Purpose

Project EMPower and EMPloy (Project EMP2) will develop and examine the feasibility of a person-centered intervention package for youth with disabilities at risk for justice involvement. In this study, "risk" refers to youth more likely to experience negative outcomes, such as high absenteeism and school dropout, often leading to justice involvement. The target population for this study consists of people with disabilities (e.g., learning disability, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, emotional disturbance) who are identified as high risk for justice involvement in the near future without appropriate intervention and supervision.

Overview

To enhance equity and access for at-risk youth with disabilities, Project EMP2 will employ a three-phase, community-based participatory research design. Phase 1 (Year 1): Develop the intervention program by adapting the curricula to be included in EMP2. Phase 2 (Years 2-4): Conduct a three-cycle iterative pilot study to assess feasibility and acceptability, revising materials based on stakeholder feedback and findings. Phase 3 (Year 5): Finalize and disseminate EMP2. Ultimately, Project EMP2 will develop a strengths-based, interdisciplinary preventative intervention program to address the needs of at-risk youth with disabilities that combines two manualized curricula, Assistive Soft Skills and Employment Training (ASSET) and Employment Preparation and Skills Support (EPASS), with (1) work experiences to practice learned skills; (2) peer mentoring through natural support; (3) person-centered guided self-discovery; (4) strengths-based positive psychology intervention, and (5) other wraparound services (e.g., counseling).