This date has been pushed back for a number of reasons. A great deal of discussion has taken place on the issues of access to specialty care and continuity of care. While there is no final decision on these issues. The Arc of the U.S. Government Vol. Approximately 300,000 individuals with mental retardation work in sheltered settings, most earning below the minimum wage.
Health benefits are minimal, if available at all.
Supported employment programs, which hold great promise to help people with mental retardation obtain jobs in competitive settings, are woefully underfunded. Over 150,000 adults are currently on waiting lists for employment or activity programs. These individuals essentially have no supports available to them. Their families struggle to maintain them at home, many having to give up employment to stay home to care for adult children with severe disabilities. The President s Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities is sponsoring an important summit on April 7 to address problems and barriers preventing people with significant disabilities from working in meaningful jobs in the community.