CO SB077

Establishes Employment First policy in Colorado requiring that competitive integrated employment in general workforce be the first and preferred outcome for all working-age persons with disabilities receiving publicly funded services.

Creates Employment First Advisory Partnership comprised of existing entities including State Rehabilitation Council, State Workforce Development Council, and Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program Core State Advisory Group to develop strategic plan and recommendations by November 1, 2017.

Requires partnership to identify barriers to competitive integrated employment, review agency rules and regulations that impede hiring of persons with disabilities, and make recommendations on pre-vocational services to ensure they are time-limited and lead to competitive integrated employment.

Mandates Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, Department of Education, Department of Higher Education, and Department of Human Services to align policies, service delivery practices, funding, and reimbursement structures to support competitive integrated employment outcomes.

Defines competitive integrated employment as work paid at state or federal minimum wage or prevailing wage with benefits in typical work settings where employees with disabilities interact with coworkers without disabilities and have opportunity for advancement, taking effect July 1, 2016.