Services
IRI has facilitated over 20,000 community job placements for persons with disabilities in the US and Australia. Learn more about all of our services below.
MentorWorks
#EverybodyWorks
Smiling woman with glasses and hair tied back wearing an orange reflective vest and black apron stocking a grocery shelf.
Integrated Resources Institute (IRI) MENTORWORKS is a 100% community-based employment service dedicated to creating integrated work opportunities for our participants. Our program focuses exclusively on providing meaningful employment through a Customized Employment and Mentor approach. This ensures that the relationship between employees and employers is tailored to meet the unique needs of both parties.
At IRI, we are committed to enhancing the workforce development system to improve employment outcomes for individuals with significant disabilities. Our efforts extend from local implementation to international dissemination of our research and demonstrated practices.
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148 Individuals Served
31 new job placements were developed during FY 2019-2020
100% placements are considered Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE)
84% in paid work positions
6 Paid Internship sites developed
100% service time in inclusive community settings
$788 average monthly wage income
$136 - $2,166 monthly wage range
4.3 years average job tenure
$13.00 - $25.00 hourly range
$13.80 average hourly wage
100% Families reported “Very Satisfied”
100% Participants reported Overall Satisfaction
100% Employers reported “Very Satisfied, Satisfied or Somewhat Satisfied”
100% RCOC Service Coordinators reported “Always Satisfied”
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148 Individuals Served
75 new job placements were developed during FY 2021-2022
100% placements are considered Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE)
100% program time in inclusive community settings
$888.70 average monthly wage income
57.26 average hours worked per month
3.6 years average job tenure
$14.00 - $40.78 hourly wage range
100% entering the program with an unemployment status
84% of participants engaged in paid work in integrated work settings
85% of Paid/Volunteer Work Hours for Program Time
100% Program Time in Community Integrated Settings
Average hours of work per week:
Volunteer: 6
Paid Work: 15
Work setting (Volunteer and Paid): 22
100% Families reported “Very Satisfied”
100% Participants reported Overall Satisfaction
96% Employers reported “Very Satisfied”
100% Service Coordinators reported “Always Satisfied”
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289 Individuals Served
60 new job placements
100% placements are considered Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE)
81% in paid work positions
100% support time in inclusive community settings
$860.92 average monthly wage income
$60 - $6,866.16 monthly wage range
3.3 years average job tenure
$15.00 - $40.87 hourly wage range
52.36 average hours worked per month
99% of participants entering services with an unemployment status
81% of participants engaged in paid work in integrated work settings
80% of participants engaged in paid/volunteer work hours
100% support time in a community integrated setting
Average hours per week:
Volunteer: 7.4
Employment: 14.5
Work Setting: 21.9
88% Families reported “Very Satisfied”
96% Participants reported Overall Satisfaction
100% Employers reported “Very Satisfied”
100% Service Coordinators reported “Always Satisfied”
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369 Individuals Served
76 new job placements
100% placements are considered Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE)
80% in paid work positions
100% support time in inclusive community settings
$971.56 average monthly wage income
$15.50 - $4,046 monthly wage range
3.04 years average job tenure
$15.00 - $22.03 hourly wage range
83.27 average hours worked per month
99% of participants entering services with an unemployment status
93% of participants engaged in paid/volunteer work hours
100% support time in a community integrated setting
Average hours per week:
Volunteer: 4.7
Employment: 19.2
Work Setting: 24.0
86% Families/Circle of Support reported “Very Satisfied”
96% Participants/Persons Served reported Overall Satisfaction
100% Employers reported “Very Satisfied”
82% Service Coordinators reported “Always Satisfied”
Empowered Living
Smiling woman with purple shirt and black glasses points to her apartment
The mission of IRI’s Empowered Living Service is to enable individuals with developmental disabilities to fully integrate and participate in their communities based on their needs and preferences.
Empowered Living Services uses a Circle of Support to help individuals decide where, with whom, and how they want to live, fostering independence, self-reliance, and self-esteem.
Circle members, who respect and dignify the individuals they support, ensure these individuals actively participate and control their community involvement. They assist in implementing decisions responsibly, and provide customized support within their residences and natural environments to reach the individual’s goals.
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Individuals will have choices as to where and with whom they live.
Individuals will have a circle of support comprised of staff, family, and friends.
Relationships are the key to quality of life, and that support should flow from a strong circle of support.
We intend to be proficient at assisting individuals to access a number of sources of support, adaptations, resources and benefits.
Quality life includes having as much control and choice over one’s life as possible. However, inherent in this choice are risks. While affirming the dignity gained by taking risks, and the valuable learning provided by those opportunities, we will ensure that individuals are in safe settings.
Effective means of communication are essential to having control in one’s life. We will strive to assist individuals to find effective means to communicate with their staff, family, and community.
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Empowered Living Services provided will be based upon the Individual’s Service Plan (ISP) objectives, developed for and by each individual participant based on their needs and preferences. The intent of ISP’s objectives developed is to enhance independence and competency in the following areas:
Autonomy, Choice, and Communication
Housing, including Domestic Skills
Personal Safety
Mobility and Accessibility
Income and Personal Finances
Physical and Mental Well-Being
Relationships, Social Opportunities, Citizenship, and Community Membership
Coordinated Career Pathways
Coordinated Career Pathways (CCP) is a new service designed for individuals exiting work activity programs, subminimum wage settings, or within two years of exiting secondary education to achieve or advance in Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE). Two new services are available through CCP, a Career Pathway Navigator (CPN) and a Customized Employment Specialist (CES). Services are time-limited to 18 months but can be extended to a maximum of 24 months.
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All individuals using this service will first develop a Person-Centered Career Plan (PCCP) with a Career Pathway Navigator (CPN). The plan includes the individuals career goal or interests, strengths, challenges and barriers, regional center and generic services and supports, short term milestones, action steps, and timeline.
The CPN will provide direct assistance in the implementation of the plan, including:
guidance and information, and direct assistance accessing regional center and generic services.
monthly monitoring of progress, allowing for necessary adjustments to be made to the PCCP as required.
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The PCCP may include, but is not limited to, the following activities and services:
career exploration
community engagement and integration
postsecondary education, vocational training
internships and or other work experiences (volunteering, temporary work, part time paid work)
supported employment (job preparation, search, placement, coaching)
customized employment
technology assistance
self-employment or microbusiness launch
benefits education and analysis (SSI, food assistance, housing)
transportation
financial empowerment and savings
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The recommendation for customized employment services and/or other regional center services to meet individual needs to achieve CIE will be a part of the Person-Centered Career Plan.
Customized Employment (CE) is an employment service that is designed for any person who wants to work, regardless of the severity of their disability, limited exposure to community and work experience, or support needs.
CE is carried out through discovery, job search planning, job development and negotiation, placement support and post-employment support. CE results in CIE through a customized, negotiated job that matches the interests, skills, abilities, and work conditions of the individual to the business needs of an employer.
Professional Papers, Presentations and Research
Professional Papers & Presentations
Zivolich, S. (2016). Invited Presentation, Integrated Work Programming for Regional Center Clients, North Bay Regional Center Vendor Conference, Napa, CA.
White, J., O’Neil, L., Seppala L., Nacario, J., (2014). Invited Presentation, Employment First, Policy, Preparation, and Practice., Workability Conference, Dana Point, CA.
Zivolich, S., Nacario J., Weiner, J., Bisogno, S., Yoo, J., (2014). Invited Presentation, Day Program Change to Completely Integrated Work Provider, a Comprehensive Stakeholder Guide. 31st. Annual CAL-TASH Conference, San Francisco, CA.
Weiner, J., Zivolich, S., Nacario J., Bisogno, S., Yoo, J., (2014). Use of Reflective Practice to Train and Supervise Job Coaches. 31st..Annual CAL-TASH Conference, San Francisco, CA.
Zivolich, S., Nacario, J., Culp, M., Weiner J., (2012). 30 Years of Systems Change to Evidence-Based Practice for an Integrated Work Organization. 37th Annual TASH Conference, Long Beach, CA.
Zivolich, S. (2012). Comment to the National Council on Disability Council's Ad Hoc Committee on Sub-minimum Wage and Sheltered Workshops, Public Quarterly Meeting, Los Angeles, CA
Zivolich, S., Nacario J., (2011). Integrated Employment Strategies in Difficult Economic Times. 29th.Annual CAL-TASH Conference, Irvine, CA.
Zivolich, S., Weiner J., (2010). Everybody Works: Integrated Work Strategies in Tough Economic Times. 35th.Annual TASH Conference, Denver, CO.
Zivolich, S., Nacario J., Weiner J., (2010). Everybody Works: Employment Strategies in Difficult Economic Times. 28th. Annual CAL-TASH Conference, San Francisco, CA.
Zivolich, S. (2009). Integrated Employment, a Two Decade Perspective. 27th Annual CAL-TASH Conference, Manhattan Beach, CA.
Weiner, J., Zivolich, S. (2008). LRE Impact on Transitional Employment for Students with Significant Disabilities. 33rd. Annual TASH International Conference, Seattle, WA.
Research
Weiner, J., Zivolich, S. (2014). Employment Coach Evaluation, Integrated Resources Institute, Irvine, CA.
Zivolich, S. (2012). Written Comment to the National Council on Disability Council's Ad Hoc Committee on Sub-minimum Wage, TASH, http://tash.org/wpcontent/uploads/2012/07/NCD6_12Comment.doc.
Zivolich, S. (2012). New Jobs Bill Expected to Boost Hiring Persons With Disabilities, http://pressexposure.com/New Jobs Bill Expected to Boost Hiring Persons With Disabilities.
White, J., & Weiner, J. (2004). Influence of Least Restrictive Environment and Community Based Training on Integrated Employment Outcomes for Transitioning Students with Severe Disabilities, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 21, pp. 149-156.
J., Zivolich, S. (2003). A longitudinal report for three employees in a training consultant model of natural support, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 18 (3), 199-202.
Weiner, J. S. & Zivolich, S. M. (1998). Universal access: A natural support corporate initiative at Universal Studios Hollywood. An entertainment corporation's initiative to employ people with disabilities in a union environment. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 10 (1), 5-14.
Weiner, J. S. & Zivolich, S. M., (Eds.), (1998). Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 10, (1).
Zivolich, S., Shueman, S., Weiner, J. (1997). An Exploratory Cost-Benefit Analysis of Natural Support Strategies in the Employment on People with Severe Disabilities, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 8 (3), 211-221.
Zivolich, S. M., & Weiner, J. S. (1997). A national corporate employment initiative for persons with severe disabilities: A ten year perspective. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 8, (1), 75-87.
Weiner, Zivolich, S. (1996). The Impact of Targeted Jobs Tax Credit Program on Employment Opportunities For Persons With Disabilities, In Targeted Jobs Tax Credit, Hearing Before the Committee on Ways and Means House of Representatives, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C.
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