Illinois programs aid people with disabilities in finding jobs

From The (Crystal Lake) Northwest Herald:

CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. — Sarah Jefferson would be on her feet for 10 hours a day at her old job.

Jefferson, who has muscular dystrophy, has difficulty standing. Muscular dystrophy is a genetic disorder that gradually weakens the muscles that help the body move. She was diagnosed at age 5.

"Growing up, I was the only kid in my school who had it," said Jefferson, now 28 and living in Union. "It was difficult for other students to understand."

But Jefferson still was involved in sports throughout most of junior high and high school years, as well as drama club and choir. She often talked about muscular dystrophy with friends.

In December, she decided to make that topic her career. She visits area schools as a motivational speaker, explaining the cause and effects of her condition.

"I figured, I know a lot about it," Jefferson said. "I contacted my local MD office. They said they were fine with it. They also told me no one else had ever done this before."

Jefferson is just one of several area residents with disabilities who have overcome obstacles and accomplished more than they once could hope for: college educations, working professionally and starting families of their own.

For people with disabilities, the employment rate is grim. According to U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate in December 2009 for people with disabilities was 13.8 percent. For those without disabilities, it was 9.5 percent.

About 5.4 million Americans with disabilities or 23 percent of that subgroup population were employed mid-last year. But they represented about only 4 percent of total employment.

Sharon Slover, director of education and careers with the Special Education District of McHenry County, sits on a recently established state task force to study those statistics and find ways to improve them. For now, she said, several things can be done to increase the employment opportunities for those with special needs.

Educators should continue serving transitional needs of students starting at age 14 by ensuring that they are taking the right classes in high school, she said, as well as placing a bigger focus on mentoring and job training.

"They come to us, and what we want to do is help them get as independent as possible," Slover said of the Pathways Program, which has been a co-operative with McHenry County College since 2004.

Slover has been working with 22-year-old Michael Roche of Huntley for the past five years. This spring, Roche was among about a dozen young people to win an international award from the Council for Exceptional Children.

Roche has autism, but that hasn't stopped him from getting work, including jobs at a print shop, greenhouse, recycling center, gym and restaurant. Now an employee at Huntley's Walleye Grill for the past two years, Roche was the only award candidate picked for excelling in the employment category.

"I think that one of the biggest things we've seen him do is use his cell phone for support," Slover said. "He can ride a bus for grocery shopping; he does cooking at home. Of course, maintaining his employment is a huge plus."

His mother, Donna Roche, said Michael also does power-lifting and plays basketball with the Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association, and he serves as an usher at St. Mary's Catholic Church every week.

"He especially likes having a job and going to his work every day," Donna Roche added. "If we're ever on vacation, he's anxious to get back to work. He doesn't like to miss a day."

The Pioneer Center for Human Services, based out of McHenry, also teams with SEDOM and various school districts to provide transitional services for people with disabilities, mostly developmental-related or mental illnesses.

An autism-specific branch of the Pathways Program began last year, in which Michael Roche participates.

"We focus on social skills and employment skills, and we're getting very excellent outcomes," said Dan Haligus, Pioneer Center's vice president of programming. "We've already expanded for the summer session, and we're going to be expanding even more for the school year."

Haligus said the idea of fully integrating people with developmental delays and mental illnesses into the community in terms of employment, housing and recreation depends on the recovery model.

"Even people with the same diagnosis, it's still very, very individual," he added. "And the key there is that we recognize it's individual and come up with a tailor-made plan just for that person."

Christine Galante of Marengo recently graduated from the Pathways Program.

Galante, 21, has had cerebral palsy since she experienced bleeding in her brain as a baby. Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term for a number of neurological disorders that can affect brain and nervous system functions, such as movement, learning, hearing, seeing and thinking.

She works at a special-needs summer camp and has plans to become either a special education teacher or social worker to give back to others and provide personal insight. Galante recently started at the Illinois Center for Rehabilitation and Education Roosevelt, from which she eventually will transfer to a four-year college.

In Pathways, Galante said, she learned to be more "self-efficient," such as figuring out how to schedule appointments for classes and beefing up her organizational skills.

"Overall, I think it helped me with my independence, not having someone to do everything for me," she said. "I look up to my parents because they've helped me go through so many obstacles in my life, that I don't know what I would be without them. But I am really proud of myself."