Customized

Self Employment
Part II
DOL / VETS
Competitive Grantees Conference
Denver, Colorado – August, 7 2007

1
Rich Toscano
 National consultant to the Northeast Program Evaluation
Center at Yale / New Haven on Evidence-based
research initiatives for veterans with mental illness,
substance abuse issues and spinal cord injuries
 Currently servicing as a Public Service Adjunct Faculty
capacity at the University of Georgia – Institute on
Human Development and Disability where he oversees
the implementation of Olmstead related initiatives for
Customized Employment, an ODEP/Workforce Action
Grant sponsored by the Statewide Independent Living
Center.

2
Daria Pampaloni
 PsychoSocial Rehabilitation Fellow at Yale
School of Medicine currently working for
the VA West Haven, CT campus as a
Compensated Work Therapy/Supported
Employment Specialist

3
Resources / Services / Trends

 Self-employment is a highly regarded and increasingly

recognized CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT option for
persons who are disenfranchised and/or living with
disabilities.

 DOL/ODEP has invested significant resources testing

the viability of self employment for persons who have
been on the margins of mainstream employment in
urban and rural communities over the past five plus
years.

4
Elements of Customized (Self) Employment

 Person-centered approach to the individual’s skills,

preferences, unique contributions and motivations

 Analysis of the potential market or a creative “eye” for a

unique service or product need

 Support network (Customized Employment Team) to:

 Critique ideas
 Provide feedback and analysis
 Identify resources
 Run interference with “nay sayers”

5
 Stories from Veterans Business
Owners Association
West Haven, Connecticut

 Discovery phase / exploration

 Design/consulting firm
 Ebay business

6
Building Partnerships and
Expanding the Networks

 DOL/VETS working collaboratively with

DOL/ODEP to expand VHA and VBA’s
understanding and use of CE techniques:
 SelfEmployment
 Micro Enterprises
 Entrepreneurial Ventures
 Breakdown the silos
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Building Partnerships and
Expanding the Networks

 Better Utilization of Resources

 162 VAMCs currently operate CWT
(compensated work therapy) programs with a
focus on supported and/or customized
employment
 CWT provides protection of VA pensions;
service connected and non-service
connected pension while under the umbrella
of CWT
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Building Partnerships and
Expanding the Networks
 For a Veteran with a Spinal Cord or Polytrauma
Injury who might be receiving a service
connected pension, that represents upwards of
$6000/month that will not be reduced due to
employment or entrepreneurial pursuit
 The same protection exists for Veterans with
PTSD, BiPolar Disorder or Schizophrenia,
although the SC and NSC percentages and
amounts will vary widely
9
Building Partnerships and
Expanding the Networks…..

 Tommy is a Desert Storm Veteran with a

Spinal Cord Injury living in the Dallas area
 Tommy and his family recently bought a
house in a new development, having to
negotiate accessibility with the builder to
accommodate his wheelchair

10
Building Partnerships and
Expanding the Networks…..
 During the voc assessment / discovery process,
the Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist met a
veteran in his community with an interest in
accessible housing
 A well established real estate developer, known
to one of the staff in the Spinal Cord Unit, was
asked to join his employment planning team to
discuss the viability of starting a consulting
business on accessibility issues with local
builders and developers

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Building Partnerships and
Expanding the Networks …..
 Tommy receives a service connected pension of
$6500/month. He needs assistance in
formalizing his customized / self employment
idea.
 DOL/VETS, Disabled American Vets, could be
poised to join this customized planning team to
maximize resources, contacts and outcomes.

12
 Summary of Self Employment
Process
 Discovery of the Person
 Employment Plan resulting in potential
Business Concepts
 Business Team Formed
 Research & Feasibility
 Benefit Planning
 Business Plan
 Initial Implementation
 Review, Revise, and Implement
13
 Understandings

 Beginning and ending ideas

 Owner issues vs. business issues
 Financial package includes government
supports
 Long term supports vs. long term planning