The Employment Capacity Building Cohort (ECBC) began in 2014 as a Minnesota Olmstead Plan strategy to ensure more youth with developmental cognitive disabilities (DCD) transitioned into competitive integrated employment than sheltered employment settings. ECBC is supported by the Minnesota Departments of Education (MDE), Employment and Economic Development (DEED), and Human Services (DHS).
ECBC focuses on transition programming for youth ages 18 to 21, encouraging teams to make a plan for participation in high-quality transition programming and entry into competitive integrated employment.
Vision
All youth with disabilities are equipped by the time they graduate to reach their employment goals and have had experiences in competitive integrated employment that match their skills and interests, provide a living wage and maximize their potential.
Mission
Through ECBC, community teams build robust, person-centered systems for all youth with disabilities to prepare for and enter into competitive integrated employment. The teams receive technical assistance, training, resources and evaluation tools within a learning community.
Details
ECBC community teams include staff from the school, Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS)/State Services for the Blind (SSB), and county/tribal waiver case management. They come together to:
- Plan for how youth will gain competitive integrated employment and track their progress
- Set goals for collectively helping youth ages 18 to 21 to participate in transition programming and obtain competitive integrated work experience
- Learn about and implement continuous improvement strategies for transition
- Participate in six state-level ECBC meetings throughout the school year
- Attend monthly local ECBC community team meetings in addition to the state-level ECBC meetings
For more information about ECBC, contact Lindsey Horowitz (MDE) at lindsey.jo.horowitz@state.mn.us.