Specifications include, but are not limited to: The state of North Dakota, acting through the North Dakota State Council on Developmental Disabilities, (STATE) is soliciting proposals to fund up to two entities that will use the grant funds toward using the Washington Initiative for Supported Employment (WISE) method for employment planning for transition age youth. STATE seeks to fund up to two projects which would be conducted on a regional or statewide basis that would result in individuals with developmental disabilities entering into supported employment. Supported employment is based on the principle that individuals with disabilities have the right to be employed by community businesses where they can earn comparable wages, work side-by-side with co-workers with or without disabilities, and experience all of the same benefits as other employees of the company. This idea is often referred to as “Employment First.” Supported employment assists people with severe disabilities by providing individualized supports that enable them to choose the kind of job they want and to become successful members of the workforce.
