Expanded Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities

In the proposed settlement of  Lane v. Brown, a federal class action law suit filed in 2012, the state of Oregon has committed to provide more opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to work in competitive employment, and not just “sheltered workshops” where people generally earn less than minimum wage and don’t have opportunities for advancement or to get job skills or training that might lead to better work. The proposed settlement also includes a commitment by the state to provide supported employment services based on an individual’s capabilities, choices, and strengths, and will not allow local educational agencies to include sheltered workshops as an approved alternative placement for educational purposes, among other things.  For more information on the proposed settlement, see http://droregon.org/lane-v-kitzhaber/ and http://www.oregon.gov/newsroom/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?newsid=791 .