Maximizing Impact through Targeted Research
Pilot studies on the national, state and local levels are adding to our knowledge of disability and employment. Using data from the American Consumer Survey and Social Security Disability Insurance records, outcomes researcher Amanda Botticello, PhD, MPH, has identified a geographic concentration of Americans with disabilities. While other health-related ‘belts’ have been identified, this is first time that the ‘U.S. Disability Belt’ has been mapped. What we learn about the ‘Disability Belt” will help target resources to areas of greatest need.
A data-driven pilot project on the state level is looking at ways to ensure that children continue their education after disabling injuries. By matching patient data from Children's Specialized Hospital in New Jersey with educational records of the New Jersey Department of Education, we are learning the impact on their educational outcomes. Our findings will help inform parents and professionals of the need for changes to discharge planning and advocacy, as well as educational policy. We plan to extend this line of research by matching with state data on employment and earnings, for a more complete picture.
On the local level, a pilot project underway at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation is helping patients return to work after spinal cord injury (SCI). In its first year, this project exceeded expectations, enrolling 56 newly injured individuals. Six have returned to work and 20 have actively engaged with the New Jersey Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services to plan their return to the workplace. The goal is to place 30 individuals in competitive employment, and have this program be self-sustaining after three years. If successful, this practical approach may be adopted nationwide, which would help larger numbers of people return to work after this disabling injury.
Featured Podcasts
The nTIDE 2016 data showed that the labor market gains of people with disabilities regularly outpaced those of people without disabilities.
Monitoring the Gap
Understanding Workplace Realities
Continuing to develop effective employment strategies means understanding the realities of the workplace. The 2015 Kessler Foundation National Employment and Disability Survey, the first nationally validated survey of its kind, continues to yield important information from data submitted by more than 3,000 people with disabilities. According to this survey, 69% of people with disabilities are striving to work and overcoming barriers to the workplace, findings that have reframed the traditional dialog about disability and employment.
In 2016, 27.7 percent of Americans with disabilities were participating in the labor force compared with 72.8 percent of people without disabilities, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. To find new ways to narrow this gap, Kessler Foundation links grant making with targeted employment research. John O’Neill, PhD, director of Disability and Employment Research, works with colleagues to maximize the impact of the Foundation’s efforts by collaborating with universities, research firms, and disability organizations. Studies are funded by the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, the Department of Defense, the National institute on Disability Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research, and Kessler Foundation. In this report, we highlight projects having an impact on the national, state, and local levels.
John O’Neill, PhD
Director of Disability & Employment Research
Since 2013, Kessler Foundation has issued a customized monthly release, National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) based on the monthly jobs report issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The release of nTIDE, the only report of its kind, is widely anticipated among business leaders and the disability community. At the end of each year, Kessler Foundation issues an illustrated nTIDE Year-end Jobs Report. During 2016, people with disabilities experienced significant gains in the labor market. While much more work needs to be done to address the employment gap, the nTIDE 2016 recap indicated that not only were more people with disabilities entering the labor market, but their gains often outpaced those of people without disabilities.
