In the last post, Memorial Day and People with Disabilities I talked about how Aaron, my son who has autism, worked at a cemetery after he graduated from high school.
To the best of my recollection, this is how it worked:
The Landscaping Mobile Work Crew
Definition: Supported Employment Model: Mobile Work Crew
A small crew of persons with disabilities (up to 6) works as a distinct unit and operates as a self-contained business that generates employment for their crew members by selling a service. The crew works at several locations within the community, under the supervision of a job coach. The type of work usually includes janitorial or groundskeeping. People with disabilities work with people who do not have disabilities in a variety of settings, such as offices and apartment buildings. Supported Employment
Sometimes Cemeteries are for the living.
JOB ANOUNCEMENT: The cemetery board posts the lawn maintenance jobs for bids in the local paper.
JOB DEVELOPER:
The County Board of Developmental Disabilities (CBDD) job developer bid the job. Because of the size of the cemetery, the administration of the cemetery awarded several contracts. (For the five years I was involved, the CBDD got one of the contracts each year.)
Paid
The CBDD paid the workers minimum wage from this contract. Each member of the Mobile Work Crew was already on Medicaid/Medicare and the seasonal wages were within the limits of their SSI and SSDI requirements.
The job developer negotiated the details of the contract as well as was the contact person for any problems between the cemetery administration and the board as well as members of the mobile work crew.
Natural Supports
The cemetery provided the equipment. There was a garage-type lounge for all the crews and workers with a table and restrooms. They could mingle with the other workers from other lawn companies (non-handicapped) in the lounge. There was some natural support from the other workers who were doing the same jobs and the same sweating.
SUPERVISOR OF MOBILE WORK CREW
There were six people with disabilities and a supervisor on the crew. The supervisor was a year long salaried employee of the county board of developmental disabilities. She had experience working with people with disabilities and had been trained as a special education teacher. She had total responsibility for keeping the workers safe, happy AND getting the job done. If she needed extra help, she would go to the job developer or her other CBDD staff.
Aaron’s job coach was under her supervision (because she was in charge of the whole job) but worked independently with Aaron.
TRANSPORTATION
All the adults with disabilities would be transported from their homes to the sheltered workshop. The supervisor would drive a small van, similar to the vans the other lawn service companies used, from the sheltered workshop to the cemetery and then back to the sheltered workshop for the trip home.
Inclement Weather
On days when it rained, the crew could stay home if they wanted, or hang out at the sheltered workshop. If there was work at the sheltered workshop (usually not) they were able to jump in. If there was no work they could hang out with their friends and play cornhole, bingo or whatever the activity.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Ongoing Support
Before the crew began work, the supervisor and job developer made task analyses of each of the jobs. The individuals with disabilities applied and interviewed with the supervisor. If there was a good match, the training, modifications and accommodations were added to the individual’s Individual Service Plan (ISP).
OVERVIEW:
Who knew there were mowers about a foot wide which fit easily between the older tombstones? There were four mowers in this mobile crew.
There were two weed-wackers or whatever they are called. (The cords swing around and cut the weeds which the mowers miss.)
There was a “task analysis” of each job.
They were trained on the job. (They didn’t practice cutting the concrete in the parking lot to get ready*smile*)
Because the job was repetitive, it was a perfect fit for many of the workers. They knew exactly what they were supposed to do, and after a short time, were independent in many parts of the job.
If any of the workers needed adaptations (shorter hours, more breaks, special gloves or boots…) these were included in their ISPs (Individual Service Plans). Therapists (Occupational Therapist, Speech/Language and Physical Therapist) were available for the initial evaluations/training, if necessary.
Establishing Routines
The supervisor would start the day with some conversation, some joking around and individual attention to each of the crew members. They would get a short break mid-morning, they brought their own bag lunch, and a mid-afternoon break. But most of the day, it was sweaty and hot and lots of hard work—serious business.
The supervisor made sure the crew members had sun-screen, hats, appropriate clothing, solid shoes (no sandals), water….
She also worked side-by-side with the workers. She made decisions to go to another section if a funeral was in progress, if the area was underwater…; she pulled weeds… and did whatever it took to make sure everyone was successful, and the finished job met the requirements of the cemetery board.
Partial Participation
Aaron, my son with the label of autism, does not have the skills to run a lawnmower or weed-wacker. He would not be able to be part of the mobile work crew of 6 workers who are mostly independent on the job once they are trained. Because Aaron was in the official “transition” from school to work, he was eligible for a job coach from Rehabilitation Services.
So, because he had the physical support of a job coach, Aaron had the opportunity to join the workforce.
Is there some job he could do at the cemetery? Could he partially participate in this work?
After doing an ecological assessment of the job, Kim (Aaron’s job coach) decided Aaron could pick up the sticks before the lawn mowers came. So Aaron and she would drive a golf-cart to the area where the crew was mowing, and then they would collect sticks, dead flowers, and other stuff left on the graves, put them in a trash container tied to the back of the golf-cart and then take it to the dumpsters.
Aaron loved this job. First of all, he loved Kim, the job coach. She made him feel important, she helped him when he had trouble bending over, she helped him put the sticks in the trash container, she helped him wheel the container to the dumpster. Kim, looked at every piece of the job and asked herself, “How could Aaron at least partially participate in this job?”
Plus, Aaron loved riding in the golf-cart. When Aaron did particularly well, Kim would give him an extra long ride around the large monuments.
The side benefits were Aaron made a small amount of spending money, he paid into social security, he was out in the sunshine (with lots of sunscreen) and glowed with health, he was physically strong from all the exercise, plus the emotional benefits: he knew he was contributing, he was part of a group of people who valued his work, he could make all the noises he wanted (and wouldn’t wake up the dead), he enjoyed riding in the golf cart, instead of physical therapy practicing his balance climbing steps to nowhere—he had a functional way of practicing his balance in the real world. He had a great friend and mentor in Kim. It was a terrific experience.
And, for Memorial Day, 4th of July, Veterans Day… Who was the person who put the flags on the tombstones?
It was Aaron.
Trivia too good to pass up: One of the cemetery monuments is enclosed and heated. Yes, the person who died years ago was so afraid of being “cold”–they stipulated in their will that the space above the grave would be heated (including a back-up generator in case the electricity failed.) That is a powerful “fear.”
Keep Climbing: Onward and Upward
All my best,
Mary
Comments:
Have you ever seen a mobile work crew of workers and wondered how it worked? Is partial participation better than no participation? Should people with disabilities be allowed to work?
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Good to see Partners in Policymaking has a Partners in Employment scheme.
Picking up the sticks is really important and valued especially for those of us who walk or otherwise move through the cemeteries often on uneven ground.
Some of my relatives have done this outdoor work – landscape design; weed-whacking; lawn-mowing; cart-using.
And isn’t it Employment Month this October 2019?
That was a really cool anecdote about the hypophobia.
The big point I took was the difference between practicing balance in therapy and practicing it in a golf cart. That made me think. Same goal, completely different method, far higher achievement by putting the fun into function.thank you so much for sharing such a great information
You are right. If you insert the goal into every day life and make it “functional” than you practice it all the time instead of one time a week in a therapy session.
I saw an enclave at the Virginia welcome center.
Thank you for this great post. You help us so much
Glad this helped Jessi. If our children end up in the day wasting centers anyway, we have to wonder why we worked so hard for the 20 years they were in school. There are many success stories out there, our children just need supports to be able to work.
Hey Mary,
I can imagine that. Sounds a great job, and Kim a great coach. The big point I took was the difference between practicing balance in therapy and practicing it in a golf cart. That made me think. Same goal, completely different method, far higher achievement by putting the fun into function.
You got it Alison. Bending and picking up sticks, getting into the golf cart… are the same bending and climbing skills we practiced in therapy. That is a “functional” skill–if Aaron doesn’t do it, will someone else have to do it.
When Aaron moved from our house to his own place, Kim helped up take a load of Aaron’s stuff in her truck. She was a great friend to Aaron. We will love her always.
Hi Mary funny you should talk about mobile work crews as I mentioned in my last blog post seeing some in Santa Cruz. I have always wondered how the worked in our current economic system. Seems to me they should function after the fall of fiat currencies. I I’m glad for Arron that he could do some usefull work.
Supported Employment has been around since Reagan. The funding from Rehabilitation Services Admionistration (RSA) has changed from helping people with the more severe disabilities to helping people with fewer needs. That is why Aaron lost his job coach and thus–the job opportunity. But the model works well. There are mobile work crews, enclaves and other versions of supported work all over the country. The first link in the article gives more information http://www.dol.gov/odep/archives/fact/supportd.htm
Very cool story.
Being able to participate in the workfield no matter what disability…it’s so important. Very frustrating too to find something doable, but sooo very important.
Kudos to you for finding it, and for Aaron for taking responsibility!
HI Barbara,
Aaron has had many jobs, but this one was his favorite. He worked there for two summers and then his funding for his job coach ran out. But at least Aaron had two great summers. We have to count our blessings for the love he got from Kim and the other workers.