Public Act 101-0368
 
SB2087 EnrolledLRB101 08779 KTG 53866 b


  
    AN ACT concerning persons with disabilities.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  


 
 
    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 
Customized Employment for Individuals with Disabilities Act.
 
    Section 5. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to assist 
individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities or 
similar conditions resulting in a most significant disability 
who seek employment and require more individualized assistance 
to achieve and maintain integrated employment at competitive 
wages through a process of customized planning and negotiation.
 
    Section 10. Customized Employment Pilot Program. The 
Department of Human Services, through its Division of 
Rehabilitation Services and in collaboration with the Division 
of Developmental Disabilities, shall establish a 5-year 
Customized Employment Pilot Program that serves a minimum of 25 
individuals by the second year of the Pilot Program. The Pilot 
Program shall include the following components:
        (1) An intensive discovery phase during which the 
    unique needs, abilities, and interests of the individual 
    will be explored by the individual at his or her direction 
    with assistance from family, friends, colleagues, 
    advocates, community-based service agencies, and others as 
    determined by the individual.
        (2) A customized person-centered planning process 
    based upon information gathered during the discovery phase 
    that involves capturing, organizing, and presenting the 
    information in a blueprint for the job search.
        (3) An employer negotiation process in which job duties 
    and employee expectations are negotiated to align the 
    skills and interests of the individual with the needs of an 
    employer. The negotiation process may result in agreement 
    on options such as (i) carving out a job for the 
    individual, (ii) creating a new job description, (iii) 
    creating a new job, (iv) job-sharing, and (v) agreeing on 
    job supports, transportation needs, assistive technology, 
    work hours, location, or supervision needs.
        (4) A flexible timeline for a comprehensive discovery, 
    planning, and job placement process to accommodate the 
    unique needs of the individual.
    The Customized Employment Pilot Program shall be 
implemented through an individualized plan for employment 
developed by the individual with a disability and the 
vocational rehabilitation counselor employed by the Division 
of Rehabilitation Services.  The individual with a disability 
may choose to have a personal representative participate in the 
development of the individualized plan for employment.
 
    Section 15. Selection of participants. Individuals shall 
be identified and referred to the Department to participate in 
the Pilot Program by community-based agencies serving persons 
with intellectual or developmental disabilities. A team of 
individuals identified during the discovery phase shall be 
created to work with the individual during the process. The 
team shall include at least one qualified staff person as 
described in Section 25. Selection preference shall be given to 
individuals who are currently working in a sheltered workshop 
setting for a subminimum wage and individuals for whom it is 
likely that their current employment options will be limited to 
working in a sheltered workshop for a subminimum wage.
 
    Section 20. Diversity. Participants in the Pilot Program 
shall reflect the geographical, racial, ethnic, gender, and 
income-level diversity of the State.
 
    Section 25. Community-based agencies and staff 
qualifications. The Pilot Program shall utilize a minimum of 4 
Illinois non-profit community-based agencies that must:
        (1) assign at least one staff member who has received a 
    certificate of completion for training in community 
    employment, with a specialization in customized 
    employment, from a recognized and qualified training 
    entity such as the Association of Community Rehabilitation 
    Educators; and
        (2) have access to technical assistance on customized 
    employment from a recognized and qualified training entity 
    to work with each participant in the Pilot Program.
 
    Section 30. Data collection and reporting. The Department 
shall collect data regarding the successes and challenges of 
the Pilot Program and shall submit an annual report to the 
Governor and the General Assembly on March 1st of each year 
beginning in 2021 until the Pilot Program terminates. The 
reports shall: (i) make a recommendation as to whether the 
Pilot Program should continue or become a statewide program; 
(ii) provide cost estimates, including the average per person 
costs; and (iii) recommend ways in which the Pilot Program can 
be improved to better serve the needs of individuals with 
disabilities and employers.
 
    Section 35. Advice and recommendations. In the creation, 
operation, and administration of the Pilot Program, the 
Department shall seek the advice and recommendations of the 
State Rehabilitation Council, Illinois Council on 
Developmental Disabilities, the Illinois Task Force on 
Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons with 
Disabilities, statewide disability advocacy groups, and 
organizations representing large, medium, and small 
businesses.
 
    Section 40. The Department may adopt administrative rules 
governing the Pilot Program; however, the Pilot Program shall 
not be delayed pending the adoption of rules.



Effective Date:  1/1/2020