California Comprehensive Strategy

The California Comprehensive Strategy on Employment of People with Disabilities is a required element of Assembly Bill 925 (the Workforce Inclusion Act), milestone legislation signed in 2002. The goal of AB 925 is to increase the employment rates of people with disabilities to rates comparable to those in the general population.

In 2006, the Labor and Workforce Development and Health and Human Services Agencies approved the Comprehensive Strategy, providing California with a policy framework for improving employment rates of people with disabilities. These lead state Agencies are charged with improving how state funded health coverage (Medi-Cal) and employment programs work together. AB 925 objectives include those found in the American with Disabilities Act (ADA): support for equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for Californians with disabilities.

AB 925 requires that state government be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has issued Executive Order S-4-05 reinforcing Sections 19230-19237 of the Government Code to protect people with disabilities from discrimination when applying for state government employment. Executive Order S-4-05 establishes practices that assist California in being a model employer of people with disabilities.

AB 925 requires state support and collaborative participation in benefits planning activities for job seekers and workers that are also funded by private foundations and federal grants.

Californians with a Disability

The following 2005 data provides background on working-age Californians between the ages of 21 and 64:

  • The percentage of working-age people with a disability was 10.8 percent.
  • The employment rate of working age people with disabilities was 37.4 percent.
  • The poverty rate of working-age people with disabilities was 21.3 percent.
  • The median annual labor earnings of working age people with disabilities working full-time/full-year was $35,000.
  • The median annual household income of working age people with disabilities was $42,200.
  • The percent of working-age people with disabilities receiving Supplemental Security Income payments with Medi-Cal was 17.6 percent.
  • The percent of working-age people with sensory, physical and/or mental disabilities that report an employment disability (difficulty working at a job or business) was 52.5%.
  • The percent of working age people with disabilities who were non-white was 36.6%.
  • The percent of working age people with a disability who were women was 52.3%.

The Comprehensive Strategy and the Labor and Workforce Development Agency

The Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) has responsibilities to monitor, enforce, and report on workforce inclusion of people with disabilities to the Governor and Legislature. The LWDA must demonstrate how One Stop Career Centers are serving people with disabilities according to state and federal rules about discrimination.

The California Workforce Investment Board and Local Workforce Investment Boards are required to have members who are people with disabilities, or their representatives. Efforts are made to select people with disabilities to serve who are not employees of state or local government.

Improving One-Stop Career Centers

Each Local Workforce Investment Board must provide at least one One Stop Career Center that has fully accessible services in compliance with federal rules for serving people with disabilities.

One-Stop Career Centers are required to provide:

One-Stop Career Centers and the Governor's Committee offer a variety of resources to people with disabilities:

Medi-Cal and the Comprehensive Strategy

Medi-Cal's California Working Disabled program allows individuals to earn $56,892 annually (in some cases even more) and maintain full access to the range of Medi-Cal services.

As of 2003, AB 925 requires California’s In-Home Supportive Services (services available in the Medi-Cal CWD program) to allow for services in the individual’s place of employment, under specific conditions. For details see DB101’s Medi-Cal and Workplace Personal Assistance sections.

The Governor’s Committee, the Comprehensive Strategy and many state and national organizations call for strengthening the Medi-Cal Working Disabled Program.

Significant progress to strengthen the program has been made using input and the work of a grassroots task force staffed by the World Institute on Disability. The task force, known as the GAPS Task Force on the Medi-Cal Working Disabled Program (GAPS Task Force), is a statewide group of key stakeholders and workers with a disability that focus on identifying and recommending solutions to gaps in services for people with disabilities. The following GAPS Task Force recommendations were adopted by the full Governor’s Committee at their March 2007 quarterly meeting:

  • Waive liquid asset limits for Medi-Cal Working Disabled Program enrollees, and allow enrollees to keep assets saved if they switch to another Medi-Cal category.
  • Exempt public and private retirement income in the Medi-Cal Working Disabled Program.
  • Remove the “Marriage Penalty” in the Medi-Cal Working Disabled Program.
  • Allow a COBRA-like provision so enrollees can switch jobs and pay premiums for up to 18 months.
  • Remove the sunset provision as the Medi-Cal Working Disabled Program ends in September 2008 under current law.
  • Develop collaborative strategies and resources with Assembly Bill 925 stakeholders, partners, regions, and counties to support and implement outreach, training, marketing and media activities within certain timeframes.
  • Measure the effects on employment and enrollment in the Medi-Cal Working Disabled Program after the combined activities are performed.
  • Program county software system to include the Medi-Cal Working Disabled Program.
  • Train county eligibility workers implementing the Medi-Cal Working Disabled Program.

Several of these policy recommendations were included in legislation introduced in 2007 (Assembly Bill 1113, Brownley). That bill was approved by both the state Assembly and Senate but was ultimately vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger in October. The GAPS Task Force is crafting community based recommendations for legislation in early 2008 to improve and ensure the continued existence of Medi-Cal's California Working Disabled Program.

For more information, contact:

Eli Gelardin & Alana Theriault, Co-Chairs - CWG Gaps Task Force

Eli Gelardin, Deputy Director
Independent Living Resource Contra Costa and Solano Counties
925-363-7293

Alana Theriault, Owner Express Independence
510-388-2277

Sources

The American Community Survey (ACS), conducted by the United States Census and reported by Cornell University, is a continuous data collection effort that produces statistics on the U.S. population, including people with disabilities.

The California Comprehensive Strategy on Employment of People with Disabilities provides California with a policy framework for improving employment rates of people with disabilities.

The Governor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities advises the Governor and reports to Sacramento legislators on progress with the Comprehensive Strategy on Employment of People with Disabilities.

The California Health Incentives Improvement Project (CHIIP) works to remove barriers to employment and improve the self-sufficiency of people with disabilities.

Disability Benefits 101 (DB101) helps workers, job seekers, and service providers understand the connections between work and benefits.

The Stay at Work, Return to Work Summit explores ways to prevent needless time away from work due to disability or injury.

The Mental Health Services Act addresses prevention, early intervention and service needs in the area of mental health.

SB 1270 asks the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to bring together workgroups to explore ways to improve the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities.