• Purpose: This program is a DADS initiative that seeks to identify how to effectively change the focus of service provision to better assist individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) obtain and maintain employment. State funded services for the individuals have historically focused on non-work services such as residential and day habilitation. Through the project, DADS is contracting with providers who are willing to try new approaches and processes in their respective business practices that will move individuals served into integrated, competitive employment on an on going basis and whose success can be replicated by other service providers. 
  • This program focuses on Employment First which means: 
    • Integrated and competitive employment is the primary goal and priority for the individuals served using publicly funded services regardless of disability or level of disability
    • It is presumed that all working age adults and youth with disabilities can work in jobs fully integrated within the general workforce, working side-by-side with coworkers without disabilities to the same extent as workers without disabilities and earning minimum wage or higher.
    • Employment services will be the first service option considered in the course of service planning and all efforts will be made to encourage and assist individuals in obtaining the support needed to succeed in competitive employment before other day services are pursued.
  • Employment is competitive and integrated.
    • Competitive employment means the individual earns at or above the greater of either the applicable minimum wage, or the prevailing wage paid to individuals without disabilities performing the same or similar work. 
    •  Integrated employment means individualized employment at a work site where the individual routinely interacts with people without disabilities (excluding the individual’s work site supervisor or service providers), and does not include group work. 
  • Employment Assistance: is assistance provided to an individual to help the individual locate competitive employment in the community. It consists of a service provider performing the following activities:
    • identifying an individual’s employment preferences, job skills, and requirements for a work setting and work conditions;
    • locating prospective employers offering employment compatible with an individual’s identified preferences, skills, and requirements;
    • contacting a prospective employer on behalf of an individual and negotiating the individual’s employment;
    • transporting an individual to help the individual locate competitive employment in the community; and
    • participating in service planning team meetings 
  •  Supported Employment: is assistance provided to an individual who, because of a disability, requires:
    •  intensive, ongoing support to be self-employed, work from home, or perform in a work setting at which persons without disabilities are employed in order for the individual to sustain competitive employment. 
  • Thomas and Lewin has consumers receiving Supported Employment and employed  and employed and well known large corporations such as Walmart, HEB, Kroger, and Food Town. 
  • Consumers will participate in job training at What’s the Deal?, a Thomas and Lewin resale shop. What’s the Deal? provides employment assistance for individuals with intellectual and developmental disorders. If you or anyone you may know with a disability could benefit from our occupational training services and/or looking for meaningful employment opportunities we encourage you to stop by and put in an application or sit down one of our Employment Initiative Team members for additional information. The store is located at 2007 Avenue G, Rosenberg, TX, 77471.