Employment Support Services

The Employment Support Services (ESS) Unit manages specialized employment contracts serving individuals with barriers to employment. The ESS unit manages current contracts, develops new employment contracts as needed, and provides technical assistance and training. ESS unit staff provide in-person or virtual training to DRS staff, community rehabilitation providers (CRPs), and community partners statewide. 

Supplemental Employment Services (SES) contract provides services to assist adults or youth with a most significant or significant disability, as well as individuals with disabilities that do not meet the definition of an individual with a most significant or significant barrier to employment, including youth with a disability or most significant disability. The services may help the individual and counselor determine or verify a vocational goal by providing opportunities for assessments and career exploration conducted with employers in real work settings. Trial Work Experiences (TWE) are available in the Career Exploration milestone before eligibility for services is determined. TWE help the individual and counselor determine whether the individual can benefit from DRS services in terms of an employment outcome.  In addition to assessment and career exploration, the individual may receive Vocational Preparation (Job Club), Internship services, and Job Development and Placement assistance to prepare for and obtain competitive integrated employment.

The Supported Employment (SE) Services Contract begins on the first day of employment and provides support services to individuals with the most significant barriers to employment. Supported employment services help the individual learn basic job skills, integrate successfully into the work environment, develop and implement any needed job accommodations, and receive other services needed to support competitive integrated employment.

The Employment and Retention (ER) Contract begins on the first day of employment and provides off-site (work site) support or on-site support when requested by the individual or employer; it is primarily for individuals with significant barriers to employment. The services in this contract are intended to provide individuals with job experience who require short-term, off-site support and limited on-site support (when requested by the individual and/or employer) and to maintain competitive integrated employment.

The Job Placement (JP) Contract is an employment contract designed to assist individuals who do not have barriers to obtaining a job placement and do not require on-the-job assistance to maintain competitive, integrated employment. This contract is for individuals who do not meet the eligibility criteria of most significant or significant barriers to employment. 

The Support Services for Employment (SSE) Contract provides access to support services that augment other employment support services, such as supported employment or employment and retention. Services included are specialized assessments, community integration support, and support for managing disability-related issues. These services are available to individuals with significant or most significant barriers that limit their ability to achieve or maintain competitive, integrated employment. Individuals can use SSE contract services individually or in conjunction with other ESS contract services and other Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) services.

ESS Oklahoma Service Payment System received awards from the Ford Foundation and the Harvard School of Business, as well as other government groups, for cutting government spending, improving service delivery, and increasing consumer satisfaction by linking payment for contract services to a series of completed services, or milestones, on the way to specific goals or outcomes, such as competitive integrated employment. Many states have used our milestone/service payment system as a model to develop their own. The Social Security Ticket to Work program, commonly referred to as Ticket Plus, is modeled after the Oklahoma Service Payment System.