Success in Navigating Transition to Employment: Lessons Learned from a Parent of a Youth Receiving Supplemental Security Income

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

SSI is a federal income support program for individuals with disabilities and individuals aged 65 or older with limited income and resources. The SSA (2023) defines disability as the inability to engage in substantial gainful activity due to a medically determinable condition that is either (1) expected to result in death, or (2) expected to continue for a year or more. Eligible individuals receive a monthly SSI payment, and often gain access to Medicaid and other support services. According to an SSA annual report (2016), about 3.5 million individuals between 18 and 64 were reported as receiving SSI only, with the highest percentage having an intellectual disability (18%), followed by mood disorders (15.6%) and musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (14.1%).

Receipt of SSI and Employment Among Youth

The literature on SSI receipt and employment outcomes yields mixed findings. Recent research indicates that without vocational rehabilitation (VR) intervention, employment rates among youth receiving SSI remain low (Schlegelmilch et al., 2019; Williams et al., 2019). SSA data from 2010 to 2021 further show that following the implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014, youth receiving SSI were more likely to apply to VR agencies, complete individualized plans for employment (IPE), and have higher annual earnings than YWD who did not receive SSI (Harrison et al., 2024; Musse et al., 2024). However, variation in the quality and accessibility of VR services persists (Hemmeter et al., 2017). Studies using RSA-911 data have demonstrated that receiving SSI benefits negatively predicted CIE outcomes among transition-age YWD in VR programs (Castruita Rios et al., 2023; Taylor et al., 2024). Other studies have noted that contextual factors, such as family support and access to work-readiness training, impact the employment outcomes of transition-age youth receiving SSI (Anderson et al., 2021; Hemmeter, 2014; Musse et al., 2024; Williams et al., 2019). Collectively, these studies suggest that while VR services are important for promoting employment, youth receiving SSI often require additional supports to achieve successful outcomes.

Wisconsin PROMISE

The Wisconsin Promoting the Readiness of Minors in Supplemental Security Income (WI PROMISE) project was one of six joint federal demonstration projects collaboratively funded by the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Labor, with evaluation support from the SSA (Hartman et al., 2019). WI PROMISE focused on improving employment outcomes for youth receiving SSI. In particular, WI PROMISE supported youth receiving SSI (ages 14–16) in accessing comprehensive, evidence-based vocational and related support services to improve their career and educational goals and outcomes (Hartman et al., 2019; Mamun et al., 2019; Selekman et al., 2018). For more information on WI PROMISE, see Selekman et al. (2018).

WI PROMISE sought to improve employment and career trajectories for youth receiving SSI benefits by strengthening the provision and coordination of services via tailored supports (Hartman et al., 2019). By focusing on family-centered case management and inter-agency collaboration, WI PROMISE aimed to bridge the gaps in vocational training, employment preparation, and supportive services that many YWD encounter (Guentherman et al., 2021). Additionally, WI PROMISE focused on minimizing the disincentives associated with receiving disability benefits to address fears of potential benefit loss (Hartman et al., 2019). WI PROMISE exemplified how innovative approaches can pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable workforce (Anderson et al., 2019).

Purpose of Study

Prior WI PROMISE research has demonstrated that it had a positive impact on youths’ employment and earning outcomes (e.g., Hartman et al., 2019). However, limited research examined in depth the experiences and perspectives of WI PROMISE participants and their parents regarding the factors and circumstances that may have contributed to their successful employment outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of a parent of a former WI PROMISE youth who was successfully employed. The following research questions guided this study:

From the parent's perspective, what were the overall experiences with transition services of the former WI PROMISE youth receiving SSI?

Research Design

The research design for this study was a single-case qualitative study. A single-case qualitative study is valuable when the goal is to obtain an in-depth, contextually rich, and nuanced understanding (Creswell, 2013); it is also selected when the case is unique and merits intensive exploration (Stake, 2005).

Case Selection

This case was selected to illustrate the unique journey of a parent and her youth during the youth's transition to employment. This case was selected because the youth was the only participant in the larger study to report employment across all three intake periods: before, during, and after WI PROMISE. Focusing on this family's experience with WI PROMISE and the broader transition process may help identify factors that supported the youth's employment success, as well as strategies VR counselors may consider when working with youth receiving SSI.

The participant was the parent (mother) of a former WI PROMISE youth (female) who resided in suburban Wisconsin. She disclosed that the youth completed two internships (at a farm animal sanctuary and a public library) while enrolled in WI PROMISE and received support from job coaches. After WI PROMISE, she shared that the youth continued her job at the public library, with increases in both wages and weekly hours over time. At the time of the interview, the youth was enrolled in a liberal arts program at a local college, actively volunteering, and interested in pursuing a career as an author.

Procedures

Data Analysis

The data were analyzed using an iterative phrenetic approach (IPA; Tracy, 2020), in which we allowed the data to guide the analysis. The analysis team comprised two coders (doctoral students) and two additional reviewers (the first two authors), all with a background in rehabilitation counseling and trained in IPA. The rationale for having two additional reviewers throughout the data analytic process was to help ensure consistent analysis (Tracy, 2018). Based on Tracy's (2018) recommendations, intercoder reliability was not calculated because the study's research questions were interpretative rather than frequency-based or focused on the existence of a particular behavior.

Before coding, the analysis team familiarized themselves with the data. In the first cycle, coders independently conducted open coding, assigning words or phrases to the transcript in relation to the research question (Tracy, 2020). In the second cycle, coders interpreted, organized, and synthesized these codes into more analytical second-level codes and developed a codebook with code names, definitions, and examples (Tracy, 2020). Two reviewers then reviewed the secondary codes in relation to the research questions and identified emerging themes. The final codebook included 25 codes, consistent with Tracy's (2018) recommendations, and yielded five themes and 14 subthemes.

Positionality Statement

Qualitative research is influenced by the researchers who design, collect, analyze, and interpret the data (Tracy, 2020); thus, researcher positionality is important to acknowledge. The first author, a woman of color without a disability, has experience supporting youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities from diverse backgrounds in educational and work settings. The broader research team also brought diverse lived and professional experiences, including members who identify as female, have a disability, and/or belong to racial/ethnic minority communities. Team members had prior experience as rehabilitation counselors working with transition-age YWD and their families across settings, including higher education, VR programs, and clinical contexts, and with diverse populations, including individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and racial/ethnic minority groups. In addition, the last two authors each have more than 2 decades of experience supporting YWD and their families in employment and career issues, and have served as principal investigators of the WI PROMISE evaluation. These identities and experiences informed all stages of the research process and shaped the interpretation of the findings.

Theme 1: It Takes a Network: Collaborative Supports Shaping Employment Pathways

One of the most prominent themes was the breadth of supports and resources the family received during WI PROMISE, as well as their influence on the youth's development and independence. This theme illustrates that individualized services, active parent involvement, VR services, and service providers together provided a robust support system that met the family's needs during the transition to employment process.

Theme 2: Navigating the Gaps in the System

This theme encompasses the various challenges identified by the parent throughout their daughter's transition process. The challenges disclosed by her revolved around discrepancies in the availability of supports across school systems, including the lack of service continuity and the impact staffing issues can have on support availability.

Theme 3: Empowering Youth and Families Through Collaborative Support

Although challenges existed, she also acknowledged the program's positive impact. This theme reflects strengths of WI PROMISE as identified by the parent, including financial empowerment for youth, collaborative work with providers, and the provision of support for parents.

Theme 4: Creating Spaces of Belonging: Importance of Inclusive Community Engagement

The importance of community involvement emerged as a theme throughout the family's transition process. The parent emphasized that transition is not just about education and employment, but also about building a sense of belonging and contribution within one's community. Additionally, she described key characteristics that helped determine the types of activities her daughter participated in within the community.

Theme 5: Improving Transition Services: Supporting Youth's Readiness and Community Participation

The parent offered numerous insights on how transition programs could be strengthened for future youth. Based on her experiences and input, two overarching subthemes were observed: (1) the need for earlier transition service provision and (2) reinforcing transition-age youths’ community involvement.

Implications for Practice

Findings from this study highlight several implications for VR counselors working with youth receiving SSI. First, counselors should move beyond standardized service models and provide flexible, individualized, and sustained supports throughout transition. Services should be tailored to each youth's unique strengths, interests, and developmental pace. Person-centered planning tools, such as Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH) and Discovery, can help align IPE goals to reflect the youth's aspirations (Heath et al., 2013; Wood et al., 2019). Building both soft skills (e.g., social interaction, self-advocacy) and job-specific competencies in tandem is critical for increasing long-term employability among youth.

Additionally, our findings support the importance of engaging families as active partners. Parents often hold critical knowledge of their child's abilities, preferences, and needs, and in this study, their advocacy helped address service gaps and facilitated community integration. Prior research has shown that parent involvement is positively associated with youth's employment outcomes (Awsumb et al., 2020; Keel et al., 2018). VR counselors should therefore include parents in the planning process, offer parent-focused supports, and frame families as co-educators who can sustain progress beyond formal services. Our findings also underscore the importance of financial empowerment and benefits counseling for youth receiving SSI, who may fear losing benefits, often discouraging workforce participation. VR counselors should introduce work incentives and asset limits early, connect families with benefits specialists, and encourage participation in financial literacy training. Framing financial skills as a pathway to financial independence may reduce long-term reliance on parental support and improve future planning.

Furthermore, findings highlight the need for greater continuity across systems. VR agencies can reduce disruption during staff turnover by using handoff protocols, such as written summaries and proactive follow-up. Joint transition meetings involving youth, parents, schools, and VR staff may further reduce service fragmentation. Moreover, VR counselors should reinforce long-term and sustainable engagement. Transition supports should extend beyond program completion through booster sessions, periodic check-ins, and sustained community partnerships. Incorporating social participation goals into IPEs and advocating for opportunities and scaffolding experiences (e.g., volunteering, job shadowing, internships, paid employment) may improve workplace readiness and reduce anxiety.

Finally, the findings emphasize the importance of community-based work and opportunities for social participation. Volunteering and internships promoted skill-building, confidence, and social integration. VR counselors should cultivate partnerships with community organizations and employers to expand structured, inclusive opportunities beginning in middle or early high school. VR counselors can encourage natural supports by preparing employers and community partners to integrate YWD as valued contributors. Overall, VR counselors should see themselves not only as service providers but as relationship builders, advocates, and system navigators who bridge service gaps, empower families, and foster community belonging. By implementing these practices, VR counselors can more effectively support youth who receive SSI in achieving meaningful employment outcomes and fully participating in their communities.

Limitations and Future Research

This study has several limitations that should be considered when interpreting our results. First, the single-case study design limits the generalizability of our findings. Although this approach offers rich insight into one family's successful transition-to-employment experience, that experience may not reflect those of other WI PROMISE participants or youth outside the program. Because this case involved a youth employed across all three time points, the family's experiences may differ from those of families with less stable employment histories. In addition, the analysis relied solely on the parents’ perspective, limiting understanding of the youth's experiences with WI PROMISE and the transition-to-employment process. Researcher bias is another limitation inherent in qualitative inquiry. Although multiple rounds of coding and review were used to enhance trustworthiness, interpretation of the participants’ responses may still have been influenced by the researcher's perspectives.

Future research should further examine the transition-to-employment experiences of youth receiving SSI and their parents to better understand variation across families and contexts. Studies should also include youth from diverse backgrounds to examine how systemic inequities and environmental factors shape these experiences. Additionally, research should consider differences across employment histories and disability types, as some disability groups may face greater barriers to employment. Examining youth employment trajectories alongside changes in SSI status may also clarify the implications of benefit receipt and inform strategies to support employment among youth receiving SSI.