Ready to meet you where you are.

From parents planning how their teenage child with differing abilities will transition into adulthood and get a job, to adults with differing abilities who are looking to gain more independence with employment on their own, Employment Services with The Arc NCR is here to help and empower.

Achieve with us.

We currently have 65+ employment partnerships throughout the northern Chesapeake region. Over 100 people with differing abilities are receiving support in competitive, integrated employment. And our rate of employment for those with differing abilities 27% higher than the national average.

Our services are available through the two sources listed below.

• Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA)
• Maryland State Department of Education: Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS)

Each of these sources offers a unique menu of services which are explained in the dropdown sections below. Please click on a section to learn more about it, but also know that our team is available to help you navigate what is best for you or your loved one. Email Jeanne Beaman at jbeamen@arcncr.org.

DDA Funded Services

The Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) provides The Arc NCR’s main Employment Services for the agency, solely for adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in the DDA Waiver. To learn more about the DDA Waiver, please contact our Admissions team by clicking here. The goal is for long-term support to obtain and maintain competitive, integrated employment. The photographs below highlight the various places of employment that we partner with.

Through the DDA Waiver, our team provides the services outlined in the tabs below. Each of these services occurs under the umbrella of what is called Job Placement. Click a tab to learn about a service area.

• Discovery
• Career Exploration
• Job Searching
• Job Coaching

Explore and Experience

The foundation for employment. Discovery is a time sensitive, person-centered, and community-based service that allows the job seeker to “discover” their potential, abilities, strengths, and interests related to work. 

• During the Discovery process, we identify abilities, interests, learning styles, skills, strengths and accommodations needed to overcome barriers.
• Strategically, the process of Discovery includes community assessments, job trials and social group settings.
• After the Discovery process, the job seeker walks away with an information profile, a resume and an employment plan for job searching.

Learning and Earning

Career Exploration is an option that allows job seekers to learn valuable, transferable employment skills such as workplace behaviors, time management, communication, and teamwork while earning a paycheck. Participants of Career Exploration work on janitorial crews in the community for pay and experience.

Coaches of Career Exploration observe job seekers and continuously assess their skills as they help the job seeker prepare for job search services. Career Exploration helps job seekers develop employment goals such as:

• Attendance
• Building stamina
• Completing tasks
• Developing safety skills
• Effective communication with supervisors, co-workers, and customers
• Following instructions
• Problem solving

Acquire and Achieve

Job search services are offered to first time job seekers, job seekers looking for a change in employment, or job seekers who have lost their jobs. Person-centered support is provided to help obtain competitive employment that is meaningful and community-based.

Job search services are direct and indirect. Direct services include:

• Assistance with completing applications and following up with potential employers
• Interview preparation and assistance
• Identifying reasonable accommodations
• Supporting self-advocacy and self-disclosure
• Onboarding
• Advocacy

Indirect services include:

• Networking
• Building relationships with potential employers
• Belonging to organizations such as The Chamber of Commerce
• Partnering with other job search agencies such as Susquehanna Workforce Network

The goal is to acquire meaningful employment that is competitive and integrated.

To Have and to Hold

Once a person is meaningfully employed, they are assigned a job coach to help train, maintain employment, and learn new tasks or skills on the job. The job coach is a trainer and advocate but also a partner to the employer.

When a person obtains new employment or new tasks at an existing job, they will receive “ongoing” support, a one-to-one service with the job coach being present for a specified amount of time until the job earner is stable in their position.

After a pre-determined amount of time, the job coach fades back but not away. The job coach will then “follow along” twice per month unless there is a need for the job coach to return to ongoing support for a period.

DORS Funded Services

The Maryland State Department of Education: Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) offers a broader range of services than that of Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA). The Arc NCR is a vendor of these services in addition to the DDA services it provides.

Beyond the limit of only being available to those with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities as through DDA, DORS services are available to anyone with any documented disability or serious health condition that makes it difficult obtain or maintain employment, starting with pre-employment services as early as age 14. The goal of these services are short-term and cover the areas listed in the tabs below.

• Pre-Employment (14-21)
• Training
• Placement
• Retention

We have a strong relationship with Harford County Public Schools to best understand the needs of the students and to help the students be prepared for employment upon high school completion.  We offer multiple pre-employment services to students ranging from workplace readiness training (classroom style) to work based learning experiences (WBLE) allowing students to gain valuable work skills and experiences while earning competitive wages. 

Another advantage to working with students is the seamless transition from school-aged services to adult services and from the public school system to adult DORS or DDA funding.  Our staff helps identify needs early to help them acquire the services they need as an adult through assessments and observations.

Employee Development Skills Training (EDS)

Our classroom-style EDS offers the people we serve with workplace skills necessary to obtain and maintain employment. Participants learn valuable and appropriate workplace behaviors such as time management, communication and including job search skills: application completion, resume writing and interview techniques. These essential skills prepare our clients for success in the workplace.

Job Search and Placement Services

In partnership with the Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS), our job placement professionals, known as job developers, assist with placing people in meaningful employment, finding the best job or career match based on their interests, skills, and abilities.  Our job developers have business relationships with over 150 employers, including positions on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Harford County Public Schools, and several stores in Harford Mall (just to mention a few).

Job Retention Services

After employment has been achieved, we help people to succeed in their new position by providing job training and job coaching, disability awareness training to the employer and if necessary, advocacy. Our retention services are time limited based on individual needs.

Support the mission.

We are a community-based organization, and as part of the community, you can support our mission. Do you know of a company that would be open to partnering with us for job trials, assessments or hiring? Send them our way.

Email: jbeamen@arcncr.org
Call us at: 410-836-7177

If you are interested applying for The Arc NCR’s Employment Services, or just want to ask a few questions about our services, complete the contact form on our “Apply for Services” page linked below.