The Rural Institute is one of several partners in the National Supported Employment Consortium (SEC) for the competitive employment of people with significant disabilities. SEC is designed to critically evaluate supported employment programs nationally and to provide technical assistance on exemplary programs and practices to state and local agencies. The SEC will:

• Identify and assess new exemplary supported employment practices;
• Provide technical assistance to States and provider agencies.

Evaluation Study Areas

• Persons Unserved or Under-served in Supported Employment (Mike Barcus, VCU RRTC, and Cary Griffin, The University of Montana's Rural Institute). State level policies that foster the inclusion in supported employment of individuals from unserved and under-served groups will be analyzed.
• Statewide Systems Change (David Mank, Indiana University). This study area will conduct a comprehensive national survey of supported employment state systems change
• Benefit-Cost Analysis (John Kregel, VCU RRTC). Work with state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies will be used to document the costs of supported employment programs and to compare the costs of supported employment services to other rehabilitation alternatives.
• Extended Services (Michael West, VCU RRTC). Information will be obtained from state VR and other funding agencies on the most frequently utilized sources of funding for extended services and the unique strategies used by state agencies to leverage extended services funding.
• Employer Impact (George Tilson, Transcen, Inc.). The impact of supported employment on the business community will be identified.
• Meaningful Employment Outcomes (Gary Bond, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis -IUPUI). State and local programs will be identified that have demonstrated the ability to provide high quality employment outcomes and the strategies that foster these outcomes.
• Consumer Self-Determination and Personal Assistance Services (Michael West and Ed Turner, VCU RRTC). The extent to which interagency agreements, agency policies, and provider agency practices promote consumer choice and self-determination will be analyzed.
• Natural Supports (David Mank and Pat Rogan, IUPUI). Analysis regarding the efficacy of natural supports strategies with individuals who have not been the focus of natural supports research and demonstration efforts (i.e. individuals with psychiatric disabilities) will be conducted.
• Federal and State Policy Analysis (David Mank, Indiana University). Federal and state policies that impact the employment of persons with disabilities will be analyzed.
• Interagency Agreements (John Butterworth, Boston Children's Hospital Institute for Community Inclusion). Exemplary models and strategies for establishing effective state and local level interagency coordination will be identified.

Technical Assistance

The National SEC will be equipped to widely disseminate newly acquired information on exemplary practices gained from the results of the evaluation studies. Technical Assistance strategies include:

Replication Packets on Exemplary Programs
Factsheets, Topical Newsletters, and Analysis Papers
Regional Forums and Conference Presentations
Audio Conferences and National Teleconferences
Computer Bulletin Boards and Chat Rooms
Internet Courses and Forums
Individualized Site Visits