PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON MENTAL RETARDATION 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Office of 

Human Development Services 

Washington, D.C. 20201 

Report to the President 

The Mentally Retarded Worker

An Economic Di$covery 
 PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON MENTAL RETARDATION 

 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

 Office of Human Development Services 

 Washington, D.C. 20201 

The President 

The White House 

Washington, D.C. 20500 

Dear Mr. President: 

I am pleased to transmit the 14th Annual Report of the 

President's Committee on Mental Retardation titled, The 

Mentally Retarded Worker: An Economic Discovery. In keeping with their purpose, this report addresses a specific 

concern: the training and employment of retarded citizens. 

It shows how business and retarded workers can mutually 

benefit. 

Given training and employment, retarded citizens, once 

thought of as being dependent for life, can reach increased 

levels of social and economic independence, which may equal 

those of average citizens. To the businessman, the retarded 

employee is often the preferred employee because of job dedication, low absenteeism and turnover rates, and willingness 

to perform jobs that seasoned workers refuse. Wage 

subsidies and tax credits provide added incentives.

The report includes employer and trainer testimony. It 

will help employers identify retarded persons as capable workers. It will assist retarded people to reach higher levels 

of self-sufficiency through employment. It will also assist 

parents and facilitators to support the retarded person's job 

search. To this end, it offers guidance to employers, 

professionals, parents, retarded citizens, and the general 

population. 

 Respectfully yours, 

 Richard S Chairman . Schweiker 

ii 
Executive Summary 

The goal of this year's report is to increase the awareness of 

the private sector to the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of 

mentally retarded people who are employable but are unemployed 

because of misconceptions about their abilities to meet and 

maintain employment standards. These misconceptions held by 

some employers, placement officers, trainers and parents may lead 

to a life of underachievement, idleness and public dependency. Yet 

the overwhelming evidence shows that mentally retarded persons 

can be productive members of the nation's workforce and quite 

often are considered preferred workers. 

The report dispels these myths and encourages employment. Its 

objective is to educate the private sector, while providing continued 

guidance to the traditional audience of students, parents, advocates, 

mental retardation professionals and the general population. 

The first section introduces the subject, discusses retardation and 

describes why the mentally retarded worker is an economic discovery. 

By presenting a series of misconceptions of employers, section 

two delineates major obstacles faced by mentally retarded 

persons who attempt to secure employment. These misconceptions 

are countered by actual testimony from employers who have profited 

from hiring people who are mentally retarded. 

Section three identifies training and employment issues and 

recommends changes for the 80's. Guidelines are offered to 

employers, trainers, parents of mentally retarded persons and 

policymakers. 

The final section presents an optimistic look at the future in 

 terms of job opportunities for all citizens. 

iii 
Table of Contents 

(1) Introduction ............................................................. 1

(2) Who are the Mentally Retarded People ........................................ 3 

(3) Why is a Mentally Retarded Worker an 

 Economic Discovery........................................................................... 4 

To the Taxpayers 

To the Employer 

To the Mentally Retarded Person 

(4) Myths and Facts About Employing Retarded 

 Workers .................................................................................... 6 

Training 

Productivity 

Accidents and Insurance Absenteeism 

Turnover 

Supervision 

Job Modifications 

(5) Avenues to Employment: Guidelines .............................................. 13 

For Employers 

For Teachers, Trainers, Program Administrators. 

For Job Development and Placement Specialists 

For Parents 

For Mentally Retarded Persons 

For Federal, State and Local Governments 
Introduction 

Mr. President: 

A most exhilarating life experience is having your worth recognized 

by receiving your first paycheck, but hundreds of thousands of 

mentally retarded people will never experience this. They are 

unemployed because of misconceptions about their abilities to meet 

and maintain employment standards. These misconceptions (held by 

some employers, placement officers, trainers, and parents) may lead 

to underachievement, idleness, and public dependency. Yet 

overwhelming evidence shows that mentally retarded persons can be 

productive workers. 

This year's report dispels these myths and encourages employment. 

Its objective is to educate the private sector, while providing 

continued guidance to the traditional audience of students, parents, 

advocates, mental retardation professionals, and the general 

population. 

The first section introduces the subject, discusses retardation, and 

describes why the retarded worker is an economic discovery. By 

presenting a series of misconceptions employers have, section two 

delineates major obstacles faced by retarded persons who attempt 

employment. These misconceptions are countered by testimony from 

employers who have profited from hiring people who are mentally 

retarded. 

Section three identifies training and employment issues and 

 recommends changes for the '80s. Guidelines are offered to employers, 

trainers, parents, mentally retarded persons, and policymakers. Many 

recommendations come from the recent National Working Conference on 

Vocational and Employment Opportunities for Mentally Retarded Citizens, 

which was sponsored by the President's Committee on Mental Retardation, 

the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped, the 

Association for Retarded Citizens, and the University of Wisconsin 

Research and Training Center. It brought together leaders in the field to 

discuss the topic and formulate strategies for the future. 

Employment of all citizens has long been recognized as a national goal. 

Too often, the mentally retarded person is considered disabled. We have 

attempted to demonstrate that it is this assumption, rather than any 

specific disability, which represents the major impediment to 

employment. By bringing this matter to your attention, we hope to 

correct the situation and to expand employment opportunities for mentally 

retarded people. 

1 

Who Are Mentally Retarded 

People? 

Compared with the athletic prowess of an O. J. Simpson, 

the social savoir faire of a Perle Mesta, the economic 

adroitness of a J. Paul Getty or the survival skills of a 

Robinson Crusoe, we are all retarded. 

The gap between the retarded person and the nonretarded person may or may not be as great as the 

comparisons just drawn. However, to understand the 

nature of retardation, it is important to realize that each of 

us has varying degrees of abilities. Few persons possess 

the physical attributes that would produce an O. J. Simpson. 

Yet we all can substantially increase our abilities, given 

proper mind set, training, encouragement, and rewards. 

While not necessarily reaching average levels of 

development in all areas of functioning, mentally retarded 

people are more like than unlike other people. The 

difference is that their intellectual and social development 

lags behind that of the general population. 

A consequence of this developmental lag is a prolonged 

Dependency upon others. Viewed thusly, mental retardation 

may 3e defined as a problem of dependency that affects all 

aspects of life: physical, cognitive, economic, and social. 

Dependency's cost to society is high, but higher yet to 

mentally retarded citizens. Without assistance, this citizen 

may become trapped in a debilitating cycle of economic and 

social dependence. Although we cannot cure mental 

retardation, we can reduce the affects of dependence. With 

proper social and vocational raining and job placements, 

most of them can compete in employment. 

Nearly 6 million Americans are mentally retarded with 

I.Q.'s of 70 or below. Experience has taught us that I.Q. is 

not basic to their employability. While I.Q. may have a 

bearing on choice of profession, a low I.Q. does not preclude 

employment. This report explores ways in which mentally 

retarded persons can achieve economic independence, 

thereby increasing their sense 4 self worth, and their 

acceptance by other members of society. 

3 
Why Is a Mentally Retarded 

Worker an "Economic Di$covery?" 

In scattered U.S. communities hundred of thousands of 

capable adults are unable to find jobs. Neither 

willingness to work nor job opportunity is the problem. 

These people need only short term training and guidance 

to advance from dependence to productivity. These are 

the mentally retarded whose vocational potential has 

been demonstrated repeatedly, yet who remain largely 

untapped as an economic resource. Developing this 

resource could constitute an economic discovery to many 

people in many ways: 

 To the Taxpayers. Each mentally retarded worker represents an 

average savings of $29,200.00 per year in support payments if habilitated 

in a public institution. Additionally, he contributes $530.00 tax dollars 

yearly to the general revenues. Instead of depending upon parental and 

public support, the mentally retarded worker lightens the economic 

burdens of both. Of equal importance, to invest in vocational training is 

wise. Once employed, a mentally retarded person will repay $1.00 for every 

$1.00 spent to train him in only about 4 years. Thereafter, the repayment 

benefit will be greater than habilitation cost. 

Lifeti me earnings will improve by $10.40 for every dollar spent on his 

vocational rehabilitation.* 

To the Employer. Hiring mentally retarded workers can result in lower 

costs and higher profits. Costs are reduced in the following ways: 

 Training: Seldom can an employer hire a worker already fully 

trained for a specific job. Yet many schools and rehabilitation agencies 

do provide a ready source of such workers. At no cost to the employer, a 

mentally retarded person can be trained, placed, and even monitored by 

the school or service agency. 

This is of particular value in occupations plagued by high worker 

turnover and concurrent high training costs. Add to this the fact that the 

rate of turnover among mentally retarded workers is less than that of the 

general population, and the definition of these workers as an "economic 

discovery" becomes clear.* 

*U.S. Department of Education, OSER, RSA, Economic Gains, July 7, 1982. 

*Equal to the Task, 1981 Dupont Survey of Employment of the Handicapped. 

4 
 Reduction of Waste: Training costs are not the only savings, however. 

Many organizations have found that creating new programs for mentally 

retarded workers can reduce waste and generate substantial savings. Take, for 

example, the case of the Naval Air Re-Work Facility in Pensacola, Florida. The 

cost of mechanics employed to disassemble aircraft at the facility is too high to 

allow for the time-consuming work of salvaging nuts, bolts, and other small 

parts. In the past, these parts were discarded. Recognizing the inherent waste 

in this system, representatives of the facility contacted the local vocational 

rehabilitation service. Through their cooperative efforts, the Reclamation 

Shop was born. Following job specific training by vocational rehabilitation 

personnel, mentally retarded persons were employed to salvage and sort 

parts. The benefits to the retarded employee cannot be measured solely in 

dollars and cents, but the benefits to the facility can and they are 

considerable. According to Marge Sanders, of the facility's public relations 

department: "Even after wages are paid to the employees, the Reclamation 

Shop saves us between $10-$15,000 per month." 

 Financial Incentives: As if the savings in training and waste reduction 

are not incentive enough, the federal government may reimburse employers for 

doing themselves the favor of hiring mentally retarded people. 

Reimbursements may be through either tax credits or employment and 

training subsidies. Wages paid to many mentally retarded workers qualify 

for a targeted jobs tax credit. When eligible, an employer may take a credit of 

up to $3,000.00 for each targeted employee's first year wages, and up to 

$1,500.00 for each targeted employee's second year wages. * 

Wage subsidies are often available to those who hire the mentally retarded. 

A frequent source of such subsidies is the Association for Retarded Citizens 

(ARC) On-The-Job Training Program. With Department of Labor funds, ARC 

reimburses employers for 50% of the entry wage during the first 160 hours of 

employment, and 2 5 °A of the wage during the next 160 hours. 

 To the Mentally Retarded Person. Employment offers an escape from 

the debilitating cycle of economic and social dependency. A job which 

provides economic independence may provide social independence and 

subsequent residential independence. Society measures the benefits of this 

independence in terms of reduced dependency costs. The mentally retarded 

worker measures the benefits in terms of economic freedom and a newly 

found sense of pride and accomplishment. An opportunity for employment is 

truly an economic discovery for a mentally retarded person. More important, 

perhaps, it is a self-discovery as well. 

*Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Targeted Jobs, WIN, and 

Research Credits. Pub. 906 (Revised Nov. '81). 

5 
Myths and Facts About 

Employing Retarded Workers 

If mentally retarded workers are an "economic 

discovery," why then are they not employed? A major 

obstacle is their being stereotyped as unproductive 

workers. A Los Angeles study asked employers to 

rank various groups in the order in which they 

believed other firms would be most likely to hire 

them. The mentally retarded and mentally ill were 

least desirable, ranking behind alcoholics, older 

workers, and ex- offenders.* 

Mentally retarded workers will not achieve their 

employment potential unless these stereotypes are 

destroyed. An effective way of re-educating 

employers is through the experiences of their fellow 

businessmen. 

Here is what some experienced employers have to 

say in answer to common misconceptions about 

mentally retarded workers: 

 MYTH: TRAINING 

 "Sure, I think mentally retarded people deserve jobs, but I run a business. I can't 

afford the extra time it would take to train them." 

FACT: 

 Mr. I. J. Profaci, Vice President, East Wind Industries, Clayton, Delaware, 

states, "In 1975, a staff member at a state institution asked me to hire a mentally 

retarded person. `Absolutely not,' I said. But he was persistent, and I agreed. It 

turned out to be the best move I ever made. Once employers realize that these 

people are dedicated and well trained, they'll change their minds too." 

One thing that helped change Mr. Prof aci's mind was the On-The-Job Training 

Program of the Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC). Following basic skills 

training at a local rehabilitation service agency, a client judged "job ready" is 

placed on the job with an ARC trainer. The trainer assumes all responsibil

instruction and remains with the client until necessary skills are acquired. ARC 

even pays part of the trainee's wages during this period. If at the end of training the 

employer is satisfied with the trainee's performance, he can hire him. if not, he's 

under no obligation. Once an employer hires an ARC trainee, representatives of the 

group are always available to assist him if questions or problems arise. 

ity for 

Similar training programs are av ailable in all parts of the 

country. Employers interested in a free supply of fully trained 

*James A. Colbert, Richard A. Kalish, and Potter Chang, "Two Psychological Portals 

of Entry for Disadvantaged Groups," Rehabilitation Literature, (July 1975). 

 

 6 
employees should contact the local Association for 

Retarded Citizens, public school system, or state vocational 

rehabilitation agency. 

MYTH: PRODUCTIVITY 

"I have production standards to meet. If I hire a 

mentally retarded worker, won't the quality of the product 

suffer? Won't production rates decline?" 

FACT: 

No, according to Greg Randall of Randall Plating in 

Butler, Wisconsin. Mr. Randall will not say how many 

retarded persons he employs. He refuses to apply such a 

label to his very competent employees. He will admit 

that he might be accused of "reverse discrimination" in 

his hiring practices. 

"Our business has grown steadily since we first began 

hiring mentally handicapped persons 10 years ago. The 

quality of our product has improved and we have 

substantially fewer rejects. Not only that, we haven't had 

a 'loss of time' injury in years. Frequent injuries had 

been a tremendous problem in the past." 

One problem did surface when mentally handicapped persons 

were first employed. Mr. Randall began to receive complaints 

about them from some of his non-handicapped employees. In 

examining production logs to determine the validity of the 

7 
"Our business has grown 

steadily since we first 

began hiring mentally 

handicapped persons 10 

years ago. The quality of 

our product has improved 

and we have substantially 

fewer rejects. Not only 

that, we haven't had a 'loss 

of time' injury in years. 

Frequent injuries had 

been a tremendous 

problem in the past." 

complaints, Mr. Randall discovered the true source of 

discord. The "normal" workers wanted to conceal the fact that 

they were being out-produced by the handicapped workers. 

Mr. Randall now runs a 4-day, 40-hour work week. He says 

this is possible because he is assured of a full 10 hours of 

work from each employee every day. 

MYTH: ACCIDENTS AND INSURANCE

"Let's face it: mentally retarded persons are clumsier than 

other people. And clumsiness means more accidents. Business 

being what it is today — with profit margins so tight — I have 

enough to worry about without the added concerns of increased 

injuries and skyrocketing insurance costs." 

FACT: 

Sam Polack, President of Hotel Operations, Brock Hotel 

Corporation, Topeka, Kansas, says it isn't so. Mr. Polack 

enthusiastically endorses his project with the Menniger 

Foundation which trains, places, and supervises a group of 

retarded people employed in various jobs with the Brock Hotel 

Chain. He said his retarded employees are not only extremely 

careful but are stable, reliable, hard working, and superior in 

output. Insurance rates have not increased and the frequency of 

accidents, if anything, has decreased. He plays down the recent 

Brock $135,000 grant to the Menninger Foundation which was 

given to expand the program, by explaining, "It is only good 

business." "The Hotel Chain," he reports, "will benefit in the 

long run; they (the retarded workers) are excellent 

employees. And...“he adds..."we get a tax break." 

MYTH: ABSENTEEISM 

"Have you ever been in a restaurant kitchen? To say the pace 

is hectic is putting it mildly. When someone doesn't show up for 

work, we really have troubles. I've already got a problem with 

absenteeism. If I can't depend on my regular workers, how 

can I count on a mentally retarded person to know enough to 

show up every day?" 

FACT: 

Many hotel and restaurant kitchens suffer from high rates of 

employee absenteeism and turnover. This is due to a variety of 

factors, including the repetitive nature of kitchen utility work. 

Since mentally retarded people have proven themselves 

willing and able to perform such work, the Atlantic City 

Association of Hotel/Casinos decided to see if mentally retarded 

workers would help to stabilize their kitchen staffs. In 

cooperation with the Atlantic County Opportunity Center 

(ACOC), a vocational rehabilitation agency, the Casino 

Kitchen Project was designed and implemented. 

"Job ready" trainees are selected by ACOC staff and groups 

of four are placed on the job. Job coaches from ACOC are onsite to assist the experienced employees responsible for the 

8
8-weeks of training. 

John DePiro, executive steward at Caesar's 

Palace, says absenteeism among his Kitchen Project 

employees is very low. When asked what he 

thought accounted for this, he replied, "Some 

'normal' workers feel that if things don't work out 

here, they can get another job right away down the 

street. There's not a lot of pressure to succeed. Our 

ACOC employees don't feel that way. They are 

glad to be here and enjoy their work. They take 

pride in conscientious performance on the job." 

Currently, Mr. DePiro employs ACOC clients on 

his first and second shifts. Plans are underway to 

recruit more trainees for the "graveyard" shift in 

hopes of promoting stabilization there, too. 

MYTH: TURNOVER 

"It's too expensive for me to be constantly 

training new employees. Isn't it true that retarded 

people can't stick with a job?" 

FACT: 

Marriott Food Services at the Smithsonian 

Institution has been employing mentally retarded 

workers for 10 years. Before he became Regional 

Vice President with Business Food Service, Charles 

Mills hired some of those early workers, and he 

became curious as to how they had fared. He 

chose, at random, 10 names from his files. Mr. 

Mills' follow up yielded some impressive statistics. 

He found that their average job turnover was 7.1 

years. Not only that, but average attendance for each of 

those 7 years was 98%. 

9 

"Our mentally retarded employees 

stay with us and learn their jobs 

well," says Mr. Haile. "They 

learn them so well, in fact, that 

they are able to alternate between 

several different positions. So we 

need fewer people to get the job 

done." 
"It is only good business." 

"The Hotel Chain," he 

reports, "will benefit in the 

long run; they (the 

retarded workers) 

are excellent employees. 

And. . ." he adds. . . 

"we get a tax break." 

 Bob Haile, an employee of Mr. Mills, is manager of 

Marriott Food Services in the Natural History 

Museum. When he started 2 1/2 years ago, he had 10 

mentally retarded employees. Now he has 12, although 

there are fewer job slots available. Job openings 

haven't decreased because business is slow; they have 

decreased because employee productivity has 

increased. 

"Our mentally retarded employees stay with us 

and learn their jobs well," says Mr. Haile. "They 

learn them so well, in fact, that they are able to 

alternate between several different positions. So 

we need fewer people to get the job done." 

MYTH: SUPERVISION 

 "My supervisors have their hands full as it is. I 

don't know much about mentally retarded people, 

but I do know that unless you give them a lot of 

attention, you are going to have problems. I can't 

accept the responsibility for that kind of problem. I 

don't have the time or the training to deal with it." 

FACT: 

 Personnel services Manager, Fred Thompson, has 

been hiring mentally retarded persons for 8 or 9 

years now. Through the District of Columbia 

Association of Retarded Citizens (DC- 
ARC), he's hired over 100 people to 

work in Woodward and Lothrop 

Department Store's Housekeeping 

and Food Services Departments. 

 According to him, a reason for 

this partnership success is the role 

played by DC-ARC placement 

coordinators. These persons help the 

potential employees with 

applications and interviews when 

help is needed. They accompany the 

employee on his first day on the job. 

Most important, they remain on-site 

for as long as necessary and are 

always available to provide 

assistance. 

 "I won't say I have never had a 

problem with a mentally retarded 

employee," says Mr. Thompson. "I 

will say that I don't have any more 

problems with them than with any 

other employees. And if I do have a 

problem with a mentally retarded 

worker, I can turn to the DC-ARC 

counselor for help. On-going 

supportive services like those 

provided by DC-ARC are something 

that's not available for other 

workers." 

MYTH: MODIFICATIONS

 "I have turned down a couple of 

government contracts because of 

Section 503 (of the Rehabilitation 

Act of 1973) requirements. By the 

time I made all the modifications 

required for a handicapped worker, I 

would have cancelled out any 

profits from the contract." 

FACT: 

O-S-C-A-R M-A-Y-E-R spells more 

than bologna . . . it also spells jobs 

for mentally retarded and other 

handicapped people. Pat Beebe, 

Director of Vocational Education 

Alternatives, has placed several 

clients at a company plant in 

Madison, Wisconsin . . . One is very 

special. 

 Oscar Mayer has several contracts 

with the Federal Government and 

finds few problems in making 

modifications to accommodate 

handicapped workers. "We thought 

we had real problems when we were 

asked to employ a 25 year old man 

with multiple handicaps," reports 

personnel director Harold Polzer. 

"He is confined to an electric 

wheelchair, has practically no use of his hands, and no ability to speak." 

"I held off making a decision to hire him in a mail room delivery position until I 

talked to John Spohn, Vice President and Plant 

Manager," continued Polzer in a recent interview. 

Spohn's response was "the company is in the 

sausage business to make money . . . if the man 

can do the work — hire him . . . but don't make 

work . . . don't be patronizing .. and hire him

above minimum wage." Job modifications have

been limited to lowering two drop off station

accommodate the delivery man's sitting position. 

Deliveries are made to several points in the 5 

floor, 2,000 employee plant. Assistance in the 

cafeteria line at lunch time is provided by willing 

coworkers. "It is not the type of handicap or even 

the severity of the handicap that bothers 

management or fellow employees," added Polzer

"It's the attitude that counts. . . Our man in the wheelchair is a willing worker 

with a gre

s to 

. 

at sense of humor." 

 11 

"It's the attitude that counts . . . Our man in the 

wheelchair is a willing worker with a great sense 

of humor." 
12 

Avenues to Employment: 

Guidelines 

Mr. President: 

 An effect of mental retardation is dependency. The major cause of 

dependency among the greatest number of mentally retarded citizens is 

economic. 

 The testimony presented in the preceding section shows that mentally 

retarded people can function as full productive members of the nation's 

workforce. Many already do. To allow all mentally retarded people to 

achieve this, certain steps must be taken by those persons who work with 

them or who can benefit from their employment. 

 We recommend the following avenues to employment. These guidelines 

would strengthen the partnership between the public and private sectors, 

and it is vital to their economic independence. 

 Specific recommendations are directed to each group of concerned 

individuals or agencies. We solicit your support. 

Employers: 

1. The next time you need workers, turn to your local schools or 

rehabilitation facilities for help. In some businesses, high turnover rates 

and resultant shortages for trained workers are a problem. Schools and 

rehabilitation facilities offer a solution by providing access to a trained, 

dependable workforce. Employers in all parts of the country have begun to 

stabilize their labor force through this approach. Contact your local 

Association for Retarded Citizens for a list of area agencies. 

2. Make your training needs known. You do not have to wait for a problem 

before consulting local services agencies. If you anticipate expansion or 

reorganization, let the agencies know in advance. Tell them how many 

new job openings you will have, and the skills needed to fill them. Then, 

when you are ready to hire employees who are trained and ready to work, 

they will be available. 

3. Help training programs to help you meet your needs. Become a member 

of an advisory committee. An advisory committee which is composed of 

representatives of business and of training facilities serves the purposes of 

both groups. For business people, it is a forum where their own 

employment needs and those of the community are addressed. For trainers, 

it is the primary source of information vital to creating a training program. 
For example, an advisory committee is a key element in the Projects 

with Industry (PWI) program, which is administered by the 

Rehabilitation Services Administration of the U.S. Department 

of Education. The program goal is to create a partnership 

between business and service agencies to promote training that 

leads to employment. RSA figures show this to be a cost 

effective program. In 1980, 50 projects (serving 7,500 disabled 

persons) were funded for $5.5 million. More than three quarters of 

the clients were placed in competitive employment, generating an 

estimated $35 million in taxable wages in that year.* 

4. Provide subcontract work for sheltered employment. Some 

mentally retarded people work in sheltered employment which 

may be either in a separate shop or in an enclave within 

industry. In both cases, local industry provides subcontracts in

which there are many advantages to the contractor, including reduced 

overhead and labor costs. 

Both Hewlett-Packard and Wright-McGill have been subcontracting 

with Four Corners Sheltered Workshop in Durango, Colorado, 

for more than 10 years. Workshop director Allen Jones' businesslike approach to the subcontracts has been one reason for their 

long duration. Mr. Jones does not market Four Corners as a 

rehabilitation agency offering low-cost work. His prices are 

competitive with those of other subcontractors. He sells his 

services on the basis of a quicker turnaround time and lower 

rate of rejects. So companies get a higher quality product for no 

extra cost. 

5. Consider purchasing a sheltered workshop. As an 

alternative to the above, consider the suggestion of George A. 

Conn, Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services Administration, 

made to the Industry Labor Council, The Menninger Foundation, 

Topeka, Kansas. He suggests that the private sector explore the 

benefits of corporations purchasing sheltered workshops as whollyowned divisions. The workshops would have access to increased 

capital and a steady source of cash flow operations, as well as 

accelerated depreciation of existing facilities and equipment. 

Industry would have access to a well- trained and reliable workforce. 

6. Try hiring a mentally retarded worker. Many employees have 

discovered the advantages of hiring mentally retarded persons. See if it 

is not an economic discovery for you, too. 

Teachers, Trainers, and Program Administrators 

 1. Make your curriculum functional. Despite legislation 

which guarantees a free and appropriate education up to the age of 

21, many mentally retarded persons leave school each 

*U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Annual Report 

to the President and the Congress, 1980 (Publication No. E-80-26000). 

 13 
year lacking even basic self-care and independent living skills. 

These deficits are not a result of limited student capabilities but 

result from inappropriate training. Programs for the mentally 

retarded are often based upon a developmental curriculum model. 

Training begins by establishing the student's developmental level and 

structuring activities which will lead to mastery of the next 

developmental step. While this approach does provide the sequential, 

step-by-step instruction needed by mentally retarded learners, an 

overly strict adherence to developmental sequences may preclude 

training in skills vital to independent adult functioning. Unfortunately 

such strict adherence is not uncommon. Its result is that students who 

are able to stack 4 blocks are trained to stack 5, then 6, and so on. The 

problem becomes more apparent as degree of retardation increases. 

Employing a purely developmental approach with a severely retarded 

student may result in a mere 2-year developmental gain over 18 years 

of training. This graduate's preschool level skills are woefully 

inadequate for post-school success. 

For an effective curriculum, educators must streamline the 

developmental approach to focus on those skills necessary in adult 

life. Such an approach is often referred to as a functional skills 

curriculum model. Functionality of skills is assured by evaluating 

each proposed activity in terms of the following question: "If this 

student cannot do this for himself, will someone else have to do it 

for him?"* Apply this question to a block-stacking activity and the 

answer is "no." Apply it to meal preparation and the answer is "yes." 

When the answer is "yes," the activity is important to the student's 

future success and should be a component of training. 

2. Make your curriculum relevant. Even the most thoroughly 

functional curriculum is of limited value unless it is based upon the 

characteristics and meets the needs of the local community. While 

true in all areas of programming, appropriateness is of particular 

importance in vocational training. 

No vocational program should be planned without careful 

assessment of current and projected community labor needs. A 

meticulously trained electronics assembler will have little vocational 

success in an area void of this industry. Although this may seem 

obvious, it reflects a common tendency in a number of vocational 

training programs. 

Your school system should have a job development and placement 

specialist. Work with this person to identify potential training and 

employment. Build your vocational training program around the 

specific skills necessary to succeed in these sites. Implementation of a 

relevant and functional curriculum 

*Freagon, Sharon, Keynote Address to Office of Special Education Parent Meeting. 

Washington, D.C., October 1981. 

14 
serves not only student needs, but those of the community as 

well. 

3. Be future-oriented. Ensuring a functional and 

relevant curriculum is best achieved by basing it upon the 

anticipated residential and vocational situations in which 

students will find themselves as adults. Success here depends 

once again upon assessment of current and projected 

community alternatives, as well as on the earliest possible 

alternatives identification. Formulation of goals which 

reflect projected options should not be delayed until the 

secondary level. Preparation should begin at the primary 

level, though a program emphasis will become increasingly 

focused on specific skill development, reflecting the 

emergence and clarification of adult placement options. 
4. Don't underestimate student/client potential. 

More than a decade of research demonstrates the 

vocational potential of persons with even severe levels 

of retardation.* Yet school programs continue to 

prepare them only for sheltered employment, if at all. 

Many adult service systems shuttle retarded citizens 

into day activity programs, deeming them incapable of 

even sheltered employment. Clearly, a gap exists 

between the research and the service delivery system. 

Close this gap by disseminating state-of-the-art 

training information in your school or service system. 

Assume students to be candidates for competitive 

employment. By so doing, you will increase 

competitive placements, and allow space in sheltered 

shops for those few who want or need it. 

Job Development and Placement Specialists 

1. Be a business person, not a charity-seeker. Since 

they are not needed, employers should not be asked 

for handouts. Earlier sections have established that 

hiring mentally retarded workers is sound business. In 

some ways, mentally retarded employees are preferable 

to their non-handicapped peers. Familiarize yourself 

with the needs of potential employers and outline ways 

in which a mentally retarded worker can help to meet 

these needs. Armed with this information, market 

your clients as the economic asset they represent. 

2. Never place a worker who is not "job ready.-

Word of mouth advertising by employers who have 

success establishes a good reputation for your 

program. Conversely dissatisfied employer reports ruin 

your reputation. 

You must create the impression of a competent and 

reliable business person who stands behind his products. 

You can go a long way toward building employer 

confidence by placing only those clients who are fully 

prepared to meet workplace demands. One success 

quite likely leads to another. 

3. Provide adequate follow-up services. The 

majority of employers who have discovered the advantages 

of employing the mentally retarded worker attribute this 

discovery, in large part, to the on-going support of 

training and placement personnel. 

Everyone is wary of "fly-by-night" operations. Just 

as you must be business-like in terms of marketing 

techniques and quality control, you must also be 

available for service should questions or problems arise. 

Degree and duration of follow-up depend upon client 

needs and employer wishes. Generally, a follow-up 

person should be on site when placement is initiated 

and then phased out in accordance with the criteria 

mentioned 

*Bellamy, G. T., Peterson, L. and Close, D., "Habilitation of the 

Severely and Profoundly Retarded: Illustrations of Competence," J. 

Educ. Train. Ment. Ret., 10:174-186, 1975. 

Gold, M.W., "Stimulus Factors in Skill Training of the Retarded on 

a Complex Assembly Task: Acquisition, Transfer and Retention," 

Am. J. Ment. Defic., 76:517-526, 1972. 

16 
above. At all times, however, employees should have 

access to follow up services. Knowing this support is 

available can ease the apprehensions of a first-time 

employer. 

4. Coordinate your efforts with those of other local 

service agencies. You should not expect a warm 

reception from an employer who has been deluged 

with placement requests from every area service 

agency. Most communities have a variety of education 

and rehabilitation programs concerned with placing 

mentally retarded workers, while few have a means 

of coordinating placement programs. 

Solve this problem by establishing a joint advisory 

committee with representatives from all local agencies 

and businesses. Such a committee could inform 

agencies of job openings while offering employers a 

source of qualified applicants. Besides coordinating 

placement better, the committee increases 

communication among the agencies, which minimizes 

service duplication and maximizes the benefits garnered 

for every dollar of funding. 

5. Obtain the approval of top management. A 

Nebraska training and placement program for moderately 

retarded young adults documented the job development 

efforts of its placement specialist. Data revealed that an 

average of 40 employer visits and 20 follow-up visits 

yielded one monthly competitive placement. A pilot 

project in Los Angeles, on the other hand, arranged to 

place 45 moderately and severely physically 

handicapped individuals in competitive public sector 

jobs through direct dealings with the mayor.* 

Stanley J. Bryer, of the Jewish Employment and 

Vocational Service's Projects with Industry, St. Louis, 

Missouri, offers one reason for these differing results. 

He notes that, particularly in a large company, 

decision making and action are two distinctly separate 

processes. A personnel officer may not feel empowered to 

assume the responsibility entailed in deciding to hire a 

mentally retarded worker. The authority is executive; 

thus, an executive must be asked to make the decision. 

Obviously, as job development productivity 

increase, placement productivity also probably 

increases. To assure a successful and cost-effective 

program, include top-level executives on all advisory 

committees. Their cooperation will greatly facilitate 

your job development efforts. 

Parents 

1. Raise your expectations. Maybe like many others you 

were told from the beginning not to expect too much from 

your child. This advice may have come from friends, 

relatives, educators or health professionals. It was meant to 

help, to protect you from 

*Albin, T. J., Stark, J. A. and Keith, K. D., "Vocational Training 

and Placement: Behavior Analysis in the Natural Environment." In 

G. T. Bellamy, G. O'Connor, and D. C. Karan (eds.), Vocational 

Rehabilitation of Severely Handicapped Persons. Baltimore: 

University Park Press, 1979. 

17 
disappointment. Research on training methods has proven 

them wrong. Even severely handicapped persons can 

acquire skills generally assumed beyond their 

capabilities, including employment skills. 

Familiarize yourself with the latest training 

developments and adjust your expectations accordingly. 

Believe in your child and he will believe in himself. 

2. Make sure all programs will meet adult needs. 

Even 18 years of public education is a limited time in 

which to learn independent adult functioning. Let none of 

this precious time be lost. Participate in Individualized 

Education Plan (IEP) conferences and monitor all 

programs. Be sure that they include the self-help, daily 

living and vocational skills essential to adult life. Make 

these skills a priority. Many retarded adults lead full and 

independent lives without learning to read; few lead 

such lives when unable to care for themselves. 

3. Foster a spirit of home-school cooperation. Both 

you and the teacher share a common goal helping your 

child reach full potential. Mutual idea and responsibility 

sharing hastens goal achievement. 

Work with every teacher. Find out what can be done 

at home to reinforce training programs while letting the 

teacher know how goals at home can be reinforced at 

school. The more coordinated your efforts, the greater 

the likelihood of success. 

4. Accept risk-taking. Perhaps the most difficult 

problem is taking the risks necessary to the development 

of an independent life style. Certainly, perils are present 

with that first solo bus ride, so were they in your first bus 

ride, as in many of your first activities. You accepted the 

risk because it was necessary for your growth. Allow 

your child to take risks for the same reason. 

5. Be a promoter. Many recent gains in educational 

and employment rights have come through the efforts of 

people who act as promoters for retarded citizens. The 

trend toward shifting authority from the federal to state 

level may result in regulation changes and legislation 

which supports these rights. 

Monitor federal and state legislation proposals to stay 

aware of contemplated changes. Join with others in 

providing input to state and federal lawmakers. Assist 

them in their attempts at change to assure that the 

needs of mentally retarded persons will be met. 

Mentally Retarded Persons 

1. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Some people do 

not like to ask for help when they need it. They think 

that by asking they will appear stupid. They would 

rather just blunder on, hoping that everything turns out 

all right. When people behave this way on a job, they 

risk making mistakes which cost an employer both time 

and money. They can cost the person who made the 

mistake his job. A competent person is one who 

knows when he needs help. Do not be afraid to turn to 

your 

18 
supervisor whenever you have a question. He'll thank you 

for it. 

2. Prove yourself on the job. It may not be fair, but 

it is a fact you will have to face. Your supervisor and coworkers might be watching your job performance more 

closely than that of another new employee. Even though 

you have been hired, they might not be quite sure that 

you can do the job. You know you can measure up; it is 

up to you to prove it. Not just for your own sake but 

for the sake of all people like you who are trying to find 

work. Be on time and come to work every day. Work 

hard and get the job done. Be neat and well groomed. 

Make sure you are always pleasant and polite. Show 

everyone that you are not only as good as any other 

worker, you are better. 

3. Find out where to turn for help. What if you find you 

are having problems on the job? Who should you talk 

to? 

When you first start a new job, get the name of a 

person at work who can assist you if you are having 

difficulties. You should be able to get this name either 

from your employer or from your placement counselor. 

Go to this person whenever you have a question about 

your work, a problem with another worker, or any 

other concern pertaining to your job. 

What if you are having a problem outside your job? 

Or what if you are having trouble with the person at 

work who is supposed to help you? Before you leave your 

school or training program, find out who to contact when 

difficulties arise that cannot be handled on the job. If you 

are having problems with transportation, if you lose your 

job, or if you would like a new job, for instance, you 

will need an outside source of advice. Your outside 

contact could be a particular person such as your teacher 

or placement counselor or it could be an agency such as 

your school or local Association for Retarded Citizens. 

Just make sure you know whom to call and when you 

should call them. 

19 
4. Learn how to assert yourself. Some mentally 

retarded people find it difficult to speak out for 

themselves. This is because others have always spoken 

for them. Many mentally retarded people are tired of 

having other people tell them what to do and what to 

think, where to work and where to live. Although it is 

important to accept the help of teachers, counselors, 

friends, and family, it is also important to learn to be 

responsible for yourself. Mentally retarded people 

are learning to do this by joining groups made up of 

handicapped persons who speak for themselves. 

Two such groups are "People First" and "United 

Together." Ask your teacher or counselor for 

information about these or similar groups. 

Federal, State, and Local Governments 

1. Reduce lack of incentive for employment. Many 

mentally retarded persons are eligible for income 

assistance through either Social Security Disability 

Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income 

(SSI). Beneficiaries are also eligible for Medicare or 

Medicaid. 

A mentally retarded person must make some serious 

choices when considering employment. Can he afford to 

lose the income support? Perhaps more importantly, will 

the potential employer provide health insurance which 

equals current coverage? Many of the entry level 

positions for which a mentally retarded worker qualifies 

offer no health benefits at all. Such concerns may 

discourage a handicapped person from accepting 

employment.* The Social Security Disability 

Amendments of 1980 attempted to reduce these 

disincentives by extending entitlement periods and 

relaxing re-entitlement requirements for income and health 

benefits. Will such changes provide adequate security 

to a beneficiary considering employment? Section 505 of 

the Social Security Amendments allows modifications of 

existing benefit provisions in certain demonstration 

projects designed to test the effects of various 

alternatives.* Plans for such programs are already 

formulated. Their careful implementation, and 

examination of results, should indicate what direction 

the entitlement programs must take to offer employment 

incentives rather than disincentives. Congress should 

take note of these findings. 

2. Support programs leading to employment. Funds 

available for vocational training are shrinking. We can 

no longer afford to support programs which are not 

cost-effective. 

A cost effective vocational training program is one which 

*Berkley Planning Associates. Analysis of Policies of Private 

Employers Toward the Disabled. Final Report to Assistant 

Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services, Washington, D.C., November 1981 *Krute, 

A. and Freitel, R., "Reintegration of the Severely Disabled into 

the Work Force: The United States Experience." Social 

Security and Disability Studies Research Report No. 17, April 

1981. 

20 
culminates in employment. Depending on the clients served, employment might be 

sheltered or competitive, full or part time, minimum or less than minimum wage. In 

every case, however, it reflects increased client earning power. 

The New Federalism initiative gives state governments the responsibility to 

allocate funds. Many advocates are concerned that this will result in the elimination 

of the set-asides and excess cost provisions mandated by the Vocational Education 

Act, as amended, (PL 94-482). Such provisions are necessary in order to maintain 

appropriate vocational programs that lead to employment. To dispel the fears of 

advocates, and to assure continuation of cost-effective programs, states should 

develop policies which reflect the training and employment needs of handicapped 

people. 

21 
22 

. Gather and disseminate information on 

al 

-

tate government agencies could 

g

e on 

as 

. 

al 

mote cooperative efforts among service 

es 

3

research and model programs. If a service agency 

wishes to develop an effective employment training 

program, where should it turn for technical 

assistance? If a mentally retarded person is seeking 

employment, who should be approached for advice? 

Such information is best obtained for someone who 

has been proven successful in these areas. 

In the preparation of this report, it was evident 

that while many exemplary programs exist, 

locating them is not an easy task. Considerable 

expense results when every service agency or individu

requiring such information must repeat the same time

consuming process. 

Both federal and s

nerate significant savings by gathering informati

and providing access to a central data source. The 

President's Task Force on Private Sector Initiatives h

developed a computerized Projects Bank programmed 

with outstanding examples of private sector initiatives

The National Alliance of Business, under contract to the

U.S. Department of Labor, operates a clearinghouse on 

employment and training programs. If the Department 

of Education or Department of Labor were to expand this

effort to focus on model employment and training 

programs, increased integration of people with ment

retardation and the workforce would be effectively 

achieved. 

4. Pro

agencies. Every community has a variety of agenci

concerned with the employment needs of handicapped 

people. Common examples are vocational 

rehabilitation services, special education 

programs, and vocational education programs. 

Although these agencies share a common goal, they 

often function quite independently of one another, 

with little or no interagency contact. This fragmented

service model results in unnecessary duplication of 

services, making them more costly to the community

and less effective in employment outcomes. 

Avenues of communication must be opened so that 

all public and private agencies in an area can 

coordinate services to 
maximize effectiveness, in terms of both costs and outcomes. 

Cooperation should extend beyond the area of training, to include 

identification of local labor needs, employer outreach, job placement, 

and follow-up. 

5. Maintain current financial incentives for employers of 

handicapped workers. There is widespread concern about the escalating 

costs of social service programs. In attempting to harness these costs, 

however, we must guard against being "pennywise and pound foolish." 

Many employers of mentally retarded people were initially convinced 

to consider such an option because of attractive financial packages 

combining tax credits and training subsidies. Any new legislation 

affecting such credits and subsidies should insure that they are 

maintained. 

Estimates of dependency costs for out-of-work retarded persons 

range from $20.00 per day, or $7,300 per year, to $200.00 per day, 

or $73,000 per year, for those residing in public residential 

facilities. The dollars spent to employ retarded persons save us 

many future dollars. 

*Department of Psychoeducational Studies, College of Education, University of Minnesota and 

National Association of Superintendents of Public Residential Facilities for the Mentally 

Retarded, 1981. 

23 
Post Script: "The Future" 

Forecasts of employment opportunities in jobs that mentally retarded 

people do well look very bright. Burt Nanus, an internationally respected 

futurist researcher, in a report to the President's Committee seven years 

ago, stated that "Service jobs suitable to the skills of mentally retarded 

people would continue to grow." Basing his projections on known 

consumer needs, an analysis of 1974 trends, plus the works of such 

leading scholars as Daniel Bell and J. K. Galbraith, Nanus reports "The 

U. S. labor force is moving progressively from work with the hands to 

work with the brain." He went on to explain that, in terms of jobs for 

the mentally retarded worker, things were optimistic; new jobs would go 

to the higher educated, freeing other jobs for currently underemployed 

workers and thus freeing positions at the less skilled end of the 

spectrum for the retarded worker.* 

The types of jobs Nanus targeted as being available to mentally 

retarded workers included food services, laboratory assistants, 

employees for recycling plants, health service assistants, and assistants 

in day care centers for children and the aged. In part, Nanus' forecasts 

of 7 years ago have materialized. 

More recently, Mary Meyer, a consultant in Human Resources and 

Manpower Systems, has made forecasts similar to Dr. Nanus'. She 

reports that a declining birth rate will produce a drastic shortage of 

workers by 1990. She explains the

24 
current 10% unemployment rate as temporary, being caused 

primarily by overproduction. She states, "Our major problem is 

poor manpower planning. We load up now, produce all we can, 

and, when we overproduce, we wind up in a recession 

because we never plan a balanced system where input equals 

output." 

Basing part of her forecasts on the work of David Snyder, Dr. 

Meyer believes that by 1990 the country will have to import 

guest workers. (Nanus makes similar forecasts.) She believes the 

subject of discrimination in the work place "will fly out the 

window by force, not law . . . " Meyer said (despite 

biases), "Employers are going to have to capitalize on older 

employees, female employees, black and other minorities, 

retarded and other handicapped employees, and all the rest." 

A survey of employers conducted by the President's 

Committee on Mental Retardation also supports Dr. Nanus' 

forecasts in terms of the types of jobs mentally retarded 

people do well. 

If Dr. Meyers' forecasts of the need to bring in guest 

workers is accepted, then the recommendation in this report 

to start training mentally retarded students to perform 

service, office and factory work is well made. It will result in 

building a ready workforce and reduce the need to look 

outside our boundaries for workers. 

The preceding document, although a report to the 

President, is much more. It is sound advice to those 

responsible for the Nation's production of goods and services. 

It is sound advice about an exceptional class of workers. It is 

sound advice based upon the testimony of employers and 

vocational training and placement specialists. 

People determine the future. Trends indicate it will be 

bright for the majority of the nation's population. Special 

attention to the potential contributions of special people, will 

make it bright for them, too. 

*Burt Nanus, "Living and Working in the Year 2,000", The Year 2,000 and 

Mental Retardation, Stanley Plog and Miles Santamour, Ed., Plenum 

Press, N.Y., 1980. *Mary Meyer, President, Cheshire Ltd. in an 

interview with UPI appearing in The Arizona Republic, 4/18/82 and in 

an interview with Miles Santamour, PCMR, 6/9/82. 

25 
Credits: 

Authors: Miles B. Santamour and Amy Crane 

Manuscript Review: 

Julius Cohen 

Charles Inlander 

John Fanning 

Roxanne Flanagan 

Kenneth Collins 

Members and Staff of PCMR 

26