CT Pathways to Integrated Employment (CTPIE) is a program in Connecticut. It helps young people and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities find jobs. These jobs let them work alongside people of all abilities and earn fair pay and benefits.
CTPIE offers services that are designed for each person. The program looks at your skills, interests, and needs to help you find the right job. Everyone who wants to work should have the chance to do so. Having a job can help you earn money, meet new people, and feel more confident.
CTPIE is led by the Connecticut Department of Aging and Disability Services, Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS), along with other state agencies and partners.
Want to learn more? Complete our online form and one of our coordinators will get back to you.
Information for job seekers
If you are a student finishing a special education program, or an adult earning less than minimum wage, CTPIE can help you.
Trained counselors work one-on-one with you to find a job that fits your needs and interests and pays fair wages.
You will receive services that match your skills and goals. Staff will work closely with you to create a plan just for you. You will help make decisions along the way so you feel confident. There is no time limit—you can take the time you need to find the right job.
Our services
In addition to services from BRS, CTPIE offers extra support, including:
- A plan made just for you
- Help building skills and getting more education
- Help exploring different job options
- Support getting a job and growing in your career
- Job placement and support while you work
For a more comprehensive look at the services available to you, contact CT PIE and one of our coordinators will get back to you.
Information for families and advocates
CTPIE supports families as they help their loved ones find jobs. If your family member chooses to work, CTPIE can help them find a job that fits their skills and interests and pays fair wages.
How can you get involved?
As a family member, you want your loved one to make good choices and stay safe.
Having a job may not have been something you thought about before, but it is possible. With the right support, people can succeed at work.
CTPIE staff work to create a positive experience. They focus on your family member’s needs and strengths to help them succeed long-term.
You are encouraged to stay involved and help support decisions.
What can you do to help?
- Show your support and encouragement
- Let them explore their interests
- Help them build job skills
- Encourage them to speak up for themselves
- Support them in trying new things
- Allow them to make mistakes and learn from them
Information for educators
Educators play an important role in helping students prepare for adulthood. You can be an important influencer in the direction their future will take.
Why get involved?
You know your students well—their strengths, needs, and interests. You also have strong relationships with their families.
Students trust you. You can help guide them toward new opportunities, including jobs they may not have thought about before.
How can you get involved?
- Share information about job opportunities and CTPIE
- Encourage students and families to consider employment
- Support CTPIE as an option
- Connect with CTPIE counselors
- Help students and families get involved
Eligibility requirements
Through a special grant to the State, CT Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS) in collaboration with several state agencies and partners is enrolling both youth and adults with I/DD into services that will match and support them to a job in the community with wages at or above minimum wage.
Who can enroll in CT PIE?
You may be able to participate in CT PIE if:
- You are a student with Intellectual and Development Disabilities (I/DD), eligible for the Department of Developmental Services (DDS), and interested in employment after high school, or
- You are an adult with Intellectual and Development Disabilities (I/DD) who is eligible for the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) currently earning less than minimum wage, which means earning below the current CT state minimum wage, and want a job with better pay and benefits
What is DDS Eligible?
To learn about DDS Eligibility visit the DDS Eligibility Fact Sheet.
Testimonial
Hear from one of our self-advocates about their journey with CT PIE:
Contact CT Pathways to Integrated Employment
The contents of this website were developed under grant H421D220007 from the U.S. Department of Education (Department). The Department does not mandate or prescribe practices, models, or other activities described or discussed in this document. The contents of this website may contain examples of, adaptations of, and links to resources created and maintained by another public or private organization. The Department does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. The content of this website does not necessarily represent the policy of the Department. This publication is not intended to represent the views or policy of or be an endorsement of any views expressed or materials provided by any Federal agency. (EDGAR 75.620)