Oregon Supported Employment and Transition for Students with Disabilities

What Employment First Means in Practice

Oregon's Employment First policy establishes competitive integrated employment as the preferred outcome for working-age adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The policy doesn't just encourage employment — it establishes integrated, competitive employment as the preferred outcome, while supports and alternatives are tailored to the individual's circumstances.

For transition-age students, this policy shapes how school districts, Vocational Rehabilitation, and ODDS structure their services. Employment supports are front-loaded into transition planning, and sheltered workshops or sub-minimum-wage placements are positioned as last resorts rather than defaults.

The Three Employment Pathways

Competitive Integrated Employment

The primary target under Employment First. The student works in a regular community job alongside non-disabled coworkers, earning at least minimum wage. Supports might include a job coach who helps with on-site training, workplace accommodations, and communication with the employer — but the job itself is a standard position, not a disability-specific placement.

Oregon VR funds job coaching and job development services for eligible individuals. The typical model starts with intensive on-site coaching that tapers as the worker builds independence. Long-term follow-along support through ODDS-funded services can continue for workers who need ongoing assistance to maintain their position.

Customized Employment

For students whose support needs don't fit the standard competitive employment model, customized employment reshapes a position around the individual's specific strengths. A job developer negotiates directly with an employer to carve out or create a role that matches what the student can do well. The position might combine tasks from multiple existing roles or focus on a specific function the employer needs covered.

Customized employment still meets the integrated employment standard — the worker earns competitive wages in a community setting — but the job description is built around the person rather than the person being matched to an existing opening.

Self-Employment

Self-employment can be another pathway for students with specialized skills or interests who struggle with traditional workplace social dynamics. Ask the VR counselor whether business planning or other supports can be included in the individual's plan; availability depends on eligibility and the approved plan.

How School-Based Transition Connects to Adult Employment Services

The handoff between school-based transition services and adult employment supports is where most service gaps emerge. School districts provide work-based learning experiences and vocational training through the IEP's transition plan. Oregon VR provides Pre-ETS during school and adult employment services afterward. ODDS-funded services through CDDPs and Brokerages provide long-term follow-along support.

The key is starting the connections early:

• Pre-ETS at 14–21 while enrolled in school — five core services (job exploration, work-based learning, postsecondary counseling, workplace readiness, self-advocacy) through Oregon VR. No waitlist.
• Adult VR at 14–24 — formal application for more intensive services including customized job development, assistive technology, and occupational training.
• ODDS employment services through the adult support system — long-term job coaching and follow-along support through the ISP, funded by the K Plan or HCBS waiver.

Running these tracks in parallel during the student's final school years creates continuity. A student who exits school at 21 with an active VR case and established ODDS employment services is better positioned to avoid a gap in support.

The Oregon IEP Transition to Adulthood Guide maps these three systems on a single timeline so families can track which applications to file and when.

See more Oregon guides →