WorkforceJune 12, 2007A Consensus ReportA Consensus ReportThe Minnesota The Minnesota SummitSummitEMPLOYMENTFirstFirstThis manifesto is our public declarationof our values and principles, and of ourintention to act on these values, to make“Employment First” common public policyand practice in Minnesota. This documentis one outcome of a summit meeting ofmany leaders in Minnesota’s disabilitycommunities and agencies.• Meansexpecting,encouraging, providing,
creating, and rewarding
integrated employment
in the workforce• at minimum orcompetitive wages and
benefi ts• as the fi rst and preferredoutcome for working-age youth and adults with disabilities• including those with complex and signifi cant disabilities, forwhom job placement in the past has been limited, or has not
traditionally occurred.Employment Firstis the vision of making employment the fi rst priority andpreferred outcome of people with disabilities“Employment First” as used in this manifestoEmployment: Federal and state agencies currently use many different
defi nitions of employment when describing programs
and outcomes of people with disabilities. For clarity, then,
for the purposes of this manifesto this is what we mean
by employment:Regular or customized employment in the workforce • where employees with disabilities are included on the payrollof a competitive business or industry (unless self-employed)• where the assigned employment tasks offer at leastminimum or prevailing wages and benefi ts• and offer ordinary opportunities for integration andinteractions with co-workers without disabilities, with
customers, and/or the general publicAdditional copies of the manifesto are available on the web atwww.mnapse.orgAlternative formats of this document are available and accessible bycontacting Minnesota APSE—The Network on Employment atinfo@mnapse.orgThe Planning Coalition of the Minnesota Employment FirstSummit meeting would like to express its sincere appreciationto the following organizations and groups for their generousfunding and in-kind support:• Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS)• Minnesota DHS Pathways to Employment Initiative• Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development (DEED)• Minnesota Rehabilitation Services (RS)• Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)• The University of Minnesota Institute on CommunityIntegration (ICI)• Minnesota APSE—The Network on Employment• Parent’s Advocacy Center for Educational Rights,PACER Center, Inc.• The University of Illinois at Urbana Region-Five Rehabilitation Continuing Education Program (RCEP).Table of ContentsBackground: Unemployment among People with Disabilities ........................ 9A Call for Change in Minnesota ....................................................................... 10Why a Vision of “Employment First” Matters in Minnesota ........................... 11The Minnesota Employment First Summit: A Blueprint for Change............. 12The Focus of the Summit: Youth & Young Adults in Transition
from School to Careers ..................................................................................... 13The Purpose and Goals of the Summit ........................................................... 13Logistics & Core Strategies of the Summit ..................................................... 15Identifying and Building on Strengths in Minnesota
Employment Support Systems ........................................................................ 17Common Themes Identifi ed by the Affi nity Groups & Attendees
of the Summit ..................................................................................................... 18Consumers: ............................................................................................. 18Business: ................................................................................................. 19Policy Makers: ......................................................................................... 20Educators: ............................................................................................... 21Interagency:............................................................................................. 21Providers: ................................................................................................ 22Consensus Recommendations ........................................................................ 24Follow-up: A Minnesota Post Mini-Summit ..................................................... 30Future Minnesota Employment First Summits ............................................... 309In November of 2006, the national unemployment rate in the
United States had dropped to a fi ve-year low of 4.4 %, the
federal Department of Labor announced. This was welcome
news; many Americans would assume such good news would
have a positive impact on job/career opportunities for all
citizens. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case; even in a time of job
growth, our largest minority population is far less likely to be
employed. This minority is the millions of Americans who live
with disabilities.The high unemployment rate for Americans with disabilities
is a national embarrassment. Despite our best efforts at
“rehabilitation,” most national studies consistently show the
unemployment rate for people with signifi cant disabilities to be
in the range of 60-70%. It has been estimated as high as 90%
for some disability populations, such as adults with serious
mental illnesses (President’s New Freedom Commission on
Mental Health, 2003). In sum, the high unemployment rate for
Americans with disabilities is systemic and is too often accepted
as an inevitable outcome of living with a physical, mental, or
emotional disability.Interestingly, Minnesotans with disabilities are often reported to
be employed at rates higher than national averages. However,
the actual unemployment rate looks much like national levels
when we apply traditionally accepted standards for competitive
employment and minimum wages. A high percentage of
Minnesotans with signifi cant disabilities (including adults with
developmental disabilities, serious and persistent mental
illnesses, traumatic brain injuries, those with complex disability
conditions) tend to be either unemployed and/or served in
center-based programs featuring segregation, sheltered work,
and non-work related options.There is increased pressure on public and private employment
and rehabilitation programs, as well as secondary education
systems, to improve their performance in job placement.
Frankly, the problem isn’t that traditional job placement methods
don’t work. They do—but they do not work effectively for all
people with disabilities. For people who have the most complexBackground: Unemployment among People with Disabilities 10disabilities and barriers to employment, the more traditional
approaches are not highly effective. Low job placement
outcomes, and higher enrollment rates in center-based work
and non-work programs, clearly document that for many
Minnesotans with disabilities, competitive employment is not
viewed as an expectation but rather a “choice” or “possibility”
based on their access to funding and progressive services.Many good reasons are offered for the high unemployment of
adults with signifi cant disabilities. However, none can stand the
test of objective scrutiny as reasons to exclude people from jobplacement consideration. National job placement and
employment research initiatives have demonstrated repeatedly
that people with disabilities can obtain jobs in the workforce andcan use their talents when a willing
employer is found, and when the
employee has access to responsive
support and customized employment
services. (.E.g., Boeltzig, Heike,
Dana Scott Gilmore, and John
Butterworth: The National Survey of
Community Rehabilitation Providers,
FY 2004-2005. Report 1:
Employment Outcomes of People
with Developmental Disabilities in
Integrated Employment. This report,
and related research-to-practice
reports can be accessed online at
www.communityinclusion.org.)In truth, the real challenge is not in
rehabilitating people. Rather, the real
need is to rehabilitate the vision and
goals driving Minnesota’s educational
and rehabilitation service systems for
youth and adults with disabilities....the real need is torehabilitate thevision and goalsdriving Minnesota’seducational andrehabilitation servicesystems for youthand adults withdisabilities.A Call for Change in Minnesota11In other words, Minnesota needs to rebuild its infrastructure of
support to promote the fundamental idea that all people with
disabilities should exercise their choice to work, regardless of
the severity of their disabilities. Accomplishing this objective
means changing conventional norms, increasing our
expectations, and moving Minnesota’s secondary education,
higher education, and adult disability service delivery systems in
completely new directions. We need to craft an educational and
adult service system that encourages, supports, and rewards
paid, integrated employment in the workforce as the fi rst option
for every individual.Here are fi ve key reasons why the philosophy of Employment
First makes sense for Minnesota:1) It’s a human rights issue.Why shouldn’t Minnesotans withsignifi cant disabilities live and enjoy their lives as their peers
do? Working is fundamental to adulthood, quality of life,
individual productivity, and earning the means to exercise
freedoms and choices available to all citizens.2) We can’t afford to have people with disabilities not
working.It’s important for all Minnesotans to contribute totheir self-support up to the level of their capabilities. A
lifetime of fi nancial dependency on disability benefi t
programs such as Social Security and Medical Assistance is
a costly proposition. We need to change this pattern to one
of self-support for as many people as possible.3) We need everybody contributing to our economy.Virtually every national workforce study warns us about
emerging labor shortages in the United States. Living with a
disability doesn’t mean a person doesn’t also have abilities.
Job placement of unemployed people with disabilities can
be at least a part of the answer to the forecasted labor
shortages in Minnesota.4) Americans want people with disabilities contributing in
the labor force.In a recent national Gallup Poll sponsoredWhy a Vision of “Employment First” Matters in Minnesota We needto craft aneducationaland adultservicesystem thatencourages,supports, andrewards paid,integratedemploymentin theworkforce asthe fi rst optionfor everyindividual.12by America’s Strength Foundation, 92% of the respondents
reported they held a “more favorable” or “much more
favorable” opinion about companies who hire people with
disabilities. 87% of these respondents said they would prefer
to “give their business” to companies who hire people with
disabilities. (“National Survey of Consumer Attitudes” Journal
of Vocational Rehabilitation, January 2006, Vol. 24, Issue 1.
IOS Press.)5) Minnesota will lead. The State of Minnesota has alwaysbeen in the forefront of social change and creating better
opportunities for its residents with disabilities. Today,
Minnesota is well positioned to move ahead with progressive
changes and lead the nation in developing or creating
integrated employment and higher education for its youth
and adults with disabilities.The idea of holding an “Employment First Summit” in Minnesota
to create a blueprint for real change was originally advanced byMinnesota APSE – The Network on Employment. The
leadership of Minnesota APSE established partnerships with the
event’s major funders as well as other interested organizations
and groups. An interagency committee was convened for
planning this event. The planning group developed strategiesThe Minnesota Employment First Summit: A Blueprint for Change13The core sponsors and agency collaborators of the summit
recognize the best way to change the future is to begin by
creating better outcomes and new pathways to opportunities
for Minnesota’s youth. For this reason, there was a consensus
to focus the summit’s proceedings on developing integrated
employment in the workforce or enrollment within the Minnesota
higher education system as the fi rst option for youth and young
adults leaving secondary education programs. The summit’s
planning committee designed an event that embraced and
considered the goal of a zero exclusion policy.The Focus of the Summit: Youth & Young Adults in Transition from
School to CareersThe goal of the summit planning committee was to bring
together key constituents throughout Minnesota who believe
strongly in the idea that integrated employment in the workforce
at competitive wages should be the expected and fi rst choice of
Minnesotans with signifi cant disabilities. The summit planners
invited more than 100 key leaders including people with
disabilities, family members, disability advocates, educators,
government policymakers, business leaders, employment
service providers, human services professionals, veterans
representatives, and other interested citizens to participate inThe Purpose and Goals of the Summitfor outreach and invitations to a wide range of prospective
participants from public and private agencies, schools, disability
service providers, advocacy organizations, employers, people
with disabilities and their families, concerned citizens and
neighborhood groups, and individuals from the general public.The goal was to work toward a common framework for social
and economic change. The planning committee’s core vision
was to create an economy and workforce in Minnesota where
youth and adults with disabilities, including individuals with
signifi cant disabilities, have real opportunities to become
competitively employed, use their talents and skills, work
alongside other Minnesotans in the workforce, and earn
meaningful, competitive wages, thereby contributing to their
self-support.14the event. The invited participants represented working-age
youth and adults with a wide array of disabilities including
those with developmental disabilities, intellectual and learning
disabilities, serious mental illnesses, traumatic brain injuries,
the deaf/hard of hearing, the blind/deafblind, those with serious
medical illnesses and physical conditions, and veterans with
disabilities.The Minnesota Employment First collaborators were not interested
in conducting a summit to further “study” or rehash issues
driving the high unemployment of
Minnesotans with disabilities. Many
of the proposed reasons are known
and well-documented. Instead, the
defi ned purpose for this summit
event was to identify how the State
of Minnesota can move forward and
make historic changes leading to
increased job placement and
integrated employment in the
workforce as the fi rst option for all
youth and adults with disabilities.Changing public expectations is the
engine of social change. Therefore, a
key goal for the summit was to
change conventional thinking about
what is possible by sharing new
methods to narrow the
unemployment gap and increase
productivity of all people with
disabilities.The summit planning committee approached the scheduled
event with an assumption that competitive employment is
attainable and within the reach of most adults with disabilities.
This means examining what it means to be “job qualifi ed.” For
some, this means simply accessing conventional job search and
employment development practices. However, for many others,
it means access to customized and supported employment
practices. It means encouraging businesses and industries toChangingpublicexpectationsis the engineof socialchange.15employ the identifi ed talents of people with signifi cant
disabilities at job market wages. Finally, it means offering
responsive public education and technical consultation to assist
business leaders in recruiting, hiring, training, supervising, and
supporting their employees with disabilities.The Minnesota Employment First Summit was held on June 12,
2007 at the Arboretum in Chaska, Minnesota. To effectively
address the core purposes of the event, the following strategies
were employed:• 100 individuals were invited to attend the structured, one-day event; the goal was to solicit their ideas about strategies
for resolving or minimizing identifi ed barriers to employment.
Focus was on effective priorities for action (i.e., specifi c
policy reforms, transportation, funding, services redesign,
new legislation, professional staff development or retraining,
more effective coordination of education and adult services,
better use of assistive technology applications, use of
customized employment techniques, etc.).• The invited participants represented specifi c “affi nity groups”including people with disabilities, educators, employers,
direct service professionals, program managers, funders,
policymakers, family members, disability advocates,
directors of state and county agencies, neighborhood and
community leaders, and interested citizens. The summit
participants were invited because of their reputations as
champions of an Employment First philosophy. In addition
to recruiting from specifi c constituencies, the planning
committee worked hard to identify and invite participants
from urban, suburban, and rural regions of the state of
Minnesota.• Mr. Neil Romano, a nationally known expert on disability andemployment, (and, since the Summit meeting, nominated
to be Assistant Secretary of Labor, Disability Employment
Policy) was invited as a keynote speaker. Mr. Romano is the
founder of America’s Strength Foundation, which recentlyLogistics & Core Strategies of the Summit16conducted, in collaboration with the Gallup Poll and
University of Massachusetts’ Center for Social Development
and Education, a national study of emerging attitudes
among Americans about disability and employment. Romano
shared the fi ndings of surprisingly positive attitudes
Americans feel toward businesses
that do hire people with disabilities;
he discussed the implications of this
study in an American economy that
will experience serious labor
shortages. He offered his
provocative views about America’s
need to move away from a system
that offers “programs” and
stagnation, and to move toward a
business model that “invests” in
individuals with disabilities as
economic assets.• The summit was facilitated bytrained representatives from the
University of Minnesota Institute on
Community Integration (ICI). The
goal was to secure valuable
feedback, opinions, suggestions,
ideas, strategies, and
recommendations to address
specifi c areas of essential reform; all
feedback was recorded, catalogued,
analyzed, and communicated.• All of the proceedings from thesummit were recorded and
prioritized so that helpful ideas and
useful strategies were identifi ed
and catalogued by each specifi c affi nity group as well as
by mixed teams comprised of representatives from all
affi nity groups. The recorded information from the summit
proceedings was subsequently analyzed by the planning
committee to build a consensus report with specifi c
recommendations being forwarded by the invited leaders....America’s needto move away froma system that offers“programs” andstagnation, andto move towarda business modelthat “invests” inindividuals withdisabilities aseconomic assets.17A number of key strengths were identifi ed in Minnesota’s
present system of programs and services in support of youth
and adults with disabilities who want to go to work in the
workforce. These core strengths include, but are not limited to
the following:• Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities(MA-EPD)• Pathways to Employment• Stay Well, Stay Working• Evidence-Based Practices in Supported EmploymentInitiatives in the area of Mental Health• Minnesota’s Business Leadership Network• Minnesota’s Policy Incentives in State Extended EmploymentFunding Favoring Integrated Employment at Competitive
Wages• Emerging Social Security Disability Work Incentives• Collaborative policies and projects at State Agency Levels byDEED, DHS, and MDE• Emerging directives in secondary and special educationpromoting post-secondary education, training, and
competitive employment outcomes for transition-age youth• Emerging federal and State priorities promoting competitiveemployment outcomes for youth and adults with disabilitiesIdentifying and Building on Strengths in Minnesota Employment
Support Systems• By design, a formal consensus report was to be written andshared with all participants and other stakeholders crucialto promoting the recommendations throughout the State of
Minnesota. This Manifesto is a blueprint for future actionsto be taken, with specifi c recommendations to be shared
with and implemented by all key participants, and by other
leaders in Minnesota who share a common concern andvision.18• Emerging practices in customized and supportedemployment promoting strengths-based marketing in the job
placement of youth and adults with signifi cant disabilities in
the workforce• Training and development of occupational communicationspecialists to promote the job placement and support of
adults who are deaf/hard of hearing.Once the proceedings of the summit were completed, recorded,
and analyzed, the planning committee organized all principle
and recurrent themes by the event’s affi nity group attendees.
Here is a sample of comments from each of the constituencies:Consumers:1.Employment should be the
expectation - across the board.2.Remove fear from disinformation
(i.e. losing benefi ts).3.Money should go to the person
and not to providers.4.Employers need to challenge their
employees with disabilities. Allow
them to use their knowledge,
education, and experiences.5.More consumer representation on
boards is needed.6.There is too much segregation,
and people aren’t being informed
about all the opportunities because
of a lack of networking.7.There should be a ‘buffet of
options’ for individuals with disabilities including:Common Themes Identifi ed by the Affi nity Groups & Attendees
of the Summit“Employmentshould be theexpectation -across theboard.”19transportation, transition planning, good education, health
insurance, etc. Increase in asset limits.8.I think an investment approach has some key principles
that should be applied as we push for employment for
people with disabilities. These principles include:a.People with disabilities have skills suitable foremployment.b.Accurate information about how work impacts
government benefi ts is needed for informed
decision making.c.Real work should be paid at real wages.d.Continuing support between employer and
employee prevents long term problems emerging.e.Having a choice in jobs is essential in maintainingmotivation.f.Career development and job mobility are normal
parts of working life.g.Training is best delivered on the job in realsituations.h. Workfirst.Business:9.One said he had return on investment because hehas reliable employees and is now able to eat dinnerat home.2010.The reality of the job market is that there are going to be
fewer people in the job market than we will need. We do
not have the people to fi ll the positions.11.Tell the success stories, but instead of telling about
accommodations, talk about streamlining the process.12.Employers should look at people’s skills and fi t jobs
around their abilities instead of trying to teach the
individual to improve their weaknesses.13.Support and consult with businesses.Policy Makers:14.Change language to reinforce an Employment First
message (to all audiences).15.Create a state Employment First Policy and support it
with funding.16.Host technical assistance sessions designed to give
participants the “How To’s” for: linking workforce and
economic development; effectively impacting policy at all
levels; holding industry summits and focus groups;
relating better with elected offi cials; leveraging resources;
and improving services for individuals with disabilities so
that they can be a solution to the impending work-force
shortage issues that Minnesota will be experiencing.17.Create a concerted education program for people with
disabilities, parents, providers, policy makers and
businesses about making employment the fi rst option.2118.An investment approach changes the kind of dialogue
you have with others and it certainly changes the way you
approach your work. In order to drive an outcome, the
investment approach would have to be adopted by
leaders and decision makers, individuals at the
implementation level, and the individuals and families
themselves.19.We have been discussing the need for meaningful
systems changes in Minnesota for more than 20 years.
When are we going to take it seriously and do what
needs to be done?Educators:20.Expand the use of collaborative service delivery
programs as a mechanism for delivering transitionservices.21.Extend secondary school reform efforts to include career
development, applied learning in the community, and
transition planning as a central part of the regular
education curriculum.22.Transform Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) into a
strength-based platform.23.Educate families and teachers about the strength of the
IEP in terms of what gets written, gets done.24.Build, use, incorporate community partnerships,
particularly with business.25.Expand on apprenticeships, work more with unions, and
assist individuals in marketing themselves.26.Develop training for all involved on how to talk withbusiness.27.Allow failure-sometimes it’s the best teacher.Interagency:28.Almost all of the change and legislation we have was
started by individuals themselves and/or families. If the22push doesn’t come from the actual constituency it may
never be successful.29.Invest in community organizing among those who havea vested interest in this issue.30.Involve the business community in the solution of thisproblem.31.Students should go right from school into a job.32.Stop investing in segregation - close the “back door.”33.Create, expand and nurture partnerships with like-minded
individuals and organizations.34.Everyone, whether you have a diagnosed disability or
not, has both skills and limitations. We too often focus on
the limitations of PWD, and not enough on skills. Bottom
line-we need to identify what each person can contribute
to our economy.Providers:35.Look at language, be mindful, eliminate sub-minimal
wage, convert social service model to business model,
move to other end of continuum.36.Change language, promote that people have value, why
it’s important, close the door on the end of the continuum,
no more money to support and maintain, changing
policies, choice - that it’s supporting informed choice,
setting goals and standards, how to direct resources.37.Challenging those arguments that are out there.38.Flexible funding, work is important, trade associations,
committed people, person-centered.39.Group homes and other providers need to be more
fl exible in hours and days of the week (weekend
availability) because that is when many businesses need
to operate and need employees.“Stopinvesting insegregation- close the‘backdoor.’”2340.Everyone has something to contribute. We need to fi rst
develop a common vision, and then develop the policy.It should contain language around the removal of sub-
minimum wage, a signifi cant outreach to business
including training and technical assistance, and include
all people with disabilities, regardless of the perceived
severity. There needs to be a restructuring of the
“reimbursement” system for providers into one that
promotes and rewards jobs and good jobs (i.e. high
paying).41.Just talking about investment promotes employment. It is
integral to all we say and do. It often pisses people off,
because they perceive we are being critical of them or
are treating people as commodities and it is time for them
to get over it.42.Our current system of supports for people with
disabilities continues at times to exemplify historically low
expectations society has had for people with disabilities.
With the expectations so low, I do sometimes believe we
are simply maintaining people with disabilities.43.Because of the diversity of the disability population, it will
require a long-term care system that gives people real
choice in how and in what environment they will receive
the supports they need. This means a system built to
work for all people, without regard to age or disability.
One that begins with the assumption that adults with
disabilities want to work and receive supports from family
and friends. We also need to look holistically at people
with disabilities and understand that long term care
should be integrated with acute care services, that
personal care attendants are a reasonable workplace
accommodation, and that people should have freedom in
choosing where they work and not be forced into certain
types of work because it is easier for the provider. Having
a system that is comprehensive in scope will move us
away from our legacy of simply maintaining people with
disabilities so they can survive another day - and toward
investing in them, with an expectation of return.24ConsensusRecommendationsfrom SummitThe MinnesotaEmploymentFirst25The summit’s diverse base of attendees shared many excellent ideas
about potential ways to increase the job placement and competitive
employment of Minnesotans with disabilities. The summit’s planning
committee has taken steps to identify high priority recommendations
where there was a clear consensus for action. These recommendations
include the following:•Establish Minnesota as a national leader in
promoting the employment of adults with disabilities.Employers need to be active partners in any solution to
address the high unemployment of Minnesotans with
disabilities. Attendees recommended that a statewide
campaign be launched at the highest levels of
government to educate business leaders about this
untapped labor pool. The ultimate goal is to make
Minnesota a model and leading state in the nation in the
competitive employment of adults with disabilities,
including individuals with multiple disabilities and
signifi cant job-related barriers. Accordingly, the State of
Minnesota should lead by example and hire the identifi ed
strengths of adults with signifi cant disabilities in visible,
competitive and customized employment positions.•Continue an ongoing dialogue and connection
among Minnesota’s Employment First champions.There was strong interest for an ongoing dialogue about
Employment First issues. Also, there was a strong
interest for the Employment First Summit to become an
annual event to continue momentum around specifi c
objectives for system change in Minnesota.•Launch an Employment First vision and public policy
for all Minnesotans living with disabilities.Attendeesidentifi ed a need for strong state leadership concerning
public policy reforms to raise expectations about
competitive employment. A cross-section of participants
expressed concerns that current public policies are not
working in obtaining competitive employment for a
majority of Minnesotans with disabilities. A number of26participants identifi ed a need for signifi cant statewide
public policy reforms similar to changes made in the
State of Washington. Washington State recently engaged
a Working Age Adult Policy (WAAP), thereby raising
expectations about competitive employment in the
workforce for all. New and revised policies in Minnesota
should reinforce an Employment First vision by directing
public funding toward competitive employment, or toward
specifi c service pathways leading to integrated jobs at
competitive wages and benefi ts for all.•Build upon Minnesota’s known & emerging
strengths.Participants stressed the importance ofbuilding and expanding upon known and emerging
strengths in Minnesota’s public and private employment
provider system. To illustrate: emerging directions toward
evidence-based practices in supported employment
(EBP-SE) for adults with serious mental illnesses;
customized employment practices for youth with
signifi cant disabilities in transition from school-to-careers;
promoting better access to Medical Assistance for
Employment Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD); and
using occupational communication practices in supportedThe ultimate goal is to make Minnesotaa model and leading state in the nationin the competitive employment of adultswith disabilities, including individualswith multiple disabilities and signifi cantjob-related barriers.27employment for adults who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Practices like these should be reinforced, publicized, and
expanded.•Launch“Communities of Practice” demonstrations.Attendees stressed the importance of “thinking globally,
but acting locally.” It was recommended that Minnesota
consider funding several Communities of Practice (COP)
demonstrations in both urban and rural areas of
Minnesota (e.g., school-to-career transition services). By
design, Minnesota COPs would engage interagency
practices with key collaborating secondary and post-
secondary schools, workforce centers, and other adult
service providers leading to post-secondary education,
training, and/or competitive employment outcomes.•Develop training & technical assistance resources to
redirect and execute an “Employment First” vision.There was an expressed need for the creation of a
training and technical assistance (T&TA) entity in
Minnesota to provide critical training and technical
support services for the leadership, management, and
direct service staff of Minnesota’s secondary education,The core goal is to craftnew language and realignmessages to encourageand expect integratedemployment at competitivewages and benefi ts for all.28and to the disability, business, and employment provider
communities. It was strongly recommended that this
entity incorporate T&TA strategies that focus specifi cally
on Employment First practices. A T&TA entity is needed
to eliminate fragmentation and introduce a model of
organizational change and staff development practices
through the use strategies including: web-based training;
state and regional training workshops; peer-to-
peer mentoring; forums on employment-fi rst issues;
dissemination of promising policies and practices in
workforce development and employment practices;
identifi cation of funding and other resources; individual
case consultations; disability benefi ts planning.•Rebranding “Rehabilitation” in Language and
Practices.There was a strong recommendation tomodernize and humanize the strategic marketing of
“rehabilitation” in favor of a strengths-based employment
model. The core goal is to craft new language and
realign messages to encourage and expect integrated
employment at competitive wages and benefi ts for all.
This recommendation includes changing fundamental
messages about people with disabilities, their talents,
and their employment potential in today’s economy.•Establish a single statewide defi nition for integrated
employment, and initiate uniform practices of
performance measurement across all state agencies
and all disability service systems in Minnesota.The State of Minnesota has been using numerous data
systems to track employment of people with disabilities.
Reviewing these systems has shown many
inadequacies. The limited measures of outcome in use
are unclear, they use different defi nitions, and they are
not coordinated between different State agencies. There
is so much fragmentation of data collecting and of
measures used that we can’t accurately report how many
people with disabilities are employed, what settings they
work in, or how much they are earning. Using common
defi nitions of employment and disability, and the same29measurement tools among State agencies, will helpus use data in improving public policy and the quality ofservice.There was a recommendation to craft a uniform defi nition
of employment, to improve communications and bring
about higher fi delity in practices, so we can accurately
measure the employment rate of adults with disabilities.
The Summit’s attendees recommended that the basic
uniform standards of measurement include:Regular or customized employment in the
workforce on the payroll of a company (unless
self-employed) at minimum or prevailing wages
and benefi tsEmployment where integration and interactionwith co-workers without disabilities and customers
is assured.Other minimum standards to sustain successful
employment and wage outcomes, should also be factored
in, such as:Individual’s job preferencesCustomization of job tasks or hours workedPlanning access to employer-based or agency-
based job supports, where appropriate30Follow-up: A Minnesota Mini-SummitFuture Minnesota Employment First SummitsDue to the outstanding enthusiasm and participation at the
Minnesota Employment First Summit held in 2007, there is a
strong demand from the those who participated in the summit
to keep the momentum and dialogue going forward. A second
Minnesota Employment First Summit is being planned for late
spring or early summer. The planning and logistics for this
conference are already underway and will be announced in early
2008.By design, the Minnesota Employment First Coalition has
planned a “mini-summit” to share the fi ndings and discuss
implications of the summit, with key Minnesota leaders, for
future public policy in the State of Minnesota. Participants in
the mini-summit will represent state and county governments,
disability and employment policy and regulations, business and
industry, secondary and post-secondary education, disability
advocacy, disability community service and employment
providers, the summit planning committee, and other invited
parties. The mini-summit will be held in early 2008.The mini-summit is intended to introduce interagency goals of
Employment First strategies and competitive employment at the
state, county, and local levels. For example, Minnesota APSE-
The Network on Employment has already conducted a strategic
planning session and has adopted all of the recommendations
from the summit as a framework for its statewide legislative,
training, and employment advocacy goals. The summit’s
planning committee is hoping to engage similar interagency
planning with measurable goals and outcomes to be achieved in
the coming year.This document was prepared with support from a Competitive Employment
Systems Medicaid Infrastructure Grant from the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services to the Minnesota Department of Human Services (Grant
#92405). The funds for this grant were authorized through the Ticket to Work—
Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 (Public Law 106-170).

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