Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation - Volume 58, issue 3

Authors: Ostrow, Laysha | Cook, Judith A. | Salzer, Mark S. | Pelot, Morgan | Burke-Miller, Jane K.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Certified peer specialists (CPS) serve a critical role in the behavioral health workforce, but little is known about their job quality or financial well-being. OBJECTIVE: Using cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a three-year study of recently certified individuals, we examine the quality of peer specialist (PS) jobs in terms of wage, hours worked, and tenure, and CPS financial well-being (FWB). We also examine whether PS jobs are higher quality and enhance CPS FWB compared to non-PS jobs worked by CPS. Research on job quality and FWB can be used to enhance the peer specialist workforce. …METHODS: A sample of 448 employed adults with a recently completed CPS credential participated in an online survey about job characteristics and FWB. RESULTS: Compared to Bureau of Labor Statistics data on comparable non-peer Community/Social Service occupations, PS jobs are lower wage and have shorter job tenure. Compared to the general workforce, PS jobs are more often part-time. Compared to a national survey of all adults in the United States, CPS report lower FWB regardless of job type and are at risk of financial hardship. In multivariable analyses and compared to non-PS jobs, PS jobs were not associated with significantly higher wages, more full-time status, longer tenure, or greater FWB. Higher wage jobs among CPS were associated with higher education, being a Veteran, and residence in an urban/suburban region rather than small town or rural setting. Full-time work was associated with not receiving federal disability benefits. CPS FWB was associated with higher hourly wage, older age, Latinx ethnicity, Veteran status, and better physical health. CONCLUSION: CPS are at risk of financial hardship. Among recently certified CPS, working in PS jobs was not associated with higher wages or greater financial wellbeing compared to CPS working in other jobs. Show more

Keywords: Peer support, employment, financial wellbeing, workforce development, pay equity, education and credentialing

DOI: 10.3233/JVR-230021

Citation: Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 58, no. 3, pp. 329-338, 2023

Authors: Trainor, Audrey | Romano, Lindsay | Sarkissian, Gracy | Newman, Lynn

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: School closures and service disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted students’ postschool transitions. Students with disabilities who were also members of historically marginalized groups including immigrant students, multilingual students, students of color, and those experiencing poverty, were disproportionately negatively impacted by pandemic-limited services. OBJECTIVE: This paper examined the impact of the pandemic on the transition experiences of secondary students receiving both special education and English learner services. METHOD: We collected and analyzed data from ethnographic interviews with 26 students, their parents, and teachers. A close analysis of a representative case illustrates how transition …education and planning were affected by challenges introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic for some of the nation’s most vulnerable students. RESULTS: Despite postsecondary education goals and high parent expectations, evidence of minimal information sharing between school and family, specific plans for goal actualization, and interruptions to service delivery negatively impacted goal attainment, tipping precariously positioned transition plans toward missed opportunities. CONCLUSION: The pandemic accentuated pre-existing inequities in transition and vocational rehabilitation (VR) services. Implications for practice and research are discussed, including the importance of supported family engagement, enhanced self-determination skills, and integrated VR services into high school special education programming. Show more

Keywords: Transition, English learner, special education, postsecondary education, employment, pandemic, COVID-19

DOI: 10.3233/JVR-230011

Citation: Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 58, no. 3, pp. 339-347, 2023