Mass. disability panel hears SEED’s policy options, seeks ‘state as a model employer’ roadmap and youth employment pipeline

The Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities’ Disability Employment Subcommittee on Feb. 12 heard a briefing from the State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED) and agreed to pursue two follow-up projects: a ‘‘state as a model employer’’ roadmap and a youth and young-adult employment and volunteer pipeline.

SEED project director Katya Albanese told the subcommittee that SEED provides technical assistance, peer learning and policy options drawn from other states. "Although we're funded by the federal government, the SEED initiative is not the federal government telling states what to do, but rather ... leveraging federal resources to support the policy development of policies that improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities," Albanese said.

The presentation, led by Albanese and Dina Klumkina (SEED policy lead), mapped seven policy areas that states can use to expand employment opportunities: career readiness and work-based learning; behavioral and mental health supports at work; stay-at-work/return-to-work programs; employer technical assistance and incentive programs; entrepreneurship and procurement opportunities for disability-owned businesses; interagency coordination and data collection; and model-employer strategies for government hiring and retention.

"We organize disability employment policy options into seven core areas," Klumkina said, summarizing SEED's framework. She pointed to state examples such as Kentucky expanding postsecondary scholarship eligibility, Alaska's workers' compensation stay-at-work program, Washington extending light-duty reimbursement eligibility from 66 to 120 days, and Minnesota's Employer Reasonable Accommodation Fund, which reimburses employers for accommodation costs.

Subcommittee members raised practical concerns about how federal policy changes could affect people with disabilities. Jossy Burks Abbott asked whether states can use individualized education programs (IEPs) as acceptable evidence of disability for college or employment accommodations and expressed worry that new Medicaid work or community engagement requirements could leave some people without protections. SEED representatives said they can provide comparative state examples and policy options to address those gaps.

Members also discussed partnership opportunities within Massachusetts. Commissioners and staff identified potential partners and data sources, including the Massachusetts Office on Disability, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, MassAbility, supplier diversity offices and the office that tracks digital accessibility across state websites. The subcommittee emphasized producing accessible, easy-to-use materials for the public and policy audiences.

Rachel Stanton of the State Treasurer’s Office proposed two concrete project ideas for SEED support: a SAME roadmap informed by state benchmarks and data-driven gap analysis, and a youth employment and volunteer pipeline aligned with Cape Youth frameworks and local partners. SEED offered to produce two briefs for the subcommittee — a Massachusetts analysis and a brief on career readiness and model-employer policies — and to help convene a strategy session with peer-state speakers from New York, Colorado and Tennessee.

Procedural items: the subcommittee approved the November meeting minutes by motion (moved by Kathy Petkauskas; seconded by Rachel Stanton).

Next steps: SEED will deliver the promised briefs and follow up with a questionnaire or scope-of-work template to inform a strategy session. The subcommittee agreed to schedule follow-up meetings and to invite state partners and relevant agency leadership to help design implementation pathways.