About Us

Having a job represents much more than earning a salary. Employment, including the kind of work one performs, influences one’s personal identity, sense of belonging, and place in the world. Furthermore, employment represents one primary way of expressing the inherent human need to contribute – doing something that matters. Yet all too often the significance of employment for people with disabilities has been unrecognized, ignored, or minimized.

Supported employment is designed to promote personalized employment opportunities for people with disabilities when they need support to:

• Discover personal interests and contributions,
• Find or negotiate a job that fits things people like to do and do well,
• Become established as valued employees; and
• Pursue job advancements

Kentucky is an Employment First State. We want to ensure that all Kentuckians with disabilities, regardless the impact of disability, have access to employment as the first and preferred option.

Quick Look

• How to Get Help Finding a Job (PDF)
• Employment First Means to Me & Overview (Vimeo)
• Working with d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumers: Strategies for Effective Communication (YouTube)
• Working with d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumers: Understanding Stereotypes, Discrimination & Respect (YouTube)
• Pre-Vocational Services (PDF)
• Applying to Become an OVR Vendor – CRP (PDF)
• SE Core Training Dates
• Employment Checklists: Helping Families and Youth Plan for Employment
• Employment First Kentucky
• APSE – Employment First
• Information for Job Seekers & Families
• Guidelines on the Purchase of Supported Employment as of October 1, 2024 (PDF)
• ODEP Customized Employment Info
• KY DB 101 5th Monday Lunch & Learns – 12:30 pm-1:00 pm ET – Click on the Zoom link