Competitive, integrated employment (CIE) – working in the community, alongside people with and without disabilities, at competitive wages – offers a direct pathway to greater independence and self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. CIE is increasingly becoming the expectation across the country.

ACL is committed to expanding employment opportunities for people with disabilities. In addition to funding programs that provide direct employment support services to people with disabilities and advocating for policies and practices that prioritize and support CIE as a key element of community living, ACL also is investing in research to increase knowledge about the benefits of employment of people with disabilities – both for the individual and for the employer – and to increase the availability of effective interventions to support employment. 

Last week, as the country celebrated the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Disability Pride Month, ACL's National Institute on Disability Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) is released a new issue brief summarizing the research supporting CIE.