Joe Spillane, owner of Northern Lights Seasonal Services is seen with his new snow blower, purchased with the assistance of DHSS Micro enterprise development capital funds.  Northern Lights Seasonal Services offers lawn mowing, yard maintenance, and light hauling services in the summer months, and snow removal during the winter.

Many people are discouraged from working because they or their family are convinced that as soon as they earn any income, they will lose their Social Security Cash and Medical benefits. Others are completely devalued, and considered “unemployable”. If they are lucky enough to get selected for services, they get to spend their days together with other “unemployable” people, visiting community activities as a group, or just relaxing together.

Employment services are finally changing dramatically. More and more, careers are possible. It may be that a person still works in a service industry business, but now the job may have been carved out of another position, or customized by combining several functions of a number of different jobs that just never seem to get done, and creating a new position. Assessments have a greater emphasis on functional skills, wants, desires and competencies, and less credence is given to clinical test results that define deficiencies based on performance of tasks that the focus person may never choose to do on their own.

The Ticket to Work and Work Incentive Improvement Act http://www.ichp.edu/videos/TTW3.htm has provided policies and programs that eliminate many of the “disincentives” to work for persons who receive disability benefits. In fact, there are some distinct advantages in certain circumstances that actually allow the accumulation of assets and wealth http://www.ssa.gov/work/ResourcesToolkit/workincentiveschart.html.

Customizing opportunities for people with significant disabilities to fully participate in employment begins with an unwavering set of values and belief that ALL people can work. All of us have gifts, talents, and skills, and rely on support to develop meaningful employment outcomes. All people, regardless of disability should be presumed not only capable of working, but of developing a successful career.

The Center for Human Development offers several areas of support in employment and career development for persons with significant disabilities. We are especially interested in promoting and increasing Micro Enterprise Development or Self-Employment by people with disabilities as an avenue of preferred choice. We also provide Benefit Planning and Assistance services to help those who depend on benefits make a smooth transition to the workforce. We work and collaborate closely with other service providers who embrace the concepts of self-determined and directed supports in all phases of life. Browse our page. You may find just what you need to get your career started.

Self-employment | Benefit Planning Assistance and Outreach | Micro Enterprise Development | One Stop Self-employment Training | Resources | Microenterprise Resource Guide |