Programs & Services , Supported Employment

The TEACCH Supported Employment program serves older persons with autism, helping
them to become as independent as possible by assisting them in finding and maintaining
useful employment in stable, predictable and rewarding work environments. Since its
inception in 1989, this program has used a variety of job support models to assist more than
300 people with autism to secure gainful employment and to become productive, tax-
paying members of their communities.

Philosophy and Overview of Supported Employment Program

STARTED IN 1989
Number of Clients Placed in Employment: 187
Number of Job Placements: 268
Average Salary: $6.65
Average Number of Hours Worked: 22.5

Following the guidelines of the general philosophy of the

TEACCH program, the mission of the Supported
Employment program is to provide a stable and predictable
work environment whereby the person with Autism can, as
independently as possible, be a contributing member of the
work force. These contributions allow the persons with
Autism to increase their sense of self-worth, and at the same
time, help to increase awareness and educate the public
about autism. TEACCH firmly believes persons with Autism
benefit from Supported Employment's ability to provide an
individually tailored work environment.

The primary goal of the TEACCH Program is to prepare people

with autism to live and work happily and productively throughout
all facets of their life. Special emphasis is placed on individualized
plans for helping people with autism and their families live
together more harmoniously.

As individuals with autism grow into adolescence and adulthood,

a priority becomes developing skills relevant to their abilities and
interests, and that allow them to participate successfully in an appropriate vocational setting.
Consistent with the TEACCH model, Supported Employment Staff consider the individuals
with autism and their family members integral participants of an ongoing team. All
vocationally related information is shared and is written with clients and families in mind.

In an effort to provide the most appropriate and individualized program possible for each
client, Division TEACCH utilizes four different models of Supported Employment: the
standard placement model, the shared support model, the mobile crew model, and the one-
to-one model.

Within each of these models, there is an emphasis on utilizing individual strengths and
interests, identifying appropriate jobs and settings, applying structured teaching techniques,
collaborating with families, caregivers and employers, providing necessary long-term
support services, and insuring the appropriate "fit" in which the employee, employer, and
family/caregiver are satisfied.

TEACCH staff rely on several key factors in the selection of appropriate vocational settings,
including: jobs that are predictable and have potential for clearly defined work tasks, jobs
which can be adapted to the individual's need for structure, employers and coworkers who
are receptive to training and who are willing to create an environment where an individual is
more likely to succeed, and job settings in which there is potential to utilize individual
strengths.

In addition to these methods, the most important factor contributing to the success of
Division TEACCH's Supported Employment Program is its emphasis on long-term support
services. Such services involve frequent contact with the employee, the employer, and the
family/caregiver to coordinate whole life support for the individual with autism. Long-term
support services typically range from one to four hours per week.

The Vocational, residential, and social aspects of a person with Autism's life are complexly
intertwined, therefore, TEACCH's assistance with the person with Autism's coordination of
these areas is needed to help them maintain the consistency and predictability they need. In
addition, long-term support services provide ongoing assessment and training of the
employee at the job site, and support the employer.
Other facets of long-term support include assistance to the family/caregiver with
government benefits which can be affected by work, consultation with supported living
services, and social and community skills training through individual and group counseling
and activities.

TEACCH Supported Employment Staff are trained in the TEACCH model with an emphasis on
collaboration with clients, families, and agencies. This emphasis encompasses a thorough
understanding of the culture of autism, the unique nature of the individual, as well as
ongoing assessments, structured teaching techniques, and the development of the client's
strengths and interests.

Please note that not all of these services are available in all parts of North Carolina. Families
should contact their local TEACCH Center to find out which services are available in their
area. For information in the Chapel Hill area contact Division TEACCH at (919) 966-2174

Types of Jobs
The Supported Employment Program has placed people with Autism in such areas as
Manufacturing, Food Service, Office or Clerical work, Landscaping, Grocery or Warehouse
settings, Libraries, and Janitorial Services. These placements are based on interests and skill
level.

Manufacturing Jobs
Office / Clerical Work Warehouse Settings Mail Clerk

Food Service

Bakeries
Janitorial Services Grocery Stores

Landscaping Libraries
 Introduction to Models
In an effort to provide each individual with autism the greatest chance of obtaining and
maintaining successful, competitive employment, the TEACCH Supported Employment
Program has developed four different models: the Standard Placement, the Group Shared
Support Site, the Mobile Crew, and the One-to-One Placement.

These four models differ only in the amount, and type, of support offered to each individual
with autism. How that support differs will be discussed later as we look at examples of each
model. Each of these models incorporates the use of a "job coach," a trained professional,
employed by Division TEACCH, who provides on-going support for the person or persons
with Autism. The job coach uses structured teaching principles to teach the individual with
autism the necessary vocational and social skills required in the employment setting.

Job Coaches also educate coworkers and supervisors about autism, and act as liaisons
between the individuals with autism and their employers. These four distinct, yet similar
models are seen in a wide array of job settings.

Supported Employment has placed people with Autism in such areas as Manufacturing,
Food Service, Office or Clerical work, Landscaping, Grocery or Warehouse settings, Libraries,
and Janitorial Services. These placements are based on several factors, including the
information learned during the individualized assessment process. Many programs have a
standard assessment they apply to every individual seeking competitive employment.

At Division TEACCH, our assessment process is individualized to each person with autism.
Our assessment takes into account their strengths and interests, as well as their weaknesses.
In addition to focusing on strengths and interests, the TEACCH Supported Employment
Program focuses on the individual's characteristics of autism, and how they will affect their
ability to independently use their skills in a work environment. By looking at their strengths
and interests, their autism, and their skills, TEACCH is able to develop the necessary structure,
as well as the amount and type of support they need to be successful.

One to One Model

The one to one model of supported employment consists of one
job coach, employed by Division TEACCH, and one person with
Autism. A company in the community employs the individual
with autism. The Job Coach is located on-site throughout the
entire workday. The biggest difference between this model and
the others is the individual with autism in this model requires
intensive support. As a result, the job Coach is there to
continuously adapt and modify structure to meet the
individual's needs.

To help the individual work as independently as

possible, staff may set up or change schedules, or
create and modify visual cues in the work
environment. Also, people with Autism who work
in this model tend to have poorer communication
skills and coping strategies; therefore, the job
coach spends time acting as a liaison between the
person with Autism, and the employer. This
ensures everyone clearly understands each other's
expectations, opinions, and ideas.
The job coach is also available to assist the individual accommodate for fluctuating job
performance, and to help insure the accuracy and quality of completed work.

When the individual with autism becomes overwhelmed or frustrated, the job coach assists
the individual in completion of relaxation strategies. These strategies help the individual
with autism remain calm and focused, thereby allowing them to better attend to their
responsibilities. Obviously, this is a very expensive model, and is only used in cases where
substantial financial resources are available.

Mobile Crew Model

One to three individuals with autism that move from site to site completing a job
Ratio: One job coach for every 1-3 individuals with autism
Frequency of Support: Intermittent support, job coach available entire work day
Rate of Pay: $6.50 per hour
Types of Placements: Housecleaning and lawn-garden care

For those individuals who require less intensive support than the
one to one model, there is the Mobile Crew. A Mobile Crew is a
group of 2-3 individuals with autism who work together to provide
a service to individuals in the community. The Mobile Crew Model
of supported employment has one job coach employed by
Division TEACCH, assigned to the 2 to 3 persons with Autism. The
job coach remains with the cleaning crew throughout the entire
workday. In this model, customers hire Division TEACCH, which in
turn, hires the individuals with autism to work on the cleaning
crew. TEACCH currently operates both home cleaning and
landscaping supported employment crews.

As with the one to one model, the job coach is also

available to assist the individual accommodate for
fluctuating job performance, and to help insure the
accuracy and quality of completed work.

An important advantage of the Mobile Crew model is

its ability to accommodate each of the individual's
needs. The Job Coach can develop work schedules
that take into account the length of day a person can
work, and the amount of breaks they need to complete the work without becoming
frustrated or overwhelmed.

The biggest advantage of the mobile crew model is its ability to

provide a unique training site, where the individual with autism
can strive to develop or improve their work skills in an effort to
move towards gaining competitive employment, while at the
same time, working and earning a paycheck.
Group Shared Support Site

Two to five individuals with autism working at one place of business with one job
coach providing full time on-site support.
Ratio: One job coach for every 2-5 adults with autism.
Frequency of Support: Intermittent support job coach available entire work day.
Rate of Pay: Competitive benefits and wages.
Types of Placement: Food service, bakery, grocery stores, research laboratories.

For those individuals who have developed the necessary work skills, but still need on-
going, intermittent support, there is the Group Shared Support Model. This model of
supported employment consists of one job coach, employed by Division TEACCH, and
between 2 and 4 persons with Autism working in a centralized location. The people
with autism are employed directly by the company where they work.

Each individual with autism who works in the Group Shared Support Site is hired to do
a different job within the company. As such, the individual must be able to complete
most, if not all, aspects of the position.

The TEACCH Supported Employment Program has Group Shared

Support Sites in Bakeries, Food Services, Grocery Stores,
Warehouses, Manufacturing and Laboratories.

As with the One to One and Mobile Crew models, the job
coach is also available to assist the individual accommodate for
fluctuating job performance, to help insure the accuracy and
quality of completed work, and to assist other workers in the
setting to understand and interact with the employees with
autism.

People with Autism who work in this model benefit from

having a job coach available on-site for either part of, or all
of, the workday. The job coach typically splits their time
between the different persons with Autism, focusing their
attention on the person or situation with the greatest need at
any one time.
 Standard/Independent Model
Ratio: One job coach supports 12 adults with autism.
Frequency of Support: From one or two visits per week to bi-weekly visits.
Rate of Pay: Competitive wages and benefits
Types of Placements: Office, library, stocking, warehousing, computers, grocery stores,
laboratories.

For those individuals with a lesser need for

support, and the greatest amount of
independent work skills, there is the Standard
Model. This Model consists of one job coach,
Employed by Division TEACCH, and between 10
to 15 persons with Autism who work
independently at their respective places of
employment

Following an intensive 2-8 week training program when

the job coach works virtually full time with a client
teaching the job and helping others in the setting to
understand the employee with autism. The job coach
travels from job site to job site providing support to each
individual with autism and their respective employer.

People with Autism in this model typically receive support

from their job coach from 1 to 6 hours each week,
depending on the person's needs, the employer's needs,
and the nature of the issues needing support. This support
may increase or decrease within a given time period
depending upon issues that may arise during the course
of one's employment within a company.

By providing the necessary amount of support each week,

the job coach is able to minimize, or even prevent, issues
from ever arising by effectively communicating with the individual with autism, their
supervisors, and their co-workers. This "long term support" aspect of the Standard model is
one of the most unique and effective aspects of TEACCH's supported employment program.

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