Home Inspector Receives Life Time Achievement Award for Work with Persons with Disabilities

Steve Zivolich to Receive the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award for Enhancing the Lives of Persons with Disabilities

The Regional Center of Orange County (RCOC) has announced that Steve Zivolich will receive the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Spotlight Award. “The lifetime achievement award goes to an individual who has made exceptional contributions to advancing the rights of and enhancing the life for people with developmental disabilities”, stated Alan Martin, the Chair of the RCOC Board of Directors.

Steve Zivolich will receive the 2016 Lifetime Achievement for his local, national and international leadership in developing innovative employment placement outcomes for persons with disabilities. Mr. Zivolich founded the Orange County, California based non-profit, Integrated Resources Institute (IRI) in 1985, which is well-known for its progress approach and demonstration outcomes regarding integrated community work for persons with significant disabilities.

IRI, and Mr. Zivolich are recognized as having facilitated the largest number (20,000) job placements for persons with significant disabilities in the U.S. Through grants and corporate funding. IRI initiated several demonstration and research employment efforts with: Pizza Hut, Brinker International, California Restaurant Association, Universal Studios Hollywood, Social Security Administration, US Department of Education, California Regional Centers, and various Departments of Rehabilitation throughout the US.

“Nationally, IRI has worked to strengthen the capacity of the workforce development system to improve employment outcomes for people with significant disabilities through  demonstration implementation, as well as dissemination of research. With three decades of peer reviewed evidence-based research data, IRI has verified that Integrated Work efforts lead to positive employment and quality of life outcomes for individuals with disabilities, their families, as well as cost benefits to taxpayers”, noted Mr. Zivolich

The IRI MentorWorks program in Orange County, California currently serves over 100 clients with significant disabilities, and maintains a 96% employment placement rate. The MentorWorks program is a 100% community work based program. All program hours are provided at integrated work settings. Using a “Customized Employment”, and “Mentor” approach, the relationship between employee with disabilities and employer is personalized in a way that meets the needs of both.

IRI also provides consultation support for other non-profit organizations, government, and corporations in the US and internationally to develop similar innovative work placement outcomes for their clients with disabilities.

The award will be presented by the Regional Center of Orange County at their awards banquet on April 8, 2016. The award ceremony will be held at 6:00 p.m. at the Embassy Suites, Anaheim, CA.

Employers interested in recruiting and integrating workers with disabilities into their workforce can contact Integrated Resources Institute at (949) 232-1172.