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In January, a class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of 2,300 individuals with developmental disabilities. The suit charges that the state in which these individuals live is not providing supported employment services and is thus not complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act.  As a result, individuals with disabilities in the state are working in sheltered workshops (also known as facility-based settings) and earning far less than the minimum wage.

This recent court case prompted us to take a look at the NCI data and what they show about individuals with ID/DD working in facility-based settings vs. those working in community-based settings nationally. The results described below were obtained through t-tests comparing adults (over age 18) working in community-based settings and those who are working in facility-based employment. For the purpose of this blog, only group differences that were significant at the p<.05 level are reported. The data in this blog post come from the 2011-2012 administration of the Adult Consumer Survey.

Those working in community based settings were significantly younger than those working in facility based settings (40 years old vs. 44 years old, respectively). In addition, those working in community based settings were more racially diverse. Just over one-fourth (26.5%) of them were non-white, as compared to 22.3% of those in facility-based jobs. A somewhat higher proportion of those working in the community were male (61.9%) than of those in facility-based jobs (55.6%).

Those working at a community-based job were more likely to have a mild disability and less likely to have moderate, severe or profound disabilities.

In addition, individuals in facility based employment were significantly more likely to be taking at least one psychotropic medication than those in community-based settings (52% vs. 43%, respectively).

Individuals working in community based employment were significantly more likely to be self-mobile and move themselves around their environment without the help of aids (95% vs. 87%). In addition, significantly more individuals working in facility based settings expressed themselves primarily through gestures or body language, as opposed to speaking (90% of individuals in facility based employment expressed themselves using spoken language, while almost 97% of those working in community based employment did so).

Of the individuals whose service plan states a goal of integrated employment (community-based employment), 37.9% are currently working in a facility based job. People need support to reach the goal of community-based employment.

We are working on a data brief on outcomes and demographic characteristics of individuals in community based vs. facility based employment. The data brief will further address the data demonstrated in this blog, as well as fascinating comparisons of hours worked and pay.

As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions.

Please note: The 2011-12 data reports will be released and placed on the NCI website this spring. For more in depth analysis of previous years’ NCI Adult Consumer Survey data please see http://www.nationalcoreindicators.org.