Supported Employment

Employment for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism

Easterseals assists individuals who want to secure and/or maintain employment by providing support services that optimize their abilities and interests. 

Participants can choose individual or group employment. Easterseals conducts an assessment of a person's interests, skills, and knowledge that would be applicable to the workplace. Individuals focus on identifying or developing skills that will help in their employment search. We match people and jobs so that participants work for community employers at competitive wages. On-going supports are maintained indefinitely to increase individual success. 

Group Supported Employment (GSE) provides a competitive, supervised employment option for individuals in the community.  Groups of up to eight participants work with an Easterseals staff member in a variety of jobs. Ongoing assessment of soft skills and job competence are a core component of these services. Supports are faded over time to prepare individuals for individual employment opportunities.

Individual Supported Employment (ISE) assists individuals in securing and maintaining competitive community employment. Services include assessment, placement, intensive training, and follow-along. Supports are decreased over a limited period of time as individuals become independent and natural supports in the work setting are identified. Once employment is stable, ongoing support and training for the individual and employer are designed to maintain successful employment.