Employment
Contact Information
Brandy Solomon, CESP
Director of Employment Programs
Brandy Solomon
SCDD wants all people with disabilities in New York State to be able to work and earn a competitive wage in their communities. We:
- Create employment supports
- Partner to improve employment systems
- Provide consultation and support services to employers
- Collaborate on policy change
SCDD Employment Projects and Initiatives
Advance to Apprenticeship (A2A) is an employment initiative though the Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities to improve access to apprenticeship programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) within the manufacturing industry. The project is a collaboration with Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC), Manufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY), Center for Workforce Development at Monroe 2–Orleans BOCES (CWD) and Rochester Technology & Manufacturing Association (RTMA).
Project SEARCH®
Project SEARCH® - Project SEARCH® provides employment training and education for young adults with significant disabilities. The program is dedicated to workforce development that benefits the individual, community, and workplace. The Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities serves as the statewide coordinator for Project SEARCH® in New York State. Working in collaboration with the Project SEARCH® team at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, we can provide technical assistance to communities interested in starting a Project SEARCH® program. Please contact us for more information.
SCDD Employment Advocacy
SCDD believes that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can and should work if they want to. We advocate for others to also have these high expectations. Partners include state officials, businesses, schools, families, and provider agencies. If you are interested in getting involved in our advocacy efforts, contact our Advocacy Specialist, Jeiri Flores.
SCDD Employment Services
Program Evaluation
SCDD can be contracted to provide program evaluations at the local, state or federal level. Examples include an evaluation of access to career and technical education for students with disabilities at WFL BOCES, and the Pathway to Employment service for the Office for Developmental Disabilities across the state of New York. Contact us to learn more about the services we can provide.
Consultation and Support Services
SCDD offers consultation and support on topics of employment for schools and organizations. Topics can be tailored to fit the needs of the request.
SCDD contracts with businesses to provide consultation and support. Content is geared towards:
- Creating more inclusive environments
- Designing better supports for people with disabilities in the workforce
- Topics can be tailored to fit the needs of unique businesses
Partners and Collaborators
APSE
SCDD is a proud member of APSE, a national, non-profit organization dedicated to Employment First, a vision that all people with disabilities have a right to competitive employment in an accessible workforce.
New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation
SCDD is a proud member of the New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation’s Employment Council. This council focuses on advanced level, cross systems approaches to employment services for people with disabilities in NY.
Starbridge
Starbridge is a disability service provider located in upstate New York. SCDD collaborated with Starbridge to co-host and employment summit in 2018 that brought together employment experts and community stakeholders to brainstorm barriers to strategies for decreasing poverty and increasing employment for people with disabilities in Rochester, NY. Starbridge continues to be a great partner in a leadership capacity through the ROC EmployABILITY Coalition.
Project SEARCH®
Project SEARCH is a one year training program for people with disabilities that was developed at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. SCDD collaborates with the Project SEARCH national team in Cincinnati to offer technical assistance and support to existing and potential Project SEARCH teams across New York State.
RAEN
SCDD is a proud member of the Rochester Area Employment Network (RAEN). RAEN is a coalition of agencies in the Rochester, New York area, that works collectively to promote the employment of people with disabilities through education, outreach, and training opportunities