About Independence
Mainstream Integration of Employment Services

Author: Kathleen Kleinmann

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

1. INTEGRATION OF JOB TRAINING AND PLACEMENT:

Just as we have demanded that children with disabilities be mainstreamed and included in regular programs, the job training and placement services belong in an integrated setting.

Society must understand that human motivation is still the same regardless of disability. We all seek "survival" and "self-worth". There must be system-wide pressure on people with disabilities to assert that these types of needs will be met through full participation in the community and employment. Right now the system works hard to bribe people to stay out of the community and then threatens them with annihilation by withdrawal of the bribe. In truth, the system takes this same attitude with all disadvantaged people living in poverty. It creates dependency then blames for dependency.

There should be a public education program to alter the frame of reference of the public on people with disabilities. Just as I see views changing on the role of women, blacks, and gays through education, I believe that many people in the American culture are susceptible to re-education if applied thoughtfully and intelligently. We have barely begun this process. We have spent all our energy on getting our "piece of the pie".

2. HOW TO SUCCEED AT THE REHABILITATION SYSTEM

The only consumers that succeed in today's systems are those who know what they want, demand what they want, and give the system confidence that they are a person who will succeed no matter how the system attempts to hold them back. For those individuals the system works.

It "appears" to work for some other people who are fearful, entirely compliant and willing to be placed in sheltered workshop environments or token placement situations. These are not healthy situations for the person being "helped". But the stats are good for the system.

Generally, VR agencies don't know where the real jobs are.

The SSI system was designed to take people with disabilities out of the "harsh" welfare system and give them a "softer" system to contend with. Since SSA worked with the "deserving" retired citizen or "deserving" injured worker, it was a more appropriate "fit." However, given the fact that these individuals are still held in poverty, people with disabilities still must go to the "harsh" system for fuel assistance, food stamps, housing subsidies, medical assistance, and burial assistance, etc. So, what's the point?

3. SYSTEMS SHOULD PROVIDE

Job placement services should be integrated. There should efforts to meet the needs of all persons seeking and eligible for training and job preparation services. Financial aid programs should be available and should be generous. Assistive technology should be available and completely affordable. Job training and placement programs should have specialist within the system to focus on specific needs of individuals with specific needs. But these specialist should have access to the same tools and information that the other program workers have....REAL JOBS.

Presently, a person with a disability who seeks assistance from "regular" jobs placement programs soon find that they are out of place. Sometimes it works; most times it does not. I have been there as a consumer; they always seemed so taken off guard by my showing up at the door. I had the feeling that it was extremely rare for a person with a severe and obvious disability to show up for job related services.

(But then, I had the same experience as a young woman seeking birth control services. When their composure was recovered, the professional urged sterilization. I hope things have changed.)

Every system out there--public and private--must learn to expect us to show up. We shouldn't all have to move to Berkeley, California, to be viewed as "regular folks".

4. WHAT WE GAIN THROUGH TOTAL INTEGRATION

Democratic freedom, self-worth, survival and prosperity, steady income, these are the gains of real integration. Our parents and other loved ones would be forced to give up this notion that we are special, we would also have to give up the same fantasy if we have adopted it.

We would learn to live by the rules of the American system, as harsh as they are. But, the entire society would benefit by the forced recognition that "differences" among people are "normal" and can be accommodated as matter of course. One more time, we would made changes based upon the rediscovered truth that "separate is never equal".