SME Training Modules

  1. Events, Education & Training
  2. Supporting Meaningful Employment (SME) Series
  3. SME Training Modules

Descriptions of each of the Supporting Meaningful Employment training modules is available below. Each module is 3.5 hours of in-person learning unless otherwise noted at the time of registrations. 

Learners enrolled in the full ACRE series will complete modules 1 - 12. Learners participating in a mini-certificate series will complete the modules for the specific skill area as outlined below. Some modules apply to more than one mini-certificate. Learners only need to attend those modules once if completing multiple mini-certificates.

Mini-certificate modules:

  • Vocational Assessment and Employment Planning - Modules 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
  • Job Development - Modules 1, 6, 7, 8 and 9
  • Job Retention and Coaching - Modules 1, 6, 10, 11 and 12

 

Learn more about each SME training module:

This module is a history lesson and exploration of the values influencing employment policies for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). You will learn about the different types of services that can help people with IDD get jobs, as well as the rules and guidelines that apply to these services. You will also learn about the laws and policies that affect employment for people with IDD. 

In Module 1, you will learn: 

  • The history of employment and community access for people with IDD. 

  • Different types of employment services. 

  • The values, principles, competencies and ethical guidelines of supported employment. 

  • Related legislation and policy, including the service delivery impact of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Consent Decree with the state of Rhode Island. 

  • Why employment is important to people with IDD. 

  • Funding sources for employment services. 

  • Local and national resources for employment services. 

People often worry that working will affect their Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, but programs are in place to support those who want to work. By learning about these work incentive programs, you can support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and others to consider working or to increase their earnings.   

In Module 2, you will learn: 

  • About SSI and SSDI benefits and the differences between them. 

  • How work incentives, such as Ticket to Work, expedited reinstatement, impairment related work incentives (IRWE), continued Medicaid eligibility (1619b), Medicaid Buy-In, PASS and others, can support job success. 

  • Requirements for reporting earnings and available tools.  

  • Local and national resources for work incentives. 

This session will teach you how to create personalized career plans for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. You will learn about assessment techniques you can use to identify the person’s strengths, interests and skills and how to use this information to help the person make decisions about their career. 

In Module 3, you will learn: 

  • How to use a strength-based approach to career planning. 

  • Best practices in assessment. 

  • How to use themes and interests to guide vocational and career planning. 

  • How to use occupational information (functional skills and abilities) and community-based experiences to inform career decision-making. 

  • How to facilitate a strength-based vocational assessment. 

This session will teach you how to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities develop and implement person-centered employment plans. Person-centered employment planning is a process that involves the person with a disability, their family and friends and other professionals in working together to create a plan that helps the person achieve their employment goals. 

One tool that can be used for person-centered employment planning is Making Action Plans (MAP). MAP is a process that helps people with disabilities identify their goals, challenges and supports and develop plans to achieve their goals. 

In Module 4, you will learn: 

  • How to engage an individual’s network using MAP. 

  • MAP components and facilitation techniques. 

  • How to support the individual to own and participate in the process. 

  • How to incorporate information into a career profile. 

  • How to develop a 30-day action plan. 

  • Strategies to use professional and natural supports in the employment process. 

This session will teach you how to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities explore different career options. Career exploration is important because it can help people with disabilities learn about different jobs, identify their skills and interests and develop a plan to achieve their employment goals. 

One way to help people with disabilities explore careers is through meaningful community exploration. This involves participating in activities in the community, such as volunteering, job shadowing and informational interviews. Community exploration can help people with disabilities learn about different jobs, meet people who work in those jobs and see what it's like to work in those jobs. 

In Module 5, you will learn: 

  • Strategies for meaningful community exploration. 

  • How to capture useful information during community exploration. 

  • How to include information from community exploration in a career profile. 

  • How to use information from community exploration to develop an employment goal. 

  • The purpose of the 30-day action plan. 

  • Strategies to support completion of the initial employment plan. 

  • Plans to support long-term job success. 

Employment professionals need to understand basic worker rights and related Department of Labor employment laws such as wage and hour regulations, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), to help people with disabilities find and keep jobs.  

In Module 6, you will learn: 

  • The basics of the ADA and ADAAA as they apply to employment. 

  • The pros and cons of disclosing a disability during the job search process. 

  • The relationship between disclosure and job accommodation. 

  • How to support people with disabilities in making decisions about disclosure. 

  • The importance of informed consent in the disclosure process. 

  • How to report discrimination. 

  • How to support people with disabilities in the job search process. 

  • National and local resources for people with disabilities. 

This session will teach you the most effective job search practices so you can help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities find work. 

In Module 7, you will learn: 

  • How to use Rhode Island labor market information to help people find jobs that are in demand. 

  • How to develop a personalized job search plan. 

  • How to build relationships with businesses and partners. 

  • How to network with people to learn about careers and find job opportunities. 

  • How to reach out to employers. 

As a job developer, you have two customers: the job seeker and the employer. In this session, you will learn how to identify and analyze job opportunities and build relationships with employers. 

In Module 8, you will learn: 

  • How to conduct a business survey and job analysis to identify opportunities for customized employment. 

  • How to use those tools to identify job opportunities. 

  • Ways to effectively present job seekers to employers. 

You will also receive a template for a job analysis and business survey, as well as ideas for marketing resources. 

This session will teach you how to strengthen relationships with employers and how to promote your job seekers to them. 

In Module 9, you will learn: 

  • How to initiate contact with employers. 

  • What to say in your first conversation with an employer. 

  • How to manage an appointment with an employer to achieve your goal. 

  • How to promote your job seekers to employers. 

  • How to overcome common objections that employers may have. 

You will also receive a template for an employer presentation and talking points to overcome employer objections. 

Job retention often involves on-and off-site support including transportation, assisting with activities of daily living, teaching job tasks and helping workers to interact with co-workers. 

In Module 10, you will learn: 

  • Strategies to support workers’ first days on the job.  

  • How job accommodations can help the person be successful at work. 

  • Job coaching practices and strategies for gradually reducing support. 

  • How to engage supervisors, co-workers, family members, residential staff and others to provide natural support for long-term success.  

Task analysis is a process of breaking down a job into its smallest steps. It can be used to identify the skills and knowledge that are needed to perform the job, and to develop training plans and job accommodations for workers with disabilities. 

In Module 11, you will learn:  

  • How to develop a task analysis.  

  • How to use that information to create an individualized training plan.  

  • How to use systematic instruction. 

  • How to use data to monitor skill development. 

Success for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) at work means keeping and increasing their job options. This can include getting more hours, taking on new tasks, getting paid more or getting promoted. 

In this session, you will learn: 

  • The benefits of job accommodations. 

  • Effective strategies for gradually reducing the amount of support that a person needs as they become more independent. 

  • Strategies that support long-term success on the job. 

You will also learn about quality supported employment service indicators, which can be used to measure the quality of supported employment services, and how to obtain and monitor supported employment services.