COEF Projects

COEF is committed to advancing Employment First and is positioned as a pacesetter of Employment First practices in our field. In our efforts to promote inclusive employment for all people with disabilities and continue to grow our impact as an office, we offer the following opportunities:

• Guest Lectures – We give lectures around inclusive employment within academic settings.
• Presentations – We customize presentations related to a variety of topics in our field. We can deliver presentations both in-person and virtually.
• Conferences – We are active board members and contributors several professional organizations, including the Association of people Supporting Employment First (APSE), the Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE), the National Association of Benefits and Work Incentive Specialists (NABWIS), and more. We participate as presenters, sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees.
• Community Events – We participate in community events to educate others about inclusive employment and to generate awareness about our work.
• Speaking Engagements – We are always excited to share about our work! We accept invitations to a variety of diverse speaking engagements with state agencies, provider organizations, employers, professional organizations, chambers, advocacy organizations, and more!
• Strategic Planning & Consultation – We partner with organizations and agencies to bring their vision for Employment First to fruition. Services include:
  • Provider Transformation
  • Creating an Office of Employment First
  • Marketing and Communications
  • Customized Support to Meet Your Needs

COEF offers Core Trainings to equip Employment Support Professionals to deliver the highest quality services that promote competitive integrated employment and align with Employment First principles. 

• • ACRE Supported Employment Training – This nationally accredited training encompasses a 5.5 week virtual training where trainees engage in interactive, virtual-live sessions with complementary on-demand coursework. Trainees who complete course requirements receive and ACRE Basic Employment Services Certificate which is recognized nationwide. Learn more about our ACRE Supported Employment Training here. 

• • ACRE Customized Employment Training – This nationally accredited training includes interactive, virtual-live sessions with complementary on-demand coursework. CE Specialists are trained and certified in Discovery, Customized Job Development, and Work Related Supports. Trainees who complete course requirements receive the nationally recognized ACRE Basic Employment Services Certificate with an emphasis in Customized Employment. Learn more about our ACRE Customized Employment Training here. 

• • Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Training – IPS is an evidence-based, international supported employment approach for people with serious mental illness. COEF Training is guided by the 8 IPS Practice Principles and trainees have on-going access to the COEF Learning and Practice Community. Learn more about IPS Training here. 

• • Workplace Supports and Training Strategies Course– This course is invaluable for Employment Support Professionals who are seeking qualification in systematic instruction or who provide job caching services and supports. Learn more about Workplace Supports Training here. Topics include:
    • Foundational Concepts of Employment
    • Work-Related Activities, Understanding the Position & Supports
    • Understanding and Implementing Training Strategies including Systematic Instruction
    • Technology, Behavioral/Social Supports, and Long-Term Satisfaction

• • Person-Centered Thinking (PCT) Training – This training is ideal for any organization that has not taken a training in Person-Centered Thinking or needs to get new staff trained. The target audience includes all staff, at all levels across an organization, and is even great for board members. Person-Centered Thinking is about enhancing skills to better support people, and organizing what is learned to share it with others. This is a great professional development training for any business/organization. Learn more about PCT Training here. 

COEF collaborated with the Center for Inclusive Design and Engineering (CIDE) to develop a Digital Literacy curriculum to empower people receiving Medicaid services, focusing on enhancing access to online healthcare resources and promoting digital equity. The project was funded by the department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF). Learn more about Digital Literacy Training here. 

COEF developed and delivered a training called Employment First and Benefits through a Person-Centered Lens through funding and collaboration with the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF). This training focused on Person-Centeredness, Employment First, and Disability Benefits as key components to support people toward competitive integrated employment. The intended audience for this training is Direct Support Professional’s (DSP’s) serving Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) members in all areas, focused on those who do not exclusively provide supported employment services.

Coming soon! COEF will be re-launching an updated version of this training for DSP. Sign up for our communications to receive the latest updates.

Cultivating Disability Inclusive Employment is in development by COEF and funded by the Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council, in response to a need to increase participation of people with I/DD in the workforce. The purpose of this training is to elevate knowledge of Colorado employers within many industries and across the state to support hiring an inclusive workforce that includes people with disabilities.

The Colorado Office of Employment First (COEF) and the Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council (CDDC) are collaborating to collect data related to people with disabilities entering the workforce and Employment First. COEF is conducting surveys focused on the experience of Job Seekers and Employees in pursuing employment, also the impact of training among Employment Specialists and Professionals (Job Developers, Job Coaches, Employment Consultants), and the influence of Benefits Planning within the employment journey. The data will be used to inform process improvement in the state of Colorado. Access a final data report here.

To celebrate NDEAM 2023, COEF developed a video miniseries promoting Employment First that was funded by the Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council (CDDC). The miniseries focuses on the Employment First belief and value that all people can work in competitive, inclusive employment if they want to with the right support. A key message in the miniseries is, “Employment is for everyone. Employment is for YOU.”

The Employment First video miniseries includes two collections of content. The first collection features the perspectives of adults and youth with lived experience who share why working is important to them. It also includes thoughts from family members who share why working is meaningful to their youth. The second collection, developed with whiteboard animation software, includes three short videos: “What is Employment First?”, “What Can Working Do for You?”, and “Employment Resources”. The collection introduces people to the idea of work and highlights resources available to support them in pursuing their goals. Select this link to check out the Employment First Video Miniseries.

The A Brighter Future training was developed in collaboration and partnership with the CDDC and JFK Partners. This FREE innovative, on-demand learning experience is hosted within our Learning Management System called YesLMS which follows universal design principles. There are six course modules that participants may complete independently at their own pace with access to YesLMS at any time that is convenient for learning.

Training Topics:

• What is Employment First?
• Skills needed to get employment
• How employment fits into the education process
• How managing health impacts employment
• Services and agencies for obtaining employment
• How employment may impact Social Security benefits

Learn more about Youth and Families Training here. 

COEF will be conducting research to collect data to better understand the needs of unserved Coloradans with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. The research project is funded by the Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council in support of their goal to identify and learn about alternative approaches and strategies Coloradans with IDD and families are using to meet their daily needs who are not using government funded supports and services.

COEF will being designing and implementing a study that surveys the experiences of unserved people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families in Colorado. After the research is analyze, reports and fact sheets will be developed to use for dissemination and future planning.

COEF will begin providing free Succession Planning Services as part of a project funded by the Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council (CDDC). Succession Planning involves planning for the future to ensure that there is a seamless transition of care and services that continue to meet the needs and support the goals of people with disabilities whose caregivers are no longer in a position to do so.

A critical component of the continuity of care is employment. Employment is a social determinant of health and builds capacity for people to increase independence, achieve their goals, and enjoy enhanced quality of life.

The target demographic for Succession Planning is parents, family members, and caregivers who are at least 65 years old and care for children with IDD of any age. Our goal is to reach 50 families who would find Succession Planning meaningful.

If you know a family who may be interested, please email info@employmentfirstcolorado.org.

Colorado State University, in collaboration with the Colorado Office of Employment First, conducted a research study to better understand the experiences of people participating in supported employment during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The title of the project is A Community-Academic Partnership to Examine and Promote Best Practices for Virtual Supported Employment Services. We are pleased to share that the journal publication related to the study is now available! Congratulations to COEF co-authors Brian Dean and Dr. Cordelia Robinson Rosenberg!

Supported Employment for People with Developmental Disabilities During COVID: A Scoping Review

The Colorado chapter of the Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) and the Colorado Office of Employment First (COEF) are collaborating to coordinate the 2024 Employment First Summit and Resource Fair. The Employment First Summit will take place during National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) on the following dates:

• Session 1: October 8th, 2024 from 9am-12pm
• Session 2: October 16th, 2024 from 1:30pm-4:30pm
• Session 3: October 24th, 2024 from 9am-12pm

We are also in the early stages of coordinating two in-person Resource Fairs with dates to be determined. 

The Colorado Office of Employment First (COEF) supports dissemination efforts within JFKS Partners, Colorado’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. COEF develops digital media content and manages publication of social media posts. Follow JFK Partners on Facebook and LinkedIn. 

Brian Dean, MA, CRC is the Rehabilitation Counseling Discipline Director for Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) Program LEND at JFK Partners, Colorado’s University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service (UCEDD). The purpose of the LEND program is to improve the health and well-being of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities by preparing an interdisciplinary cadre of professionals to take leadership roles in providing services, improving systems of care, and building inclusive communities for these individuals and their families. Brian works directly with the Rehabilitation Counseling Discipline Trainee’s by providing mentorship, support, and guidance across their course work, scholarly project, practicum and training experiences through the duration of the LEND training academic year.

Interested in applying for the LEND Program? Visit the JFK Partners Fellowship Opportunities website or email Brian at Brian.Dean@cuanschutz.edu.

The Colorado IPS Learning Community brings employment specialists together to provide IPS employment specialists with information and resources to improve (support) the delivery of IPS-supported employment services to job seekers with disabilities. The IPS Learning and Practice Community will achieve this goal by providing the following opportunities to:

• Share professional and program-related success stories, regional support needs, and employment resources
• Cultivate supportive relationships amongst IPS employment specialists
• Answer questions related to IPS fidelity practice
• Provide legislative, policy, and practice updates

The learning and practice community invitation list reaches over 100 individuals. The learning and practice community topics consist of updates, discussions, and micro-learning topics based on input from attendees to discuss specific areas of IPS Supported Employment.

The IPS Social Media Toolkit is a collection of graphics and videos to promote IPS Supported Employment. The content is designed to resonate with job seekers and clinical audiences and expand the digital reach of these resources. Content may be used to promote IPS across social media platforms and internal agency communication. Access the IPS Social Media Toolkit here.

COEF facilitates Individual Placement and Support (IPS) training for Colorado’s Employment Support professionals. We also support Colorado IPS fidelity reviews, action planning, and IPS fidelity implementation. Technical assistance services are customized to the needs of programs based on outcomes and fidelity reports.

COEF developed and trained on employment and recovery module for the Parent Support Group facilitated by the University of Denver Family Support Clinic.

As youth transition into adulthood, independent living and employment become paramount.  However, for individuals with disabilities, these two milestones and life goals can notably vary from those of typically developing peers. These individuals confront distinct challenges that despite the positive effect of employment on life, are compounded due to fragmented systems and transition framework.

Joint Opportunities for Bridging Wellness, Integration of Community Services, and Supported Employment, or JOBWISE, aims to address this by offering direct vocational support and community connection within the hospital setting.   An employment and community case manager supports each youth and their family, as they transition from pediatric to adult care. This ensures employment and systems navigation is part of the medical conversation and there is direct support for this navigation.

COEF coauthored the development of this concept and currently works on delivering the direct services to meet each youth’s needs in employment and connecting to community resources and supports. This project has been funded through a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Access the JOBWISE Flyer here.

The National Expansion of Employment Opportunities Network (NEON) Core State initiative, funded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy, aims to increase competitive integrated employment (CIE) within statewide systems that serve individuals with disabilities. Colorado was awarded the technical assistance grant two year in a row through the the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, both focusing on elevating Benefits Planning in Colorado. COEF team members served on the advisory team and select sub-committees during both award timeframes.

Member of the COEF team served on the Planning and Advisory Team for the Interagency Cooperative Action Network (ICAN) Project, administered by the Office of Independent Living Services and funded by the Social Security Administration (SSA). ICAN aims to: 1) Promote self-sufficiency by helping people enter, stay in, or return to the labor force including youth; and, 2) Assist claimants in underserved communities apply for SSI/SSDI.

COEF recently worked with General Schools to develop competencies for their entrepreneurship training for students and youth with disabilities. COEF developed a comprehensive framework of competencies that align with the training program across four badge areas. We also had the privilege of designing five badge graphics and updating the program’s complementary rubrics.

PEAK Parent Center is developing a webinar series call Personal Networks for a Good Life! COEF is a partner on the project providing support in content development. COEF is leveraging its expertise in curriculum development and communications to create engaging videos and module design using innovative production platforms.

COEF believes that strong social networks are foundational to a meaningful life, filled with opportunities for personal growth including the pursuit of meaningful employment.

We are proud to be chosen as a partner on this project with our friends at PEAK Parent Center. This new series is launching soon!

Learn more about Personal Networks here.

COEF is thrilled to join the Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE) as support staff assisting with administrative tasks and dissemination efforts. Vanessa Lehman and Vikki Ortiz are the primary COEF team members working closely with ACRE. Vanessa will be taking on many day-to-day activities including the curriculum review process. Vikki will be supporting email communications, website updates, and other administrative functions.