Your Employment Connection for People with Disabilities
Asotin-Garfield County Community Services connects individual with disabilities to employment pathways. We work with local school districts to help students and families with eligibility processes to ensure the student has a job or career oriented vocational lined up when they graduate. Our transition specialist, Fred Deibel, has 40 years experience working as a special education teacher, giving him great credibility with educators and families of students with disabilities. To connect with Fred with eligibility questions, or to discuss employment opportunities for students or adults in Asotin/Garfield counties, email fdeibel@co.asotin.wa.us or contact the county coordinator, Cynthia Tierney, former teacher and school administrator, at ctierney@co.asotin.wa.us.
Partner Agencies
For assistance navigating the eligibility process, please contact the state agencies below directly, or let Asotin County Community Services assist you with the process.
Benefit U
Developmental Disability Administration (DDA)
(509) 329-2900
Foundational Community Supports
(844) 451-2828 (TTY 711)
Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired
(208) 334-3220
Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Main Office (208) 334-3390
Lewiston Office (208) 799-5070
Moscow Office (208) 882-8550
Orofino Office (208) 476-5574
Washington Initiative for Supported Employment (WISE)
(509) 328-2310
Washington State Department of Services for the Blind (DSB)
(800) 552-7103
Washington State DVR
Individual Vocational Services: (509) 780-7687
DDA Employment Providers
Asotin County Community Services
(509) 758-8349
Asotin and Garfield County DDA services provided: Individual Employment, Group Supported Employment, Community Inclusion, Job Foundations.
Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest
(208) 743-4528
Asotin and Garfield County DDA services provided: Individual Employment and Community Inclusion
Opportunities Unlimited, Inc.
(208) 743-1563
Asotin County DDA services provided: Individual Employment
Developmental Disabilities Administration
The Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) provides long-term employment/day services to eligible individuals age 21 and over. Services may include:
Individual Supported Employment: discovery (identifying interests, strengths, needs), assessment, job preparation, job placement & coaching;
Group Supported Employment: supervised employment for groups of no more than 8 workers with disabilities in the same setting;
Community Inclusion: participation in activities that promote individualized skill development, independent living and community integration.
If your high school student experiences a developmental disability, defined as a disability that originates before the age of eighteen, and which constitutes a substantial limitation to activities of daily living, please reach out for assistance with the process of determining eligibility for Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) support services by calling Asotin-Garfield County Community Services at (509) 758-8349 or your local DDA office at (509) 329-2900 (Asotin/Garfield). Determining DDA eligibility before your child graduates from high school opens up many options for the transition to adulthood, including assistance with finding and retaining a job, housing options, and inclusion in community activities. Avoid a graduation to the couch-determine your child’s DDA eligibility for DDA services today!
Washington Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) helps adults with disabilities find and secure stable employment. DVR services are not long-term. Their purpose is to provide the necessary tools and assistance for initial job placement and (if needed) to aid transition to long-term supports outside DVR (such as DDA).
Services may include: counseling & guidance; trial work experience; community-based assessment; benefits planning; assistive technology; job-related services such as completing applications, developing a resume, practicing interview skills, conducting a job search, gaining job skills; and transition to DDA long-term supports.
Washington State DVR-Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) partners with school districts to help students receiving high school transition services prepare for and find employment.
Foundational Community Supports
Foundation Community Supports (FCS) helps our most vulnerable beneficiaries get and keep stable housing and employment, in support of their broader health needs. FCS is also referred to as Initiative 3 of the Healthier Washington Medicaid Transformation. Local providers of supported employment include Asotin-Garfield County Community Services and Quality Behavioral Health (QBH). QBH also offers housing supports through FCS. Asotin-Garfield County Community Services is working with individuals referred by FCS right now!
Who is eligible for Foundation Community Supports?
Individuals who qualify for Medicaid and individuals who meet the requirements for complex needs including traumatic brain injuries, chronic homelessness, diagnosis of disability after age 18, enrolled in the state housing and essential needs (HEN) or aged, blind or disabled (ABD) program, single mental health diagnosis
Washington DVR Pre-Transition Services
Preparing Students for Entering the World of Work and Independent Living
Any student currently attending or enrolled in an education program, ages 14-21, with an IEP, a 504 plan, or a documented disability, may participate in Group Pre-ETS Services. Group Pre-ETS Services include self-advocacy training, counseling of post-secondary education, work place readiness training, and work based learning experiences. The goal is to prepare students for entering the world of work and living independently after they graduate. Students 16-21 may be referred for Individual Pre-ETS services which include authorization for paid work experiences. Connect with Washington Pre-Employment Transition Group Services at 1-800-363-4700.
Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Washington State Department of Services for the Blind (DSB)
DSB provides services for people of all ages who are blind or have low vision in the state of Washington. The agency works with providers to deliver services to more than 2,800 Washington State residents to help them gain or retain employment.
Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ICBVI)
ICBVI works with providers to assist blind and visually impaired persons to achieve independence by providing education, developing work skills, increasing self-confidence and helping them remain employed or prepare for employment.