Employment

As the number of adults with complex diseases of childhood living into adulthood continues to rise, we must prepare our patients with inclusive employment opportunities. There are many barriers to these opportunities, such as no planning discussions or prevocational training, bias with perceived inability for patients with disabilities to work, lack of accommodations while employed, and confusion over eligibility for SSI/disability resources while employed. This also includes understanding the historical and legal context of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the current day resources in place to support transitioning young and young adults with vocational rehabilitation, job placement, and accommodation resources. With increased awareness of potential opportunities, including a rise in work from home jobs with the COVID-19 pandemic, we can better connect patients to career opportunities that will provide them meaningful experiences to build on skillsets, increase social experiences, and generate income- all critical pieces for improving meaningful quality of life and independence.