Morningside

Programs: We evaluate, train, place and support people with disabilities in integrated jobs in their communities. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are an under-utilized work force of reliable and dependable workers who have the capacity to contribute valuable services to the communities where they live. Yet barriers to their employment are formidable. Morningside's community employment program (placement) is committed to helping people with disabilities secure transformational jobs and be as self-sufficient as possible. As an agency that provides individual supported employment services, we have some of the best employment outcomes for people with disabilities in the state of washington. We receive consistent referrals from both the division of vocational rehabilitation and the developmental disabilities administration each month, exceed placement outcomes each year and provide exceptional, quality services to clients in our community on a regular basis. Morningside supports a living wage and does not place clients in sub-minimum wage positions. We are proud to have transitioned all individuals who were formerly in group employment environments into our individual supported employment program by 2015. During 2017, we served 1028 job seekers with disabilities in our community employment program and placed 209 individuals in jobs in their communities.

morningside's creative employment program enables individuals who require specialized support and supervision to work safely in their communities. The program serves offenders with developmental disabilities who are enrolled in washington's community protection program through dshs. The community protection program is highly regarded nationally and was the first to be approved by the federal government to receive medicaid waiver funding. Morningside has been offering these services since 1993, longer than any employment provider in our state. In addition to the more traditional tasks of a job developer, creative employment job developers provide outreach to community employers and assist individuals with disclosing information to ensure safety. Morningside staff participate in treatment team meetings for each individual where we discuss efforts to reduce supervision and restriction of rights, termed "reductions and advocate for client rights in every possible approach. They work collaboratively with the treatment team to identify employment settings that assist clients in reaching success and helping them to be as independent as possible. We are proud of the progress clients make in our creative program. In 2017 our creative employment program served 76 clients. Thirteen clients were referred for job development services, and 18 clients were hired.

morningside's high school transition program provides the soft skills and experience students with disabilities need to graduate prepared for the workplace. For young people with disabilities who often have no experience or understanding of work culture, finding work can be impossible. Too often, students with disabilities leave high school to enter a life of isolation and entry level jobs with low pay and little future. We offer transition services through several programs: school-to-work partners with school districts and utilizes a wide variety of community employers to prepare students for working following their final year of high school. Short term internships in local businesses allow students to try a variety of jobs to assist in future job exploration. Project search, which operates at the evergreen state college, offers students three internships during the academic year. Job club is held at south puget sound community college. Here students practice writing resumes, interviewing, and discovering the best approach for talking with employers. Our summer youth internship program specifically targets young people in rural communities, one of the hardest groups to serve because they don't have access to the same opportunities as their urban counterparts. The summer youth internship program offers two sessions during the summer and includes a week in the classroom working on soft skills followed by a 4-6 week paid internship. Combined, these programs serve a range of 55 to 75 students annually.