Maine's CHOICES CEO Project
Maine's Disability and Employment Dashboard
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This section discusses the data sources for some of the previous charts.
Data Sources
U. S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey
Used in:
- Chart I. Employment Participation of Working-age Adults in Maine by Disability Status
- Chart II. Employment Participation of Working-age Adults in Maine by Disability Type
- Chart III. Full-time/Full-year Employment
- Chart IV. Median Household Income of Working-age Adults in Maine by Disability Status
- Chart V. Poverty Status of Working-age Adults in Maine by Disability Status
Overview
The American Community Survey (ACS) is a nationwide survey that provides communities a fresh look at how they are changing. It is a critical element of the Census Bureau’s reengineered census.
The decennial census has two parts: 1) a short form that counts the population; and 2) a long form that obtains demographic, housing, social, and economic data. Information from the long form is used for the administration of federal programs and the distribution of billions of federal dollars. Since the census is conducted only once every 10 years, the long-form information becomes out-of-date after a few years. The ACS is a way to provide long-form-type information each year instead of once every ten years. This ongoing survey will replace the long form in future censuses. 1
Year of most recent available data: 2007
Definition of Disability
The U.S. Census Bureau uses an activity-limitation definition of disability. It defines a disability as: “…a long-lasting physical, mental, or emotional condition. This condition can make it difficult for a person to do activities such as walking, climbing stairs, dressing, bathing, learning, or remembering. This condition can also impede a person from being able to go outside the home alone or to work at a job or business.” 2
The ACS identifies six different types of activity limitations by using the six questions below. People aged 16-64 are classified as having a disability if they report at least one of these conditions.
| Census Term | Question |
|---|---|
Q15. Does this person have any of the following long-lasting conditions: |
|
| Sensory Disability | a. Blindness, deafness, or a severe vision or hearing impairment? |
| Physical Disability | b. A condition that substantially limits one or more basic physical activities such as walking, climbing stairs, reaching, lifting, or carrying? |
Q16. Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition lasting 6 months or more, does this person have any difficulty in doing any of the following activities: |
|
| Mental Disability | a. Learning, remembering, or concentrating? |
| Self-care Disability | b. Dressing, bathing, or getting around inside the home? |
Q17. Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition lasting 6 months or more, does this person have any difficulty in doing any of the following activities: |
|
Go-Outside-the-Home Disability |
a. Going outside the home alone to shop or visit a doctor's office? |
Employment Disability |
b. Working at a job or business? |
Source: Weathers, Robert. 2005. A Guide to Disability Statistics from the American Community Survey. Table 1a. Cornell University, Employment & Disability Institute. http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/edicollect/129
Definition of Employment
This category includes all civilians 16-years-old and older who were either:
- At work — this includes those who did any work during the reference week as paid employees, within their own business or profession, on their own farm, or as unpaid workers on a family farm or in a family business for 15 hours or more; or
- With a job but not
at work — this includes those who did
not work during the reference week but had jobs
or businesses from which they were temporarily
absent due to illness, bad weather, industrial dispute, vacation
or other personal reasons.
Those who are not classified as “employed” include people on active duty in the United States Armed Forces; people whose only work activity consisted of work around the house or unpaid volunteer work for religious, charitable, and similar organizations.3
Statistical Reliability and Validity Considerations
Every year, the Census surveys over 500,000 people nationwide for its ACS. From 2000 to 2004, Maine had between 3,800 and 5,000 adult respondents to the ACS. In 2005, the Census increased the ACS sample. This resulted in Maine having more than 7,000 respondents. The growth of the sample means the estimates given by the ACS have been getting more precise over time.
Looking at Trends in the ACS
In 2005, the ACS moved out of its development phase and into full implementation. Changes to the sample design were made during this transition. These changes may have created a “seam” in the data between 2004 and 2005. Consequently, the Census Bureau does not recommend using the ACS to compare 2005 results to earlier years.4
An example of one of these changes is that estimates are now available for smaller locations — areas with populations of 65,000 people or more rather than areas with populations over 250,000. Prior to 2005, some parts of Maine were not included in the sample. Since 2005 the entire state has been represented.
In preparing Snapshot 2008, we limit our presentation to results from ACS years 2005 through 2007 to avoid this issue. However, previous versions of the Snapshot do include results from the 2003 and 2004 ACS surveys. If you compare Snapshot 2008 to prior versions, it is important to keep in mind that apparent increases or decreases in population estimates across the 2004 to 2005 “seam” may be the result of sampling design changes rather than actual shifts in Maine’s population.
In 2006, the ACS added a sample of individuals living in Group Quarters
(GQ). GQ facilities include such places as college residence halls,
residential treatment centers, skilled nursing facilities, group homes,
military barracks, correctional facilities, workers’ dormitories,
and facilities for people experiencing homelessness. To maximize comparability
to the 2005 ACS, we excluded the GQ sample in creating estimates for
Snapshot 2008.
Internet Site for Further Information:
http://www.census.gov/acs/www/index.html
Rehabilitation Services Administration, RSA 911 Data
Used in:
- Chart VII. Number Entering Competitive
Employment: Bureau of Rehabilitation Services
Overview
The Bureau of Rehabilitation Services operates Maine’s state vocational rehabilitation program, in partnership with the federal Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). RSA provides the majority of the funding to BRS. To receive these funds, BRS is required to collect and submit data on consumer services, demographics and outcomes to RSA on a regular basis. The RSA 911 is a publicly-available database with aggregate information submitted by all states.
Year of most recent available data: 2007
Definition of Disability
To be eligible for vocational rehabilitation services, a person must have a “disability that keeps them from getting or keeping a job and need VR services to find or keep a job.” 5
Definition of Employment
The Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS) closes active cases when the client has entered competitive employment and has stayed employed for a minimum of 90 days after receiving services. BRS defines competitive employment as, “…employment in the competitive labor market that is performed on a full-time or part-time basis in an integrated setting, and for which an individual is compensated at or above the minimum wage, but not less than the customary wage-level of benefits paid by the employer for the same or similar work performed by individuals who are not disabled.”6
Internet Sites for Further Information
http://www.statedata.info
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/rsa/index.html
Social Security Administration
Used in:
- Chart VIII. Employment Rate of Individuals on Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Year of most recent available data: 2007
Definition of Disability
The Social Security Administration (SSA) defines disability as:
“The inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity
(SGA) because of a medically determinable physical
or mental impairment(s):
- That can be expected to result in death; or
- That has lasted, or that we can expect to last, for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.
If your impairment is other than blindness, earnings averaging over $900 a month (for the year 2007) generally demonstrate SGA. If you are blind, earnings averaging over $1,500 a month (for the year 2007) generally demonstrate SGA.” 7
In addition to meeting the SSA definition of disability, eligibility
for SSI is also limited to those with little or no work experience
and limited income and resources.
Internet Sites for Further Information:
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/policy/index.html
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