Employment First & Community Inclusion
Employment First & Community Inclusion goes beyond traditional Medicaid-reimbursed employment services, focusing on connecting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to real jobs and their community using innovation and Enabling Technology as a way to address barriers.
The Employment First Task Force was created to address barriers and create solutions for Tennesseans with disabilities in the workforce.
An order establishing the Tennessee Employment First Initiative to expand community employment opportunities for Tennesseans with disabilities.
Members of the Employment Roundtable, TennesseeWorks Partnership, and Employment First Task Force collaborated to identify a statewide employment goal. Click here to access the infographic and feel free to share.
"Employment First, means that employment in the general workforce should be the first and preferred option for individuals with disabilities receiving assistance from publicly funded systems. Simply put, Employment First means real jobs, real wages.”
- Employment First Strategic Plan (2021-2024)
- Employment First Strategic Plan - Plain Language (2021-2024)