Customized Employment Pilot Project - An Interview with Lorie Sandaine
By Drew Milne
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities can face challenges in finding and keeping a job. Finding a job that they enjoy and suits their unique strengths can be empowering, especially with proper supports. An approach called Customized Employment is one way to make this happen. Customized Employment is an employment model that focuses on a participant’s unique interests and skills to tailor their job search. Lorie Sandaine, the Sonoran Center’s Systems Change Liaison, is leading a pilot project to implement Customized Employment services across the state of Arizona. Drew Milne, the Sonoran Center’s Content Coordinator, had an opportunity to sit down with Lorie to discuss the pilot, the state of disability employment services in Arizona, the future of Customized Employment, and more.
Drew: Please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about Customized Employment
Lorie: My name is Lorie Sandaine and I've rejoined the Sonoran Center as a Systems Change Liaison. My main project right now is leading the Customized Employment pilot in partnership with Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). I have almost 20 years of experience in disability inclusion in the workforce. This project is why I came back; I was super excited about it. I believe it's important for Arizona to have this service, so I definitely want to make it happen.
Customized Employment is a personalized approach to help individuals with significant disabilities find meaningful work. Instead of fitting a person into an existing job, it involves creating a job role that matches the individual's unique strengths, interests, and support needs, while also meeting the needs of the employer.
Drew: What does the process look like, of starting to work with the person and then creating that job position?
Lorie: Unlike traditional job searches, we don't focus on existing job openings. Instead, we start with a process called Discovery, where we spend time—typically around 30 to 45 hours—getting to know the individual's strengths, interests, and ideal work environment. We conduct interviews with the person and those who know them well, visit their home, and explore their community to understand potential job opportunities nearby.
After the Discovery phase, we work on aligning specific job tasks with the individual's abilities and the employer's needs. This might involve creating a new role or customizing tasks within an existing role to ensure a perfect fit. The goal is to develop a job that doesn't just exist already but is tailored specifically to the person, enabling them to thrive and contribute meaningfully in the workplace.
Drew: I can see how it'd be really advantageous to work with someone so extensively to get to understand their interests and how they work and how they communicate. From your perspective, what are some of the advantages that you see with this model?
Lorie: I think that it's really that Discovery time. I think a lot of people with significant disabilities don't know what they're good at. It gives us the opportunity, and for them to discover that, all through their natural way. Our systems and our schools are based around what people can't do, so they're probably very aware of what they can't do. But when you switch that around and ask someone what they can do, they might not know the answer. Customized Employment gives them the opportunity to explore that, and besides, who wants to spend time on what they can't do? We want to spend time on what they can do, and it gives them that opportunity to show us what they can do.
I think that's what makes the model. It's a mindset shift or paradigm shift in how our systems work, because we're literally going to change the systems, both how we see job seekers with significant disabilities and how we're going to serve and support them. For me it's that: working with job seekers and having them see for the first time that they're capable and that they can do things given their right work environment and right supports. I love helping people discover what they're good at. I think that that's where we all thrive, where we're doing things that we're good at and that we're interested in. We all just need to be able to discover that and be given the opportunity.
Drew: I really love this shift in mindset from what a person can't do to what they can do. It's a big change both for the individual and for the system.
Lorie: What I find really important about Customized Employment is that it's currently not a service available in our state. This means people with significant disabilities lack the support they need to obtain and maintain employment, contributing to the employment challenges we see in Arizona. Moreover, providers contracted by state Vocational Rehabilitation or the Division of Developmental Disabilities, aren’t trained in Customized Employment either. It's easy to say, “Well, providers aren’t trained, and there’s no service,” but at the end of the day, we have to look at ourselves and ask, “What can I do?” It goes back to what I teach about focusing on what can we do –what can they do? What can I do to implement these services or to learn more about them so that I can support people with significant disabilities to obtain work?
Drew: Looking at this project, specifically this collaboration with Arizona VR, How did that get started?
Lorie: Great question. A couple of significant things have happened since we first started discussing Customized Employment a few years ago. First, Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) hired a Strategic Initiatives Manager–a new role focused solely on special projects like this one. With her dedication, VR now has someone committed to rolling out initiatives like this.
Second, the Sonoran Center was able to take the lead by assigning someone full-time to this pilot project. With the right staff in place, we were able to implement this project effectively. It's natural and fitting that the Sonoran Center, being a UCEDD and experts in our field, would spearhead this effort.
I also want to commend Arizona Vocational Rehabilitation for recognizing the importance of this service. Their commitment to supporting individuals with significant disabilities to obtain and maintain employment says a lot about their strategic priorities. With this Customized Employment pilot, they're acknowledging the need and actively taking steps to address it.
Drew: The project works with providers like Workability, Odyssey Services, and La Frontera, is that correct?
Lorie: Yes. For the customized appointment pilot, we began planning in mid-December 2023 with our initial introductory meeting and started planning in January. We then advertised, received applications, and then selected providers based on specific requirements. By May 21 of 2024, we had our kickoff meeting with the three (3) selected providers.
The providers had to be contracted both with Vocational Rehabilitation for Job Development and Retention (JDR) services, and with the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) to provide extended employment supports. In Arizona, it’s common for providers to work with either VR services or DDD, but less common to do both. We wanted providers who could help individuals find and stabilize employment and also offer extended support funded by DDD to help them maintain their jobs. This is crucial because many people, especially those with significant disabilities, can get a job but struggle to keep it without adequate support. I think it is important to acknowledge our Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) partners who also provide support to Tribal job seekers.
We selected WorkAbility from Tucson not only because they met the requirements but also because they serve Yuma and Nogales, allowing us to include job seekers from those areas. Odyssey Services was chosen because they serve Maricopa County and areas north of it, including rural and tribal regions, providing us with valuable rural perspectives. La Frontera, based in Tucson, is a behavioral health organization, offering a different employment perspective.
Our goal was to gather as many perspectives as possible across the state, even though it's a small pilot with three (3) providers and nine (9) job seekers. We intentionally kept it manageable while capturing diverse experiences. We wanted the pilot to be a learning experience. I encourage job seekers, parents, providers and partners to be authentic and not to sugarcoat issues, so we can understand the real strengths and challenges in Arizona. There's no judgment; I'm here to support them and work through barriers and identify strengths together. This approach helps ensure the service is realistic, practical, and achievable for providers new to this service.
To support the providers, we conducted intensive training over the first three months. They received around 40 hours of training—20 hours of on-demand online learning and in-person sessions every three weeks to discuss implementation. We tailored the training to each organization's unique system and worked on embedding Customized Employment services within their current business models. Leadership from each provider also participated, receiving additional training to address policies, staff support, and plans for statewide expansion. By involving both leadership and direct service staff, we're ensuring that Customized Employment can be effectively implemented and scaled across Arizona.
Drew: It's very impressive how you're able to get just so much coverage of the different populations, different sectors of the workforce, and different business models with such a small pilot. What have been some of your findings so far, if any?
Lorie: We've discovered two major positive findings. First, providers initially thought they were already practicing Customized Employment, but after the training, they realized they weren't fully implementing the complete model. This awareness was significant.
Second, even though Customized Employment is designed for people with significant disabilities, providers are now applying its principles—like focusing on what someone can do—to all their clients. This approach benefits everyone.
To me, that's a huge win. The training is not only clarifying what Customized Employment truly is but also enhancing services across entire caseloads. There's growing interest from parents wanting to get their children involved, and Vocational Rehabilitation is investing to make it happen.
Drew: I think it shows that there's a need to spread the word about what Customized Employment actually is. A lot of people can really benefit from it. Looking ahead, what is the next phase of the project?
Lorie: We're in the implementation phase, working with job seekers. I used a staggered start—beginning with WorkAbility, then Odyssey Group three weeks later, and La Frontera after that—to improve the training by incorporating feedback from each group.
We're wrapping up training and have started implementation. Providers will lead the implementation of services with my guidance. We've involving Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (state & tribal), DDD Support Coordinators, DDD Employment Support Specialists and both agency leaderships offering them training and including them in collaborations.
I'm focusing on scalability now so we're prepared when the pilot ends. Although it's an ambitious timeline, we're flexible and adapting as needed. We're "building the plane as we fly," but we're making progress.
Overall, I'm pleased with our progress since the kickoff on May 21st, especially seeing the diversity among job seekers.
Drew: How do you see this model being expanded statewide?
Lorie: I am motivated to ensure that Customized Employment becomes a cornerstone service within Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). While VR currently offers job development and retention services for traditional employment models, our ultimate goal is to establish a dedicated Customized Employment service within VR. This will allow providers to offer it as a contracted service, and we'll have our on-demand training available to support everyone involved.
For Customized Employment to truly succeed, we need to advocate for and amplify the message of Employment First. There's immense value in ensuring that parents, teachers, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs), DDD Support Coordinators, employers, advocates, and individuals themselves believe in their ability to work. That's why it's crucial to tie these two together. Employment First declares that everyone can work; Customized Employment is the pathway to make it happen. Without collective belief and advocacy, the service won't reach its full potential—it would simply remain unused.
Drew: Employment first is kind of the bedrock that the rest of these programs can kind of build off of. Is there any way for people right now to get involved, in terms of employers or parents or just people who want to get involved?
Lorie: Absolutely! Even though the pilot program has identified its initial job seekers, there are plenty of ways to get involved right now. We have resources available on our website where you can follow our progress and access information about Customized Employment.
Don't wait for the pilot to conclude—start the conversation now! Providers, be open to learning and unlearning as we introduce Customized Employment services. This is an opportunity to enhance your practices and embrace new methodologies that focus on individuals' strengths and potential. I encourage state agencies to actively support and engage in the implementation of Customized Employment services. Your role is pivotal in authorizing and supporting these services for individuals with significant disabilities. Employers can explore how Customized Employment can enrich their businesses by being open to creating inclusive roles that tap into individuals' unique strengths. I invite parents to embrace competitive integrated employment for their loved one. Advocate for employment services, ask questions, and express your enthusiasm. Most importantly, job seekers, this service is all about you. You have special talents and things you like to do. Believe in yourself and speak up about what you want.
It is important we continue to build momentum for this important initiative.