A Profile completed for Maclaen identified characteristics of an ideal job which led to placement in a paid position at a local video and music store. His Profile also identified an interest in working around dogs and animals as another potential career goal. In addition to his paid job, Maclaen chose to volunteer at a local Humane Society to explore whether or not he would like to pursue this line of work and possibly start his own dog boarding business. In addition to giving Maclaen more information to enable him make choices about what he would like to do for a career, he also made connections with people in his community who also volunteered at the Humane Society and who could turn out to be connections to future jobs for him.

Before graduating from High school a job was developed for Maclaen by his teacher. Vocational Rehabilitation funded his initial wages on the job for the time he was learning the job, and a PASS plan was written and submitted to Social Security with the intent that it would begin funding follow-along supports and transportation the day after graduation. Maclaen had been referred to Supported Employment Services through the Developmental Disabilities Agency but he was on the waiting list. Without some follow-along supports it was feared that Maclaen would lose his job while waiting for supports. Maclaen graduated in June 2002. He has been working part time with intermittent follow-along support (less than 4 hours a month) for the past nine months. He is still on the waiting list for services.

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