Developmental Disabilities Division (DDD)

Discovery and Career Planning / Benefits Counseling

Finding employment opportunities for individuals who do not have an extensive work history and need help getting started on their career pathway can be difficult. That is why DDD has incorporated Discovery and Career Planning (D&CP) into the Medicaid I/DD Waiver. D&CP is a service designed to help individuals identify their marketable skills, personal attributes, interests, and preferred tasks before they begin seeking employment. This proactive approach uses a Discovery Pathway (link coming soon) that all employment Medicaid I/DD Waiver Providers use to assist individuals in successfully acquiring competitive integrated employment.

Many individuals with I/DD would like to earn income, but are worried about losing their Social Security Income, Social Security Disability Insurance, Medicaid, or other entitlements. The DDD has added Benefits Counseling as a component of the Discovery and Career Planning Medicaid I/DD Waiver services so that individuals may become informed before deciding to earn income.

Customized Employment

Even when individuals with I/DD want to work, many are frustrated by barriers a competitive environment presents, which is why Customized Employment is a better option for job seekers with an I/DD.

Customized employment begins with the Discovery process based on an individualized determination of the strengths, needs, and interests of the person with a disability, and is also designed to meet the specific needs of the employer.