UCLA Health joins initiative to expand employment for disabled Californians

UCLA Health is set to participate in a new three-year initiative to expand employment opportunities and training for Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities - a population that has historically been overlooked by the job market.

In the new $5.4 million initiative, the UCLA Tarjan Center will work with the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to improve employment pathways, workforce training, leadership development and access to disability resources for Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

This effort reflects what's possible when universities and state government work with the community toward a common goal. Together, we're creating opportunities that support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to pursue meaningful careers while also strengthening the systems that support them."

Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson, director of the UCLA Tarjan Center, a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities

For many Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities, finding a job isn't simply about applying. It often means overcoming misconceptions about their abilities, navigating limited community spaces and resources, and waiting for someone to recognize their potential. According to the California DDS, only 15% of working-age Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities receiving services from the department's regional centers earned wages in 2023–24, meaning approximately 85% had no reported paid employment.

The new initiative includes three complementary UCLA Tarjan Center programs designed to improve employment outcomes and increase access to information and community resources:

• The Workforce Preparation and Placement Program to provide a comprehensive pathway to employment, leadership and self-advocacy for individuals served by DDS regional centers.
• A 12-week Advocacy Academy to develop knowledge and skills to become emerging disability rights leaders. The academy teaches self-advocacy, disability policy, systems change, leadership, and effective communication, and is uniquely co-led by professionals alongside self-advocacy coaches who are themselves individuals with disabilities. 
• UCLA's PEERS for Careers program to teach essential social and interpersonal skills needed to find and maintain meaningful employment.

Following this, participants will be hired as paid interns with either UCLA or DDS, providing participants with valuable real-world professional experience while building the skills, confidence and connections needed for long-term career success.

For Monika Jezebelle, the impact of these programs has been immense. After completing the PEERS for Careers program, Jezebelle has become an advocate working to improve disability policy and ensure that the voices of people with disabilities are represented in decisions that shape California's future.

"This program helped me realize that my experiences mattered," Jezebelle said. "Employment gave me confidence, but advocacy gave me purpose. Today, I help shape policies so that future generations of people with disabilities have even greater opportunities than I did."

The second initiative includes the Training and Community Resource Sharing Program. This program seeks to broaden access to disability-related information through educational programs, accessible resources and statewide community outreach for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, professionals and community partners.

"Employment is only one part of true inclusion," Laugeson said. "People also need access to information, community connections, leadership opportunities and the skills to advocate for themselves. These programs are designed to support individuals and families across each of those areas."

Beyond preparing individuals for employment, the project seeks to strengthen disability leadership throughout California by creating opportunities for people with disabilities to advocate for themselves, influence public policy and help shape more inclusive communities.

"Our goal is not simply to help people find jobs," Laugeson said. "It's to help people build meaningful careers, become leaders, influence public policy, and fully participate in their communities. This initiative is about creating opportunities today while building a more inclusive California for generations to come."