Supported employment services task force proposed

The Business and Labor Committee considered a bill March 17 that seeks to improve access to competitive integrated employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities in Nebraska.

LB336, introduced by Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad, would create the Task Force on Supported Employment to identify workforce barriers for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Nebraska. The task force would include representatives from the Legislature, state agencies, advocates, service providers and the business community.

The bill would require the task force to review a 2023 report that assessed employment outcomes in the state for individuals with disabilities and provide “tangible solutions” to fulfill the report’s recommendations. The task force would terminate Dec. 31, 2027.

Conrad said the task force would help provide more employment and career advancement opportunities for Nebraskans who are differently abled. Many individuals with disabilities cannot accept certain job opportunities without risking their eligibility for Medicaid and other benefits, she said.

“There is a lot of red tape that families and individuals have to jump through when figuring out how they can work productively without impacting their ability to receive benefits that help them keep their head above water and access medical services,” Conrad said.

Kristen Larsen testified in support of the proposal on behalf of the Nebraska Council on Developmental Disabilities. She said the report identified supported employment services as a critical starting point to improving workforce participation rates among individuals with disabilities.

Creating the Task Force on Supported Employment would help ensure that those services are implemented and accessible to Nebraskans, Larsen said.

“[The bill] recognizes the essential role that high-quality, cost-effective supported employment services have on increasing competitive integrated employment for people with [disabilities],” she said.

Edison McDonald, representing the Arc of Nebraska, also testified in support of LB336. Despite their potential and desire to work, many individuals with disabilities face significant barriers to employment, he said, including discrimination, lack of accommodation and insufficient support services.

“The task force will play a crucial role in addressing the barriers faced by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in attaining and maintaining employment in our state,” McDonald said.

No one testified in opposition to the proposal and the committee took no immediate action on it.