,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cjgj ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,june #c1 #bjai,mr4 ,moulton 7for himself and ,mrs4 ,rodgers of ,washington7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and ,labor ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,rehabilitation ,act of #aigc to establish a demonstration program to assist transition-aged youth with covered disabilities in obtaining customized1 competitive integrated employment4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,customized ,approaches to ,providing ,and ,building ,independent ,lives of ,inclusion for ,transition-aged ,youth ,act of #bjai or the ,,capability ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,good transition services are critical to the success of youth with disabilities transitioning from school to employment4 7#b7 ,federal law1 including the ,individuals with ,disabilities ,education ,act and the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act1 require that schools and adult disability systems 7including the ,state vocational rehabilitation agency 7or agencies71 the ,state developmental disabilities agency1 the ,state mental health agency1 and the ,state ,medicaid agency7 collaborate to ensure the successful transition of students from school to competitive integrated employment4 7#c7 ,the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act requires ,states to provide preemployment transition services to students with disabilities1 with the goal of assisting with the transition to competitive integrated employment4 7#d7 ,despite the goals of ,federal laws1 schools and ,state systems continue to have challenges transitioning students with intellectual1 developmental1 mental health1 and other significant disabilities and such students continue to achieve the goal of competitive integrated employment at far lower rates than their non-disabled peers and even peers with other disabilities4 ,only #bd percent of transition-aged youth with disabilities are employed and only #ba percent of youth with intellectual or developmental disabilities are employed 7according to ,cornell ,university74 ,this leads to fewer adults with disabilities working4 ,the most current data indicate that while #gd percent of working age adults with no disability are working1 only #ce percent of adults with disabilities1 and only #be percent of adults with cognitive disabilities1 are working 7according to the ,american ,community ,survey74 7#e7 ,schools and ,state systems should have knowledge and expertise in the range of evidence-based strategies that are particularly effective for employment of students with disabilities1 including customized employment1 the ,individual ,plan and ,support model1 and supported employment4 #c4 ,demonstration grant program for individuals with certain disabilities ,section #cjc of the ,rehabilitation ,act of #aigc 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #ggc7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsections 7c7 through 7e7 as subsections 7d7 through 7f71 respectively2 7#b7 by inserting after subsection 7b7 the following3 7c7 ,demonstration grant program for individuals with certain disabilities 7#a7 ,grants authorized ,for each of fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbc1 the ,secretary shall carry out a program under which the ,secretary makes grants to ,states1 on a competitive basis1 to assist such ,states in carrying out activities designed to help transition-aged youth with covered disabilities obtain customized1 competitive integrated employment4 7#b7 ,maximum number of grants ,not more than #c ,states may receive grants for fiscal year #bjbj and not more than #c ,states may receive grants for fiscal year #bjba4 ,a ,state may not receive a grant in both fiscal year #bjbj and #bjba4 7#c7 ,duration ,each grant under this section shall be made for a period of four years4 7#d7 ,application ,to be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection a ,state shall submit an application to the ,secretary1 at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require4 ,each application shall include1 at minimum1 the following3 7,a7 ,identification of not fewer than three locations in the ,state at which services supported by the grant will be coordinated1 administered1 and made available to the community4 7,b7 ,evidence demonstrating the ,state's commitment to carrying out the activities funded with a grant under this subsection1 which shall include a description of the extent to which ,state officials and ,state agencies will be involved in carrying out the activities1 including-- 7i7 the ,governor2 7ii7 the ,state legislature2 and 7iii7 other ,state agencies1 including the ,state's vocational rehabilitation agency1 ,medicaid agency1 department of education1 department of workforce development1 mental health agency1 developmental disability agency1 and any other ,state agencies specifically concerned with providing services to individuals with covered disabilities4 7,c7 ,a description of how the ,state1 in carrying out the activities funded with the grant1 will consult and collaborate with transition-aged youth with covered disabilities and their families1 local educational agencies serving such transition-aged youth1 ,developmental ,disability ,councils1 ,university ,centers for ,excellence in ,developmental ,disabilities ,education1 ,research1 and ,service1 and other organizations with expertise in advocating for or providing employment services to transition age youth4 7,d7 ,a description of how the ,state will evaluate the effectiveness of the activities funded with the grant4 7#e7 ,priority ,in awarding grants under this subsection1 the ,secretary shall prioritize the award of grants to ,states that will-- 7,a7 ensure that the employment obtained by individuals assisted with grant funds complies with the requirements applicable to customized integrated employment1 including wage1 benefit1 and location requirements2 7,b7 seek technical assistance from appropriate public and private sources on an ongoing basis throughout the grant period2 7,c7 use evidence-based models and standardized practices of customized employment services consistent with the ,essential ,elements of ,customized ,employment for ,universal ,application as published by the ,workforce ,innovation ,technical ,assistance ,center in ,june #bjag1 including the development of an employment or a career plan for each transition-aged youth with a covered disability2 7,d7 use a coordinated approach of best practices in customized employment and supported employment services to ensure flexible person-centered services for such youth1 including the availability of paid internships and opportunities for enhanced discovery activities2 7,e7 establish partnerships with employers to advocate for1 with respect to such youth1 customized1 competitive1 and integrated job opportunities1 workplace inclusion1 paid internships1 and employment supports2 7,f7 provide access to additional resources needed to facilitate successful employment outcomes through coordination with the employers described in subparagraph 7,e72 7,g7 identify ideal paid internship and job matches for employers and such youth2 7,h7 provide peer and family mentoring focused on employment-related information and resources1 including benefits planning and asset development information2 7,i7 provide training1 performance-based certification1 and technical assistance support for all staff who will be engaged in the provision of the customized employment and supported employment services2 7,j7 provide training and information to vocational rehabilitation counselors1 school transition personnel1 and other persons supporting such youth2 7,k7 collect information with respect to all employment services1 internships1 and job outcomes pursuant to the grant2 and 7,l7 ensure transparency of information and informed choices for such youth and employers4 7#f7 ,use of funds 7,a7 ,in general ,a ,state that receives a grant under this subsection shall use the grant to assist transition-aged youth with covered disabilities in obtaining customized1 competitive integrated employment by-- 7i7 providing customized employment services to such youth2 7ii7 carrying out preemployment transition services for such youth as described in paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#g7 and 7#i7 of section #aac7;c72 7iii7 implementing service models to address the unique needs of individual transition-aged youth1 such as customized employment1 individual plans and support models1 and supported employment2 and 7iv7 carrying out such other activities as may be necessary to ensure that such youth are able to obtain customized1 competitive integrated employment4 7,b7 ,milestones for implementation ,each ,state that receives a grant under this subsection shall achieve the following milestones during the grant period3 7i7 ,first year ,in the first year of the grant period1 the ,state shall carry out such planning activities as are necessary to implement the program funded with the grant4 7ii7 ,second year ,in the second year of the grant period1 the ,state shall begin carrying out the program funded with the grant and shall collect data on the performance of the program4 7iii7 ,third year ,in the third year of the grant period1 the ,state shall begin to identify lessons learned and methods to ensure the sustainability of the program4 7iv7 ,fourth year ,in the fourth year of the grant period1 the ,state shall demonstrate to the ,secretary that the program funded with the grant has been fully implemented and is sustainable4 7#g7 ,report 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than four years after the date on which the last grant is made under this subsection1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report on the activities carried out with grants under this subsection4 7,b7 ,elements ,the report under subparagraph 7,a7 shall include1 with respect to each ,state that received a grant under this subsection1 the following3 7i7 a description of how the ,state used the grant funds2 7ii7 the number of individuals who obtained customized1 competitive integrated employment as a result of participating in activities funded with the grant2 7iii7 with respect to the employment obtained by such individuals-- 7,i7 the average wage earned2 7,,ii7 any changes in the average wage earned over time2 7,,iii7 the average number of hours worked per week2 7,,iv7 the benefits1 if any1 typically provided by the employer2 and 7,v7 the average duration of the employment2 and 7iv7 such other information as the ,secretary considers appropriate4 7#h7 ,state information collection ,a ,state that receives a grant under this subsection shall-- 7,a7 collect and compile the information described in clauses 7i7 through 7iii7 of subparagraph 7,b72 and 7,b7 submit the information to the ,secretary at such time and in such manner as the ,secretary may require4 7#i7 ,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7 ,covered disability ,the term covered disability means an intellectual1 developmental1 mental health1 physical1 or other significant disability that presents barriers to an individual transitioning to employment or postsecondary education4 7,b7 ,customized1 competitive integrated employment ,the term customized1 competitive integrated employment means competitive integrated employment that is customized to the unique skills and abilities of a youth with a covered disability4 7,c7 ,transition-aged youth ,the term transition-aged youth means a person considered to be a transition-aged youth under the laws of the ,state concerned4 7#aj7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbc4 2 and 7#c7 in subsection 7f71 as redesignated by paragraph 7#a71 by striking this section and inserting this section 7other than subsection 7c774