Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #101795

Joshua R. Mann, MD, MPH¹, Suzanne McDermott, PhD², Melayne M. McInnes, PhD³, and Huafeng Zhou, MSPH¹. (1) Dept. of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, 3209 Colonial Drive, Columbia, SC 29203, 803-434-4575, joshua.mann@palmettohealth.org, (2) Family and Preventive Medicine, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, 3209 Colonial Drive, Columbia, SC 29203, (3) Dept of Economics, Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina, 3209 Colonial Drive, Columbia, SC 29203

Purpose

Employment of adults with mental retardation is a central aspect of participation in society. It is important to identify factors that result in meaningful employment in this population, as knowledge of these factors can lead to policy and practice improvements.

Methods

Each year since 1996, we have surveyed local South Carolina disability providers for information about each client's occupational status, including an estimate of weekly hours worked and wages earned, in addition to employer identity. We also obtained descriptive information for individuals served by the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs during the time period, including birth dates, IQ, and the presence or absence of a job coach.

Results and Conclusions

A weekly income of $50 was used as the cutoff defining employment. Approximately 3000 (18%) individuals who received some disability services earned $50 per week or more at some time between 1996 and 2003, and 244 worked for all 8 years. We will describe where individuals worked and what jobs they held. An analytic model will be presented showing the relationship between individual, community, and disability service provider characteristics and job acquisition, job tenure and job loss. Predictors of employment, job tenure, and wages will be examined, including job coach activities. Implications for policy and practice in supportive employment will be discussed.

Learning Objectives: