Written by Hope Human Services
Washington’s DDA-connected disability support team helping families of adults with I/DD figure out what real, paid job support can look like.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month is observed every October to recognize the contributions of workers with disabilities and increase awareness of disability employment. For families of adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD), it can also be a practical reminder that leaving school does not mean leaving behind the goal of meaningful, paid work. Supported employment services, job coaching, vocational rehabilitation, and other individualized supports can help people with disabilities prepare for, find, and keep jobs in their communities.

If your supported individual or loved one has recently aged out of school-based transition services, the next step may feel much less obvious than it did when an IEP team was involved. Understanding what adult employment support actually looks like can make that transition feel more manageable.

Key Takeaways

• National Disability Employment Awareness Month is observed every October.
• Adults with I/DD can work in paid, community-based jobs with individualized support when needed.
• Supported employment can include job preparation, placement, coaching, and ongoing support.
• A job coach helps someone learn and maintain a job, not simply find one.
• Washington families may work with DDA, DVR, and employment providers.
• Working can affect SSI benefits, but benefits do not necessarily disappear when someone gets a job.

Table of Contents

• When Is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and Why Does It Exist?
• What Is Supported Employment?
• What Does a Job Coach Do Day to Day?
• Who Qualifies for Supported Employment Services in Washington State?
• How Do I Find Disability Employment Services Near Me?
• What Does the Research Say About Employment and Well-Being for Adults With I/DD?
• How Can Hope Human Services Support Employment Goals?
• Frequently Asked Questions

When Is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and Why Does It Exist?

National Disability Employment Awareness Month is observed every October to recognize the skills and contributions of workers with disabilities and increase awareness of disability employment. The U.S. Department of Labor explains that the observance began in 1945 as a national week recognizing workers with physical disabilities and expanded into a month-long observance in 1988.

Today, National Disability Employment Awareness Month, often called NDEAM, includes people with visible and invisible disabilities. The 2026 theme is “Celebrating Value and Talent,” highlighting the contributions people with disabilities make to workplaces, communities, and the economy.

For a family whose child has recently left school, employment awareness can become much more personal. School-based transition services may have provided a familiar team and structure, while the adult disability and employment systems can involve different agencies, eligibility requirements, and providers.

That transition does not mean the goal of employment has ended. Washington’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) provides services intended to help eligible people with disabilities prepare for and obtain competitive integrated employment.

What Is Supported Employment?

Supported employment helps a person with a disability find and maintain a paid job in the community with individualized assistance when needed. In Washington, DDA describes supported employment as long-term integrated support that helps a person find and keep a community job at or above the state’s minimum wage.

Support can include identifying career goals, assessing strengths, preparing for a job, finding opportunities, learning job duties, arranging accommodations, and receiving help after employment begins. The amount and type of assistance depend on the individual.

That is different from the sheltered-workshop model, where groups of people with disabilities may work in segregated settings rather than alongside workers without disabilities. Modern competitive integrated employment focuses instead on paid work in community workplaces.

For a parent, that distinction matters. The question is not simply, “Is there somewhere my son can go during the day?” The more useful question is, “What kind of work fits his interests and abilities, and what support would help him succeed there?”

What Does a Job Coach Do Day to Day?

A job coach helps a person learn, perform, and maintain a job while building as much independence as possible. Washington’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation describes job coaching as support that can include on-site job training, learning job skills, developing good work habits, and providing support to both the employee and employer.

A job coach might help someone learn a morning routine at work, break a multistep task into manageable pieces, understand a supervisor’s instructions, or practice what to do when a routine changes. If accommodations are needed, employment support may also involve working with the employee and employer to identify what will help.

Job coaching should be individualized. One employee may need intensive support while learning a new position, while another may only need occasional check-ins once the job becomes familiar.

The goal is not to have someone standing beside the employee forever simply because that employee has a disability. The goal is to provide the level of support the person needs to do meaningful work successfully.

Who Qualifies for Supported Employment Services in Washington State?

Eligibility for supported employment in Washington depends on the program providing or funding the service and the person’s individual circumstances. People should not assume that having an I/DD diagnosis automatically creates the same employment pathway for everyone.

Washington DVR provides vocational rehabilitation services to people with disabilities who face barriers to employment. Services are individualized and can include assessment, counseling, training, job placement, benefits planning, assistive technology, and supported employment.

DDA also offers employment support for eligible adults with developmental disabilities. Its supported-employment services can include discovery, assessment, job preparation, job marketing, job support, and assistance maintaining employment.

The systems can overlap, which is one reason the transition out of school can feel confusing. People who are preparing for this change can also review Hope Human Services’ information about special education transition services to start thinking about adult support before the school structure disappears.

How Do I Find Disability Employment Services Near Me?

People looking for disability employment services near them can start with the Washington agencies and providers connected to the person’s existing disability services. For someone already connected to DDA, a case resource manager can help explain which employment services may be available through the person’s plan.

Washington DVR is another important starting point. DVR works with eligible people with disabilities on employment goals and can connect customers with vocational rehabilitation and employment services based on individual needs.

If your family is searching online for “disability employment services near me,” look beyond the provider’s location. Ask whether the program offers competitive integrated employment, how jobs are matched to the person’s interests, whether job coaching is available, what happens after placement, and how long support can continue.

People leaving school-based services do not need to know the entire adult system before making the first call. Start with the agencies and case managers already connected to your family, ask specifically about employment, and find out what referral or eligibility step comes next.

What Does the Research Say About Employment and Well-Being for Adults With I/DD?

Research shows that adults with intellectual disabilities remain substantially underrepresented in community-based employment, making access to effective employment support especially important. A study of young adults with intellectual disabilities using National Core Indicators data noted that community employment has been associated with life satisfaction and social and community integration.

The study of community-based employment among young adults with intellectual disabilities examined adults ages 23–30, including people with co-occurring mental health conditions. The authors found that employment outcomes were influenced by a combination of personal and environmental factors rather than disability diagnosis alone.

The study also looked beyond whether someone had a job. Researchers examined employment quality through factors such as wages, hours worked, job duration, and job satisfaction, emphasizing that simply placing someone in a job does not tell the whole story.

That is an important distinction for families. A job should not exist only so everyone can say employment was achieved. The better goal is work that fits the person, provides appropriate support, and offers a meaningful place in the community.

How Can Hope Human Services Support Employment Goals?

Hope Human Services can support employment goals as part of a broader conversation about the person’s independence, community life, and disability support. Employment does not happen in isolation from transportation, daily routines, behavioral needs, communication, housing, health, or the other supports a person may use.

For someone leaving school, it can help to think about the whole week rather than the job alone. What time does the person need to get ready? How will they get to work? What support helps when plans change? What routines help them stay regulated and successful?

Hope Human Services provides disability support services in Washington State with an emphasis on person-centered planning and community participation. People can use that broader support network alongside employment resources available through DDA, DVR, and employment providers.

The goal is not to fit every adult with I/DD into the same version of employment or independence. It is to build support around the person’s abilities, preferences, needs, and goals so that work can become one meaningful part of a connected adult life.

Contact Hope Human Services to talk with a team member about disability support and employment-related resources for your family member.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Hope Human Services

Hope Human Services provides supported living, disability support, and DDA-connected services for adults and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Pierce, Spokane, and Vancouver/Clark counties in Washington State. Hope Human Services uses a person-centered approach that recognizes employment as one potential part of a full, community-connected life alongside housing, relationships, daily routines, behavioral support, and greater independence.

The transition out of school can bring a lot of questions, but people do not have to understand every adult service before they start exploring the next step. Contact Hope Human Services to talk with a team member about disability support and employment-related resources for your family member.