“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
“What would you like to do for a job?”
Regional Center of Orange County is committed to working on identifying employment opportunities for people with developmental disabilities who want to work.
RCOC is continuing to explore and develop partnerships with businesses of all sizes, community organizations and government agencies throughout Orange County to identify various options and opportunities. Staff work diligently to match skills, talents, abilities and interests with the right job with the right employer.
For many of our young adults and their families, the desire for competitive and integrated employment in the community is at an all-time high. The task is working with our employer programs and community to identify and develop opportunities that will be of mutual benefit to everyone involved.
RCOC’s Employment First Policy
Employment First Information and Resources
Faces of Neurodiversity: Providing Employment Opportunities for Neurodivergent Individuals
Gillman PROJECT SEARCH Program at CHOC Information
Paid Internship Program Information
PROJECT SEARCH Program at Kaiser Permanente in Anaheim Information
HIRE ME – Building Partnerships & Employment for the Orange County Workforce
This short video provides information from the perspective of current employers and employees and more about RCOC’s partnership with community partners
Telemundo Spotlights RCOC Employment of People with Developmental Disabilities
(The interview is conducted in Spanish – here is English Transcript)
Telemundo’s Interview with Cristina Muñoz on Working for the Irvine City Council
(The interview is conducted in Spanish – here is English Transcript)
Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation
This April 2017 article cites RCOC’s successful efforts to implement Employment First policy, in a broader discussion of the California Employment Consortium for Youth (CECY) collaboration.
FOR EMPLOYERS
If you are an employer or business owner looking for qualified candidates and would like more information, please send us your contact information here: Employment.
For our potential employment partners, please visit our FAQs for Employers to help answer questions and provide valuable information about becoming an employer of people with developmental disabilities!
Great Reasons to Hire People with Developmental Disabilities
Benefits and Opportunities for Employers
Current Listing of Orange County’s Employers
Video Archive of Success Stories and Information (coming soon)
FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES
Transition Planning Resource Directory
What is the ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) Act?
FOR PEOPLE WE SERVE AND JOB-SEEKERS
TRANSITION PLANNING
Transition Planning -The Basics
RCOC Transition Planning Resources
RCOC Transition Planning Webinar Training and Information
ORANGE COUNTY WORK-BASED LEARNING SYSTEM
To assist Orange County students/youth/adults with moderate to severe disabilities, staff and families in the
employment preparation process, we have developed ten forms to be used for readiness skills development,
work evaluation, planning and referrals. Forms and more information can be found here.
BENEFITS PLANNING
Working While Maintaining Eligibility for Existing Benefits
Disability Benefits 101 – Working with a Disability in California
Social Security Red Book 2016 (Español)
The Red Book serves as a general reference source about the employment-related provisions of Social Security Disability Insurance and the Supplemental Security Income Programs for educators, advocates, rehabilitation professionals, and counselors who serve people with disabilities.
