 |
|
Printer-friendly page
Liese, H., and Sheen, J. (2003). Employment Personal Assistance Services (EPAS): Focus group report on program awareness and needs. Salt Lake City, UT: Utah Governor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities.
Abstract
In 2001, Utah initiated its Employment-Related Personal Assistance Program (EPAS) through the Utah Work Incentive Initiative (UWIN). Two years later, only a small number of consumers had enrolled. This report presents findings from two focus groups and a survey conducted to evaluate consumers' awareness of EPAS and their needs for PAS in the home and workplace.
Participants in the focus groups included working individuals who used EPAS, workers who did not use EPAS, and individuals who were not working but might benefit from EPAS.. The survey included 80 independent living centers.
Focus group participants receiving PAS in the workplace usually got such assistance from sources other than EPAS, either through employer-paid personal assistants or informal help from co--workers. Overall, they were pleased with the services but did not consider informal services a viable long-term option. Participants also expressed a greater need for assistance at home getting ready for work than in the workplace itself.
Barriers included difficulty in finding, hiring and keeping personal assistants; effects on relationships with co-workers, and disincentives in the service system. Survey respondents also reported problems locating PAS providers and funders.
The authors recommend that UWIN address provider workforce issues, distinguish between home-based services and employment-related PAS provided in the home, allow EPAS services to be used to obtain employment, and improve outreach to increase participation in EPAS.
Obtain the Full Version
Utah Work Incentive Initiative (UWIN) Project
1595 W. 500 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84104
(801) 887-9529
This study was supported by the Utah Work Incentive Initiative (UWIN), and a Medicaid Infrastructure Grant from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Grant #P-91217/8.
Download the PDF
|
