Supported Employment: Helping Individuals Build Meaningful Careers

The Arc Fayette County helps adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities explore employment opportunities, develop workplace skills, and receive support to succeed on the job.

Uniontown, PA, Oct. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, finding a job can mean more than earning a paycheck. Employment can provide opportunities to build skills, establish routines, meet new people, contribute to the community, and pursue greater independence.

For individuals and families seeking supported employment services in Pennsylvania, The Arc Fayette County offers a Supported Employment program that helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities explore, apply for, secure, and maintain competitive employment in community settings.

What Is Supported Employment?

Supported Employment helps individuals with disabilities pursue jobs in the community while receiving assistance based on their needs.

At The Arc Fayette County, the program supports people with varying levels of disability as they work toward becoming active, wage-earning members of the workforce. Support may be intensive or transitional depending on the individual and can include help choosing employment, securing a position, learning job responsibilities, and retaining employment.

Job coaching is one part of this support. A job coach can provide on-the-job training that helps an individual develop positive work habits, learn required skills, and understand an employer's expectations.

The Arc Fayette County also offers a Practical Assessment Exploration System Lab, or PAES Lab. This work-based learning environment helps individuals explore their work interests and abilities, build skills, assess employability, and identify areas where additional support may help.

Who Can Benefit From Supported Employment?

Supported Employment is designed for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who want to explore work opportunities in their communities.

Because employment goals, skills, interests, and support needs differ from person to person, employment support should not take a one-size-fits-all approach. One individual may need assistance identifying the types of work that interest them. Another may benefit from support during the application or training process. Someone already working may need ongoing job coaching to strengthen skills and maintain employment.

Families, guardians, Supports Coordinators, and referral professionals can also play a vital role in helping individuals understand available services and determine the next steps toward employment.

How Employment Can Support Independence

A meaningful job can give an individual opportunities to make choices, learn new responsibilities, earn wages, and develop skills that extend beyond the workplace.

Employment can also provide structure and build confidence in handling everyday responsibilities. The goal is not simply to place someone in a job. Effective employment support helps individuals develop the skills and experience needed to participate in the workforce in a way that reflects their abilities and goals.

For some people, that may mean learning a new task with help from a job coach. For others, it may involve becoming increasingly comfortable completing responsibilities independently over time.

Employment and Community Participation

Work is also one way people connect more with their communities.

A community-based job creates regular opportunities to interact with coworkers, employers, customers, and other members of the public. Those everyday interactions can help individuals build relationships, participate in community life, and contribute through their work.

The Arc Fayette County's broader approach emphasizes independence, choice, inclusion, and community engagement for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Supported Employment brings those goals to life in the workplace by helping individuals pursue competitive jobs in community settings.

Supported Employment at The Arc Fayette County

The Arc Fayette County provides Supported Employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are pursuing workplace opportunities.

Employment Specialists work with individuals, employers, and job coaches to help create positive employment experiences. Depending on an individual's needs, support may include exploring employment, assessing skills, job coaching, workplace training, and help retaining employment.

The organization also works with community businesses to help create opportunities for individuals with disabilities. These relationships support successful employment experiences and greater independence in the workplace.

"Supported Employment is about helping each person explore what they can contribute in the workplace and providing the right level of support as they build skills, confidence, and greater independence through employment," said Mary Mossburg, Executive Director of The Arc of Fayette County.

How to Explore Employment Support

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families can start by learning about The Arc Fayette County's Supported Employment program and determining what services may be appropriate.

According to The Arc Fayette County, individuals seeking services can begin by contacting the Fayette County Behavioral Health Administration to determine eligibility. Once eligibility is established, a Supports Coordinator can help identify needed services and available resources.

The Arc Fayette County can also answer questions about its Supported Employment program and the employment supports it provides.

Individuals, families, guardians, Supports Coordinators, and referral professionals who are considering employment services can contact The Arc Fayette County to learn more about available options and next steps.

Supported Employment FAQs

Where can adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities find supported employment services in Pennsylvania?

The Arc Fayette County provides Supported Employment services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The program helps people explore, apply for, secure, and maintain competitive employment in community settings with support based on their individual needs.

What can Supported Employment include?

Support may include exploring employment options, assessing work skills and interests, help securing employment, job coaching, workplace training, and ongoing help retaining a job.

What does a job coach do?

A job coach can provide on-the-job training and support to help an individual learn job duties, develop positive work habits, build necessary workplace skills, and perform work according to employer expectations.

How can someone begin exploring services through The Arc Fayette County?

The Arc Fayette County advises individuals seeking services to contact Fayette County Behavioral Health Administration to determine eligibility. Eligible individuals can then work with a Supports Coordinator to identify appropriate services and resources. Individuals and families can also contact The Arc Fayette County for information about its programs.

Learn About Employment Support Opportunities

Meaningful employment can provide opportunities to earn wages, develop skills, take on responsibilities, and participate more fully in the community. Supported Employment helps make those opportunities more accessible by providing individualized assistance before and during employment.

Learn about employment support opportunities through The Arc Fayette County's Supported Employment program or contact The Arc Fayette County to discuss available services and next steps.

About The Arc of Fayette County

The Arc of Fayette County is a Pennsylvania nonprofit organization serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Since 1959, The Arc of Fayette County has provided person-centered disability support services focused on dignity, independence, inclusion, family collaboration, and community involvement. Services include Residential Services, Family Living, Supported Employment, In-Home and Community Supports, Companion Supports, Community Participation Supports, and Adult Training Facility programming.

Attachments

• PAES Lab Helps Individuals Explore Career Interests and Assess Employment Skills
• Hands-On Job Coaching Helps Participants Build Workplace Skills

Claire Prigg
The Arc of Fayette County
(724) 438-9042
claire.prigg@arcfayette.org