Creating career pathways for Rhode Islanders with IDD
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), employment can foster greater independence, stability, community connection and a stronger sense of purpose.
Access to meaningful jobs, however, remains limited for many of the more than 7 million Americans with IDD,1 which includes people with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and autism spectrum disorder.2 Eight in 10 people with IDD do not have a paid, integrated job, despite half of those without employment expressing a desire to work.
Building independence and workforce opportunities in Rhode Island
In Rhode Island, AccessPoint RI has worked since 1965 to reduce these barriers to employment. Each year, the nonprofit connects more than 600 adults with residential, educational and employment resources based on individual needs.
The organization’s Pathways to Independence program is designed to increase workforce participation among people with IDD while supporting the transition to adulthood through daily life skills, community engagement, confidence-building, and social and communication development.
"When people with disabilities have access to the right supports at the right time, they are able to contribute, work, grow and thrive. Our entire community becomes stronger as a result.”
By collaborating with more than 60 local employers, AccessPoint RI facilitates individualized career planning, job placement, internships, coaching and more. Within this large local employer network, the organization also helps identify workforce needs and create additional inclusive employment opportunities.
In 2025, AccessPoint RI launched its Gaining Adult Perspectives (GAP) initiative to provide targeted support for people between the ages of 22 and 26. Many young adults with IDD face significant gaps in support as they transition to adulthood and lose access to some of the services, social connections, familiar structure and school-based resources more widely available to children and adolescents.3
“This is an investment in people, but it is also an investment in a more innovative and inclusive Rhode Island,” said Tracey Martins, president and CEO of AccessPoint RI.
“When people with disabilities have access to the right supports at the right time, they are able to contribute, work, grow and thrive. Our entire community becomes stronger as a result.”
Supporting programs that help people with IDD find meaningful employment
To expand access to these essential resources and foster workforce development among people with IDD in the state, UnitedHealthcare recently invested in AccessPoint RI's ongoing work.
- Among other services and support, the partnership will allow AccessPoint RI to provide Rhode Islanders with IDD greater access to:
- Job readiness training and career exploration
- Employer engagement and job placement
- Supported employment and coaching
- Long-term retention and advancement support
In addition to serving people with IDD, AccessPoint RI's workforce development program also supports individuals with behavioral health conditions, participants in the state's Volunteer Extended Care (VEC) programs, recipients of DHS/TANF and others facing systemic barriers to employment.
“At UnitedHealthcare, we believe healthier communities are built when every person has access to the support, tools and opportunities they need to reach their full potential,” said Mike Florczyk, CEO, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Rhode Island.
“Our investment in AccessPoint RI reflects our commitment to helping Rhode Islanders with disabilities build skills, pursue meaningful employment and foster strong connections. By supporting innovative programs like workforce development and GAP, we can help create pathways to greater independence, inclusion and long-term well-being.”
Learn about our support for workforce development in Rhode Island
Sources
- Administration for Community Living. (2021, July 12). 30 Years of Community Living for Individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities (1987-2017).
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2021, November 9). About Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDDs).
- Henninger, N. A., & Taylor, J. L. (2014). Family perspectives on a successful transition to adulthood for individuals with disabilities. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
