Community Rehabilitation Organizations (CRO)s are non-profit entities that were originally legally established to support the mission of the federal vocational rehabilitation system and continue to do so today. While sometimes negatively characterized as sheltered workshops, many have evolved into independent entities that develop and provide a myriad of essential services to persons with disabilities, often in continued partnership with vocational rehabilitation (VR). VR has been charged with improving performance through transforming systems and the transformation must extend to its partners and service providers. This study concentrates on CROs and identifies factors that promote and support best practices within those entities leading to employment of persons with disabilities. A case study of a high performing CRO was conducted to identify and investigate the elements that promote and support best practices leading to employment of persons with disabilities. The current study (a) attempts to bridge gaps in current literature on best, promising and emerging organizational and service delivery practices within CROs, (b) investigates organizational and service delivery CRO practices that can improve and lead to enhanced and competitive, integrated employment outcomes for workers with disabilities and (c) explores the role of leadership, innovation and the components of organizational well-being within CROs. Based on numerous interviews with staff at three levels of the organization, the findings demonstrate patterns of specific organizational practices, mission driven culture, holistic wellbeing practices, intentional leadership and structural elements that encourage and support the development of innovative, effective service delivery practices. Effective service delivery practices concentrate on practices that drive upward mobility for workers with disabilities and a mission driven culture of continuous improvement.
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