Jobs and Day Training Programs in Nevada for Adults with Disabilities

Jobs and Day Training (JDT) is Nevada's primary daytime program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who need structured support to build employment skills and participate in community activities. Funded through the HCBS IDD Waiver and administered by the ADSD regional centers, JDT programs fill the gap left when school-based transition services end.

What JDT Programs Provide

JDT providers offer a mix of employment support and community integration activities, tailored to the individual's service plan:

• Supported employment — a job coach works alongside your child at a real job site, providing on-the-job training, task prompting, and employer communication until your child can perform independently or with minimal support
• Community-based day activities — structured programs that build daily living skills, social skills, and community access outside of a traditional workshop setting
• Pre-vocational training — workplace readiness skills like following a schedule, appropriate workplace behavior, task completion, and communication with supervisors
• Prevocational assessment — situational assessments in various work environments to identify strengths, preferences, and the level of support needed

The goal is competitive integrated employment whenever possible — a real job in the community, at or above minimum wage, working alongside people without disabilities. Nevada's Employment First initiative pushes JDT providers to prioritize competitive employment over sheltered workshops.

How to Access JDT

JDT is a waiver service, which means your child must have an active HCBS IDD Waiver slot and an approved service plan that includes JDT hours. The process:

1. Complete intake with your ADSD regional center (Desert, Sierra, or Rural)
2. Pass the Intermediate Care Facility level-of-care assessment
3. Get placed on the waiver waiting list (if no slots are available)
4. Once a slot opens, work with your service coordinator to identify a JDT provider and build a service plan

Sierra Regional Center has reported separate waitlists specifically for JDT programs, meaning a family can hold a waiver slot but still wait for a JDT provider to accept them. In rural counties, JDT providers may not exist locally — Rural Regional Center families sometimes face a choice between relocating closer to a provider or going without structured day services.

JDT Providers in Nevada

JDT providers must be certified by ADSD. Some of the active providers include community rehabilitation organizations, vocational training centers, and supported employment agencies. Your service coordinator maintains a current provider list for your region.

When evaluating a JDT provider, ask:

• What is your staff-to-participant ratio?
• Do you offer community-based placements or facility-based programs (or both)?
• How many participants have moved into competitive employment in the past year?
• What are your hours of operation, and do you provide transportation?
• Do you have experience with your child's specific disability and support needs?

Coordinating JDT with BVR

The Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation also provides employment services, including supported employment and job coaching. The key difference: BVR is a time-limited program focused on placement, while JDT provides ongoing support for as long as the individual's service plan authorizes it.

Many young adults use both. BVR provides the initial job placement and intensive job coaching through an Individualized Plan for Employment, and once the individual is stabilized in the position, the JDT provider takes over for long-term maintenance support. Your BVR counselor and ADSD service coordinator should be coordinating this handoff — if they're not talking to each other, request a joint planning meeting.

While Waiting for JDT

If your child has a waiver slot but no available JDT provider, or is still on the waiver waitlist entirely, alternatives include:

• BVR Pre-ETS or adult vocational services — available without a waiver slot
• Community recreation programs — Parks and Recreation therapeutic recreation programs in Clark County and Washoe County
• Volunteer placements — building workplace skills and references without requiring a formal JDT provider
• ABLE-to-Work contributions — if your child is working in any capacity, earned income can go into an ABLE Nevada account (up to $35,960 annually for workers without employer retirement plans in 2026)

The Nevada SSI at 18 & Adult Disability Benefits Guide covers the full coordination between JDT, BVR, and ABLE accounts, with worksheets for tracking employment income against SSI limits to prevent overpayments.

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