101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
SB2087

 

Introduced 2/15/2019, by Sen. Laura Fine

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Customized Employment for Individuals with Disabilities Act. Requires the Department of Human Services' Division of Rehabilitation Services to establish a 5-year Customized Employment Pilot Program that serves a minimum of 25 individuals by the second year of the Pilot Program. Provides that the Pilot Program shall include certain components, including: (1) an intensive discovery phase during which the unique needs, abilities, and interests of each program participant will be explored; (2) a customized person-centered planning process based upon information gathered during the discovery phase that involves capturing, organizing, and presenting the information in a blueprint for the job search; and (3) an employer negotiation process in which job duties and employee expectations are negotiated to align the skills and interests of each program participant to the needs of an employer. Provides that community-based agencies serving persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities shall identify and refer individuals to the Department for participation in the Pilot Program. Requires program participants to reflect the geographical, racial, ethnic, gender, and income-level diversity of the State. Contains provisions concerning data collection and reporting, administrative rules, and other matters.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning persons with disabilities.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Customized Employment for Individuals with Disabilities Act.
 
6    Section 5. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to assist
7individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities
8and complex needs who seek employment and require more
9individualized assistance to achieve and maintain integrated
10employment at competitive wages through a process of customized
11planning and negotiation.
 
12    Section 10. Customized Employment Pilot Program. The
13Department of Human Services, through its Division of
14Rehabilitation Services and in collaboration with the Division
15of Developmental Disabilities, shall establish a 5-year
16Customized Employment Pilot Program that serves a minimum of 25
17individuals by the second year of the Pilot Program. The Pilot
18Program shall include the following components:
19        (1) An intensive discovery phase during which the
20    unique needs, abilities, and interests of the individual
21    will be explored by the individual at his or her direction
22    with assistance from family, friends, colleagues,

 

 

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1    advocates, community-based service agencies, and others as
2    determined by the individual.
3        (2) A customized person-centered planning process
4    based upon information gathered during the discovery phase
5    that involves capturing, organizing, and presenting the
6    information in a blueprint for the job search.
7        (3) An employer negotiation process in which job duties
8    and employee expectations are negotiated to align the
9    skills and interests of the individual with the needs of an
10    employer. The negotiation process may result in agreement
11    on options such as (i) carving out a job for the
12    individual, (ii) creating a new job description, (iii)
13    creating a new job, (iv) job-sharing, and (v) agreeing on
14    job supports, transportation needs, assistive technology,
15    work hours, location, or supervision needs.
16        (4) A flexible timeline for a comprehensive discovery,
17    planning, and job placement process to accommodate the
18    unique needs of the individual.
 
19    Section 15. Selection of participants. Individuals shall
20be identified and referred to the Department to participate in
21the Pilot Program by community-based agencies serving persons
22with intellectual or developmental disabilities. A team of
23individuals identified during the discovery phase shall be
24created to work with the individual during the process. The
25team shall include at least one qualified staff person as

 

 

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1described in Section 25. Selection preference shall be given to
2individuals who are currently working in a sheltered workshop
3setting for a subminimum wage and individuals for whom it is
4likely that their current employment options will be limited to
5working in a sheltered workshop for a subminimum wage.
 
6    Section 20. Diversity. Participants in the Pilot Program
7shall reflect the geographical, racial, ethnic, gender, and
8income-level diversity of the State.
 
9    Section 25. Community-based agencies and staff
10qualifications. The Pilot Program shall utilize a minimum of 4
11Illinois non-profit community-based agencies that must:
12        (1) assign at least one staff member who has received a
13    certificate of completion for training in community
14    employment, with a specialization in customized
15    employment, from a recognized and qualified training
16    entity such as the Association of Community Rehabilitation
17    Educators; and
18        (2) have access to technical assistance on customized
19    employment from a recognized and qualified training entity
20    to work with each participant in the Pilot Program.
 
21    Section 30. Data collection and reporting. The Department
22shall collect data regarding the successes and challenges of
23the Pilot Program and shall submit an annual report to the

 

 

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1Governor and the General Assembly on March 1st of each year
2beginning in 2021 until the Pilot Program terminates. The
3reports shall: (i) make a recommendation as to whether the
4Pilot Program should continue or become a statewide program;
5(ii) provide cost estimates, including the average per person
6costs; and (iii) recommend ways in which the Pilot Program can
7be improved to better serve the needs of individuals with
8disabilities and employers.
 
9    Section 35. Advice and recommendations. In the creation,
10operation, and administration of the Pilot Program, the
11Department shall seek the advice and recommendations of the
12Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Illinois
13Task Force on Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons
14with Disabilities, statewide disability advocacy groups, and
15organizations representing large, medium, and small
16businesses.
 
17    Section 40. The Department may adopt administrative rules
18governing the Pilot Program; however, the Pilot Program shall
19not be delayed pending the adoption of rules.