Affiliations: DePaul University, Chicago, IL, USA | Access Living of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Brigida Hernandez, PhD, DePaul
University, Department of Psychology, 2219 North Kenmore, Chicago, IL 60614,
USA. Tel.: +1 773 325 4840; Fax: +1 773 325 7888; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: This qualitative study explored the employment, vocational
rehabilitation (VR), and Ticket to Work (TTW) experiences of people with
disabilities. Twelve focus groups were conducted with 74 working-age adults
from ethnically diverse backgrounds and with various disabilities. Major
barriers to employment were negative employer attitudes toward hiring workers
with disabilities, lack of or unreliable transportation to and from job sites,
and insufficient levels of formal education to compete successfully within the
labor market. Regarding VR, participants expressed concerns with counselors,
who they perceived as unresponsive and non-collaborative. Although there was
general awareness of the TTW program, accurate knowledge and utilization of the
program were quite limited. Of those reporting TTW awareness, over one-third
feared that participating in the program would result in the loss of existing
medical and cash benefits. Findings indicate that people with disabilities
continue to experience significant barriers related to employment. As
employment initiatives are developed and implemented, the voice of the
disability community should be considered to help shape and improve these
initiatives.
Keywords: Employment, vocational rehabilitation, Ticket to Work program
