Supported Employment & Business Ownership

Supported employment (SE) helps people with significant disabilities become successfully employed or succeed as an entrepreneur through self-employment.
Dummy Image

Funding for Supported Employment

The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) typically partners with Medicaid-funded programs.

Dummy Image

Supported Employment Timeframes

SE supports can last up to two years. and possibly longer, when needed to assure job stability.

Dummy Image

Supported Employment for Business Ownership

Prospective business owners may receive SE and business resources through DVR’s Self-Employment Program.

Accessing Supported Employment

The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) is typically the starting point for supported employment. A DVR counselor works with the job seeker or prospective entrepreneur to decide on a career direction and creates a plan to cover the initial, intensive job-finding and coaching supports. From there, on-going needs are addressed through a variety of approaches meeting the needs of the person.


Supported Employment Provider Requirements

By June 2024, supported employment vendors will be required to hold a nationally-recognized training certificate or certification in Supported Employment and currently the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing has funding to reimburse vendors for the cost of training and certification, application fees, and staff training time. Read more here or email: hcpf_supported.employment@state.co.us.

Upcoming Events

[crocal_events columns_tablet_landscape=”3″ columns_tablet_portrait=”3″ event_title_heading=”h6″ overlay_color=”dark” disable_pagination=”yes” overlay_opacity=”20″]

JFK Partner Logo

The Colorado Office of Employment First sits under JFK Partners, the state’s University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, a program of the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Its creation was envisioned by Colorado Employment First Advisory Partnership (EFAP), a multi-state agency and stakeholder-led collaborative, and was made possible, in part, by funding from the Colorado Legislature and generously matched through the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) at the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE).

© 2023 Colorado Office of Employment First. All Rights Reserved.

Subscribe to our Communications

Stay informed on training events and Employment First updates.

    Back to top