ERIC Number: ED533494
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Jun
Pages: 91
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Employment for People with Disabilities: Little Is Known about the Effectiveness of Fragmented and Overlapping Programs. Report to Congressional Committees. GAO-12-677
Bertoni, Daniel
US Government Accountability Office
Many federal programs--within the Departments of Education, Labor, and Veterans Affairs; the Social Security Administration; and other agencies--help people with disabilities overcome barriers to employment. Section 21 of Pub. L. No. 111-139 requires GAO to identify and report annually on programs, agencies, offices, and initiatives that have duplicative goals or activities. GAO examined the extent to which programs that support employment for people with disabilities (1) provide similar services to similar populations and (2) measure effectiveness. GAO identified programs by searching the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance and consulting agency officials. GAO surveyed and interviewed agency officials to determine program objectives and activities. Nine agencies reviewed the draft report and five provided comments. Labor was concerned that GAO characterized its programs as fragmented and potentially duplicative. While multiple programs may be appropriate, GAO maintains that additional review and coordination may reduce inefficiencies and improve effectiveness among overlapping programs. GAO is not recommending executive action at this time. In a recent report, GAO suggested the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) consider establishing governmentwide goals for employment of people with disabilities, and working with agencies that administer overlapping programs to determine whether consolidation might result in more effective and efficient delivery of services. GAO continues to believe these actions are needed and will follow up with OMB to determine their status. Appended are: (1) Objectives, Scope, and Methodology; (2) Selected Survey Data from Programs That Have Ended Since Fiscal Year 2010; (3) Reported Program Obligations and Number of People with Disabilities Served; (4) Reported Program Objectives and Eligibility Requirements; (5) Services Reported to Be Provided in Fiscal Year 2010, by Population and Program; (6) Employment-Related Outcome Measures Programs Reported Tracking for People with Disabilities in Fiscal Year 2010; (7) Programs That Identified Performance Reviews Completed Since 2006, by Type of Study; (8) Agency Comments from the Department of Agriculture; (9) Agency Comments from the Department of Education; (10) Agency Comments from the Department of Labor; and (11) GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments. (Contains 8 tables, 7 figures, 42 footnotes.)
Descriptors: Federal Programs, Disabilities, Labor, Program Effectiveness, Employment Level, Government Role, Equal Opportunities (Jobs), Surveys, Interviews, Barriers, Eligibility, Outcomes of Education, Performance Based Assessment, Public Agencies, Rehabilitation, Assistive Technology, Employment Services, Vocational Rehabilitation, American Indians, Migrants, Costs, Grants, State Aid, Incentives, Recruitment
US Government Accountability Office. 441 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20548. Tel: 202-512-6000; Web site: http://www.gao.gov
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: US Government Accountability Office
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A