PROMISE: Lessons learned from six model demonstration projects through the Promoting Readiness of Minors in Supplemental Security Income Project

Achieving Success by Promoting Readiness for Education and Employment (ASPIRE) is a consortium of six western states: Arizona, Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Utah. The project was led by a single entity known as the ASPIRE Project Leadership (APL), which consisted of the ASPIRE program director, an executive secretary, two trainers, and a technology specialist, all employees of the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation (USOR). The management team included the APL, six state coordinators, and an evaluation team. The evaluation team consisted of evaluators from three universities who worked together with USOR to develop the formative evaluation throughout the delivery of PROMISE services. Services were provided through more than 43 service provider partners. ASPIRE project materials  

Youth participants total	2051
Treatment group	1023
Control group	1019

Final participation numbers from projects as of September 30, 2019

Average youth age at enrollment: 15.4

Male	67.5 percent
Female	32.5 percent

Pie chart describing primary impairment

Intellectual and developmental disability	46.5 percent
Other mental impairment	26.5 percent
Physical disability	19.7 percent
Other or unknown	5 percent
Speech, hearing, or visual	2.4 percent

Pie chart describing race/ethnicity

Hispanic	36 percent
White non Hispanic	35.2 percent
Black non Hispanic	9.5 percent
Other/mixed	7.6 percent
American Indian	6.9 percent
Missing	4.8 percent

Either parent/guardian employed at any time in the 12 months before project: 69.9 percent

Average monthly earnings in 12 months before project: $1,573

Youth employed in 12 months before project: 1.9%

Demographics from MPR 18-month interim report

Either parent/guardian employed in month before the 18-month checkpoint

Control group	59 percent
Treatment group	59.5 percent

Earnings in month before the 18-month checkpoint

Control group	$1,339
Treatment group	$1,296

Control goup	29.3 percent
Treatment group	48 percent

Youth had any earnings in year before the 18-month checkpoint

Control group	17.1 percent
Treatment group	21.4 percent

Earnings in year before 18-month checkpoint

Control group	$781
Treatment group	$814

Control group	88.5 percent
Treatment group	96.8 percent

Preliminary outcomes for participants who completed the 18-month survey from MPR 18-month interim report

Unique features

• The breadth and reach of the project required the management of many cooperative agreements across agencies, organizations, and states
• There were 49 Native American Reservations across the six consortium states; ASPIRE formed relationships with tribes and ultimately were given approval to provide services to youth in 11 tribes
• Relationships with provider partners were managed through interagency agreements, memoranda of understanding, and contracts
• ASPIRE executed 58 contracts for implementation, including partnerships with Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs), Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), workforce agencies, Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and other non-government organizations.

Partnerships

• Colorado Department of Human Services, ­Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
• North Dakota Center for Persons with ­Disabilities, Minot State University
• Utah State Office of Rehabilitation
• South Dakota Department of Human Services
• Montana Department of Public Health and ­Human Services
• Arizona Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith, and Families