Montgomery County, Pennsylvania is looking for programs that can do what the state system hasn't: help young adults with intellectual disabilities and autism land competitive jobs after they leave school.

Nationally, only about 20% of young adults with intellectual disabilities find regular employment after aging out of special education at 21 or 22, a rate that's barely budged in two decades despite federal mandates. In Montgomery County, that means hundreds of graduates each year face a stark drop-off in support, transitioning from robust school programs to an adult system with years-long waitlists and services designed for job retention rather than the messier work of getting hired in the first place.

The county is now seeking providers to create services that go beyond Pennsylvania's standard menu of approved disability supports, which officials acknowledge aren't working for this age group. The request specifically asks for programs that help young adults explore interests, build social connections, and develop the soft skills employers want, all while preparing for real jobs at real wages alongside non-disabled coworkers.

The move comes as Pennsylvania implements federal employment mandates that effectively ended sheltered workshops, the segregated facilities where people with disabilities once earned sub-minimum wages. The state replaced workshops with competitive employment supports starting in 2017, but the standardized services haven't kept pace with what transition-age individuals actually need, particularly after COVID-era isolation limited their community exposure during critical developmental years.

Montgomery County is using local funding for the initiative, giving it flexibility the state Medicaid system doesn't allow. The county serves roughly 3,500 to 4,000 people with intellectual disabilities and autism, with several hundred in the critical 18-25 age range.

Providers have until March 31 to submit questions about the solicitation. The county expects to select programs later this spring.