A Nonprofit Model in a For-Profit World: A Closer Look at Sheltered Workshops and Sustainability as an Employee Run Business

Historically, society has tended to isolate and segregate individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Despite improvements such forms of discrimination continue to be a serious social problem. On October 11, 2011, the Department of Justice began an investigation into several state’s systems of providing vocational services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This action came about due to several states being out of compliance around Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Title II of the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability for all services, programs and activities provided to the public by state and local governments. Given recent federal policy changes and directives the State of Massachusetts has created a plan developed by leaders consisting of representatives of the Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers (ADPP), The Arc of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to increase opportunities for integrated employment for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID). The intention of this plan is to phase out group employment settings otherwise known as sheltered workshops