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United
Cerebral Palsy Associations (UCPA) was one of the seven organizations awarded a
grant by the Rehabilitation Services Administration as a part of the
re-authorization of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended in 1992. The amendments authorized a demonstration to examine ways to
increase choice in employment for persons with disabilities.
As a result of years of strong advocacy in securing state and federal
funding legislation for supported employment and in implementing innovative
employment services, UCPA felt that offering access to employment services
through personal budgets controlled by individuals represented the next step to
increase choice and in assuring
access to meaningful jobs for persons with severe disabilities.
The
UCPA project was based in three sites across the eastern U.S.: Detroit, New
Orleans and Pittsburgh. Local UCP
affiliates were chosen to provide site management of the project activities --
UCP of Detroit, UCP of Greater New Orleans and UCP of Pittsburgh.
Each project site was to identify 15 persons per year for services for a
targeted total of 225 participants over the five year demonstration.
The actual number of persons served during the entire demonstration was
221. During the course of the
project, the Pittsburgh site management shifted to a local service organization,
Sharp Visions, and 30 “remote individuals” were added in the final year from
locations throughout the country. One
hundred and thirty four (134 or 60.6%) participants became employed and of that
number twenty nine (29 or 21%) became self-employed.
This
project began in 1993 and ran its five year course, officially ending in
September, 1998. However, it was
granted an extension year in which participants could spend down their resources
and the actual, final date for cessation of services was September 30, 1999.
The
project used Choice Coordinators in each of the three sites to assist persons
with disabilities to receive advice and purchase needed employment services.
These coordinators were housed in local UCP affiliates in each area.
Participants were encouraged to hire (or recruit volunteer) employment
advisors to facilitate the delivery of services offered by providers and to
offer information, options and opinions concerning informed choices.
A Local Referral Committee comprised of volunteer local stakeholders
selected participants and resolved disputes.
Employment services were provided on a contract basis by local agencies
and individuals selected by participants. Providers
were required to attend free training offered by project technical assistance
staff, to agree to a fee-for-service relationship with participants and to use
project contract forms available to participants.