Doing It Right: A Holistic Approach to Job Placement
A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO PLACEMENT (SAP)
(c)
REHABILITATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR
UNDERPRESENTED POPULATIONS (RRIUP-DRRP)

Madan M. Kundu, Ph.D., FNRCA, CRC, NCC, LRC
Southern University, Baton Rouge, LA

Chrisann Schiro-Geist, Ph.D., CRC
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL

Slide 2
WORK
Paid employment (measurable value)

     An activity the produces something of value to other people (social
     and psychological value)

     Search for daily meaning, daily bread, recognition and cash as well
     as astonishment (humanistic approach)

          Quest for life rather than Monday through Friday sort of
          dying

Slide 3
Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way
diminishes the right of individuals to:
 * live independently;
 * enjoy self-determination;
 * make choices;
 * contribute to society;
 * pursue meaningful careers; and
 * enjoy full inclusion and integration in the economic, political, social,
cultural, and educational mainstream of American society.

Source: Rehabilitation Act Amendments (1998)


Slide 4
Employment and People with Disabilities
*Job placement is one of the central and most important duties of a
rehabilitation counselor.
     *Seeking, obtaining, and retaining of a job is an outcome measure
     of services provided.
     *Successful job placement justifies the market demand of
     rehabilitation counselors as a viable profession.
* 82% of managers feel that there is no difference between employees with
and without disabilities.
* 75% expressed interest of increasing efforts to hire people with
disabilities.
* Absenteeism is low among employees with disabilities compared to
those without disabilities.
* 68% of people with disabilities and 73% of those with severe disabilities
within the working age range is unemployed.

Sources: Louis Harris and Associates, 1995; Parker & Szymanski, 1998;
U.S. Bureau of Census, 1997

Slide 5
Graph

Slide 6
Graph

Slide 7
Graph
Labor Force Participation Rates of Persons 18-64 With and Without
Disability by Gender: 1970-1992

Slide 8
PLACEMENT
* Available optimal vocational positioning of a person consistent with
his/her abilities and interests.
     * Broad definition
     * Consumer independence is a critical outcome
     * "Optimal vocational positioning"
          * Home makers
          * Unpaid family workers

(Bissery & Sales, 1979)

Slide 9
CLIENT CENTERED PLACEMENT
*  The consumer sets up his own job interviews, acts as his/her own agent
and advocate when engaging in contacts with employers
*  consumers are helped to develop own Job Seeking Skills
*  is based on consumer responsibility and counselor direction
*  is consumer directed
*  less involvement of counselor
*  non-directive approach
*  consumer is autonomous/independent
*  56% of successful closures attributed to consumer effort

Slide 10
SELECTIVE PLACEMENT
*  It is a process used for placing people with disabilities in employment
suited to their age, experience, qualifications, physical and mental
capacities.
*  It involves matching the consumer with a job, while the counselor acts
as a resource person, agent, and advocate in obtaining job leads, making
employer contacts, and even accompanying the client to the interview.
*  Some consumers, even after other VR services are successfully
completed, are unable to secure work on their own.  In such cases, the
Rehabilitation Counselor provides the following services to consumers:
     *  appraising the job site and employer
     *  meeting with employers and personnel managers
     *  orienting the consumer to the job
     *  solving problems with co-workers

Slide 11
MATCHING
GOOD PLACEMENT REQUIRES MORE THAN MATCHING THE
INDIVIDUAL'S MECHANICAL AND PHYSICAL CAPACITIES TO
THE REQUIREMENTS OF A JOB

Consideration must be given to:                          
*  the degree of responsibility that must be assumed.
*  the amount of initiative, adaptability, judgment, and mental alertness
that must be exercised.
*  environmental working conditions.
*  individual temperament.
*  individual social and economic background.

Slide 12
A                
  SYSTEMS
       APPROACH
           TO
              PLACEMENT

Slide 13
A. SELF-ASSESSMENT FOR STUDENTS AND COUNSELORS
*  The instrument enables the potential practitioner in placement to
identify his/her level of understanding of each one of the variables within a
subsystem and how they interrelate with and have an impact on the
placement process as a system.

*  It is an evaluation of how much knowledge you have in relationship to
your peers in class, in your facility, or in your rehabilitation agency.
     *  Average 3.0 - 4.0 in any sub-system means:
     *  you have enough knowledge to teach someone that subsystem
     *  Average 0.0 - 3.0 in any sub-system means: you need to read a
     textbook on placement and/or attend a course in Placement


Slide 14
Graphic
A SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF SAP


Slide 15
A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO PLACEMENT
*  Two existing models of job placement, Client Centered Approach and
Selective Approach, are unable to address the complexity of job placement
for persons with disabilities. 

*  This dichotomous approach does not take into account the aspects of
human, organizational, and environmental interactions.


Slide 16
A Systems Approach to Placement
*  A combination of the two within an objective framework will elicit
higher success rate in the placement of persons with disabilities.
*  Systems Approach to Placement does not reject either of the existing
approaches but adds an additional dimension.
*  If a successful diagnostic evaluation is completed, then, at the end of the
process, the probability of successful job placement is  greatly increased.


Slide 17
SAP
*  SAP is built to view the placement process as a system with 8
identifiable subsystems that play an important role in the placement
process

*  Views the placement activities in an organized and holistic way

*  Assesses the consumer systematically at entry or input stage

*  Helps determine whether the consumer is employable or placeable

*  Facilitates growth in the consumer

*  Facilitates growth in the placement counselor


Slide 18 
Employability vs Placeability
Employability: is the capacity of an individual to 
function in a particular occupation or work
situation.

Placeability: is the capacity of an individual, with
his/her particular assets and liabilities, to become
employed given the options of the current job
Market and retain the job.


Slide 19
CLIENT SUBSYSTEM
*  INTELLIGENCE
*  INTERESTS
*  APTITUDES
*  ABILITIES
*  INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS
*  COMMUNICATION SKILLS
*  INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
*  LIVING ARRANGEMENTS
*  TRANSPORTATION
*  WORK ADJUSTMENT SKILLS
*  JOB SEEKING SKILLS


Slide 20
HEALTH SUBSYSTEM
*  PRIMARY DISABILITY
*  SECONDARY DISABILITY
*  GENERAL PHYSICAL CONDITION
*  PERSONALITY
*  ORTHOTIC AIDS (BRACES, CRUTCHES, WHEELCHAIR, ....)
*  PROSTHETIC AIDS
*  SENSORY AIDS (GLASSES, LOW-VISION AIDS, HEARING   
AIDS, ...)
*  ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY




Slide 21
EDUCATION SUBSYSTEM
*  PREVIOUS EDUCATION
*  INTEREST LEVEL AND EDUCATIONAL POTENTIAL
*  G. E. D. OR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA
*  SELF-STUDY
*  CORRESPONDENCE COURSE
*  SKILLS TRAINING
*  ON-THE-JOB TRAINING



Slide 22
FAMILY SUBSYSTEM
*  FAMILY'S ADJUSTMENT TO THE DISABILITY
*  CONSUMER'S ADJUSTMENT TO THE FAMILY
*  COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE FAMILY
*  COUPLE THERAPY
*  FINANCIAL RESOURCES
*  ATTENDANT CARE
*  CHILD CARE



Slide 23
SOCIAL SUBSYSTEM
*  CULTURAL/ETHNIC BARRIERS
*  LANGUAGE BARRIERS
*  MORAL BARRIERS
*  RELIGIOUS BARRIERS
*  OTHERS' ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE PERSON WITH A
DISABILITY



Slide 24
EMPLOYER SUBSYTEM
*  ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE BARRIERS
*  ATTITUDINAL BARRIERS
*  CO-WORKER ATTITUDES
*  UNION BARRIERS
*  ENVIRONMENTAL/ARCHITECTURAL BARRIERS

*  JOB DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL
*  JOB MODIFICATION
*  JOB ANALYSIS


Slide 25
PLACEMENT PERSONNEL SUBSYSTEM
*  REFERRAL RESOURCES
*  AGENCY POLICY
*  AGENCY RESOURCES
*  COUNSELOR/PLACEMENT SPECIALIST
     *  ACADEMIC PREPARATION
     *  KNOWLEDGE
     *  COMPETENCE
     *  EXPERIENCE
     *  RESOURCEFULNESS
*  ETHICAL ISSUES
*  LEGAL ISSUES



Slide 26
FUNDING SUBSYSTEM
*  STATE/FEDERAL GRANTS IN AID
*  PELL GRANT
*  GUARANTEED STUDENT LOAN (GSL)
*  SSI/MEDICAID
*  SSDI/MEDICARE
*  JOB SERVICE
*  GENERAL STATE AID
*  WORKERS' COMPENSATION
*  STATE REHABILITATION SERVICES
*  PRIVATE INSURANCE
*  PRIVATE FACILITY  RESOURCES
*  COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS


Slide 27
SYSTEMS THEORY
*  Takes into account the analysis of various interactional patterns of
human, organizational, and environmental factors.

*  Focuses on the functional aspect of the organization, model, .....
     *  SYSTEMS cannot be viewed as totally independent.
     *  EACH SUBSYSTEM is dependent upon its basic characteristics
and variables as well as its interaction with other subsystems.


Slide 28
OPEN VS CLOSED SYSTEM
*  Open system is a self-maintaining system that exhibits the ability of
rejuvenation, growth and reproduction. 

*  Open system consists of three stages:
     -    Input: imports energy
     -    Throughput:    transforms energy
     -    Output: exports product 

*  System is a cycle of events, for example: students in an educational
institution OR consumers in rehabilitation agency
*  Closed system is conceived of being largely self-contained and does not
receive any external stimuli from the environment or other aspects that
would have an impact upon the system, structure, or organization.


Slide 29
INTERNAL VS EXTERNAL SYSTEM
*  Internal System includes:
     *  consumer preparation for the world of work
     *  counselor qualifications
     *  counselor competencies
     *  resources and reputation of the agency, etc
*  External System includes:
     *  labor market
     *  geographical location of jobs
     *  types of industry, etc


Slide 30
IMBALANCE IN THE SYSTEM
*  Placement counselor quits.
*  Budget cuts.
*  The role of energy consumption as well as energy input or that
subsystem must be assumed by another or several other subsystems.
*  Another subsystem or a combination of subsystems steps in to
compensate for the loss.
*  Other subsystems must change and reorder priorities.
*  Consumer should become more assertive in meeting his/her placement
or financial needs.



Slide 31
STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS
*  Improve competency.
*  Inculcate clinical and direct services provision skills, administrative
skills, and organizational skills.
*  Discourage overemphasis on specialization.
*  Encourage broadening knowledge in non-disability related areas.
*  Skills of VR counselors can be equally utilized by those with and
without disability. 


Slide 32
* Negotiation
* Mediation
* Conflict resolution
* Labor relations
* Human resource management (hiring, staff training, employee support,
Employee Assistance Program)
* Written and verbal presentation skills
* Process management
* Systems analysis
* Organizational change strategies
* Fundamentals of organizational behavior
* Ergonomics
* Assistive technology/Rehabilitation engineering
* Sound comprehension of the legal system (litigation process, insurance
regulations, workers' compensation laws, legislative initiatives).
Sources: Jenkins and Strauser (1999); Rosenthal and Olsheski (1999)



Slide 33
B. INTAKE ASSESSMENT AND OUTCOME EVALUATION
*  Determines consumer's service needs at intake
*  Assists in preparing a functional IPE
*  It is an objective evaluation of the quality services received by the
consumer
*  It is an objective evaluation of the quality service provided by the
placement counselor
*  It is a measure of placement accountability for the counselor and agency
*  Data may be utilized for WEIGHTED CASE CLOSURE
*  It serves as an outcome evaluation which ma assist the agency in
effective resource allocation and utilization
*  Data may be used in convincing funding sources