Abstract
This paper describes how supported employment programs are part a set of comprehensive employment programs that began with the rehabilitation program in 1920. It describes a survey of the directors of supported employment programs in 24 service providers in Maryland (85 percent response rate). Two important conclusions were drawn. First, the individuals who are primarily responsible for the provision of supported employment services believe that improvement is needed to find more jobs, higher paying jobs, and jobs with more weekly hours for supported employees. Second, They acknowledged that a number of issues must be resolved. Transportation must be improved, particularly to jobs available during the evenings and weekends. Improved methods of funding should developed that more accurately support the individual service needs of diverse consumers, and with financial incentives to encourage both efficiency and effectiveness. All respondents agreed that meaningful data systems should be developed that would identify successes, failures, and problems, and most respondents believed that the system should identify the performance of each service provider.