Funding Supported Employment

Abstract

This article describes different methods used by state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies to fund time limited supported employment services. Findings are reported from a survey of 385 vendored supported employment provider agencies regarding types of reimbursement method used, the influence of different types of methods on key consumer outcomes, and recommendations for improving funding systems. The findings consistently pointed to significantly more positive response of vendors to funding methods that incorporate negotiated rates at the individual provider level as compared to statewide fixed rates for all vendors. Statewide fixed hourly rates were found to discourage both conversion to community integrated employment opportunities and the reopening of supported employment cases after job loss. The same response pattern held true for respondents' perceptions of reimbursements covering the costs of services. Statewide rates for specified outcomes or for daily, weekly or monthly service units were found to cover the cost of services at levels significantly lower than the other funding methods.

Best Practice Models of Effective Vocational Rehabilitation Service Delivery in the Public Rehabilitation Program

“…Rhodes and Drum (1989) offered several “best practices” related to hiring for public jobs that improve the ability of service organizations to successfully implement supported employment programs through job restructuring. Revell, West, and Cheng (1998) found vendors funding methods that incorporate negotiated rates at the individual provider level have significantly more positive response than statewide fixed rates for all vendors in terms of supported employment funding methods.…”

“…implement supported employment programs through job restructuring. Revell, West, and Cheng (1998) found vendors funding methods that incorporate negotiated rates at the individual provider level have significantly more positive response than statewide fixed rates for all vendors in terms of supported employment funding methods. The research suggests that supported employment and EBPs lead to competitive employment outcomes for individuals with severe, persistent mental illness by providing a range of intense supports developed around an individual's unique employment needs.…”

“…Dissemination requires collaboration among mental health agencies to share knowledge, skills, and resources related to employment services. Revell, West, and Cheng (1998) Investigate current approaches used by state agencies to fund time-limited supported employment services from the perspective of local supported employment provider agencies. Specifically, results of in-depth telephone interviews w/ 386 local provider agencies in 40 states to be reported in terms of (a) types of funding arrangement most frequently used; (b) relationship of various funding approaches to issues such as conversion, inclusion of individuals w/ most significant disabilities, consumer choice and self-determination, and career advancement; and (c) implications of findings for future efforts to improve supported employment time-limited funding arrangements.…”

The Performance of Performance-Based Contracting in Human Services: A Quasi-Experiment

“…Traditionally, these contracts are process-oriented, in which government specifies defined services, a purchasable unit for each service (mostly an hour), and a unit cost for each defined service (Revell, West and Cheng 1998). Once a service is delivered, contractors are paid by the amount of services incurred in the service process (Wehman, Revell and Kregel 1998).…”

Lessons Learned From the Provision and Funding of Employment Services for the MR/DD Population

“…In this section, we will describe the payment strategies used by funding agencies to distribute the dollars necessary to obtain needed employment services. These payment strategies include cost reimbursement, slotbased, fee-for-service, and performance-based funding (Revell, West, & Cheng, 1998). In this article, primary attention will be given to performance based funding strategies.…”