Wisconsin State Use Program

Wisconsin’s State Use Program, created by the 1989 State Use Law, was developed for the purpose of providing gainful employment for the thousands of Wisconsinites with severe disabilities across the state who seek job opportunities in their communities.

Rehabilitation for Wisconsin in Action members have contracts with this program and provide meaningful employment and wages as a result.

Economic Development and Wages

In 2010, the program performed adequately in the face of frugal State spending with work centers reporting annual sales to State agencies totaling $13,040,015.

Program provided $1,973,776 in wages, with an average wage of $6.99/hour, for workers with severe disabilities. The dollars paid out in State Use wages advance the economic independence and self-reliance of Wisconsinites with disabilities.

The State Use Program has provided job opportunities to Wisconsin’s residents with severe disabilities who would otherwise face countless obstacles in securing employment. 1,210 workers with disabilities were employed under State Use contracts in fiscal year 2010.

Program Benefits

Quality Products and Services

Work centers must meet all specifications and quality standards and provide on-time delivery.

Fair Market Prices

Prices for products and services procured under the State Use Program must meet fair market pricing as determined by the state.

Employment

The State Use Program provides meaningful, long-term, stable employment which offers people with severe disabilities an opportunity to learn job skills and become productive citizens.

Rehabilitation for Wisconsin in Action and United Heartland are partners in preventing workplace accidents and reducing your long term workers compensation costs.

Each RFW member involved in this program negotiates the best insurance plan, premium schedule and dividend rate, based on their own experience rating, not subject to other members' experience ratings.

In addition, to the individual dividend, the RFW group provides an additional dividend based on the experience rating of all participating members.

Many RFW members are reducing their worker's compensation costs by substantial amounts. Many members receive a 20% dividend for being part of the safety group.

Specialized services for RFW members!

Specialized services target your major loss areas and ultimately reduce the experience modification factor on your policy. United Heartland services go beyond those offered by other carriers. United Heartland insures many RFW members and is familiar with common accident areas and loss control solutions. United Heartland offers:

• Evaluation of current management controls
• Training of supervisors
• Ergonomic assessments
• Development of Safety Programs such asHazCom, lockout/tagout, confined space, bloodborne pathogens, forklifts and respiratory protection
• Loss analysis reports with loss trending information
• Environmental health assessments
• Establishment of a Drug Free Workplace Program

SUPRA

The purpose of the State Use PRograms Association, Inc. (SUPRA) is to provide support to State Use Program management, to promote growth of State Use Programs nationwide, and to serve the common interests of its members.

SUPRA’s vision is to become the national voice for State Use Programs by representing, advocating and helping to establish State Use Programs to benefit people with disabilities in all fifty states.

Wisconsin is a member of this association and several Rehabilitation for Wisconsin in Action members contract with this program. 

SUPRA 14th Annual Conference in San Diego, CA January 18-20, 2012

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"Our Center is extremely pleased with RFWiA’s group workers compensation program through United Heartland and TRICOR Insurance.  We have been able to reduce our workers comp costs with the help of their safety training programs while earning excellent group dividends.  I would recommend this program to all other work centers in Wisconsin."

- Tom Schraeder, Executive Director, Hodan Center, Inc.

A Corporate Member shall be a Member that is (a) a not-for-profit organization duly qualified under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor or replacement law and authorized to do business in the State of Wisconsin or (b) an entity of federal, state or local government or (c) a for profit business authorized by the State of Wisconsin to provide human services, the primary purpose of which is to directly provide vocational, employment, residential, independent living, and/or other support services for persons with disabilities or who are disadvantaged.  Each Corporate Member shall be entitled to cast one vote on any matter of business coming before the Members at any meeting of the Members, except that voting for Directors shall occur as provided in Article IX.  Corporate Members shall be entitled to all membership services.

Please contact Thomas Cook, Executive Director, for more information 608-244-5310 or  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Determining who should be counted in agency dues calculation

You need to determine how you will account for the number of full-time staff (FTEs) you will need to calculate your membership dues. RFW trusts your calculations. The basic element in determining dues for each Corporate Member is a count of the number of full time equivalent employees (FTEs) on your agency's payroll that are subject to RFW's dues schedule as of THE FIRST PAYDAY IN JULY. This includes all administrative, management, professional, support, production, and other employees within the organization/program. The FTE count is intended to include all staff (administrative, professional, and technical) involved in the direct and indirect delivery of vocational, work activity, residential, day activity, community living, and other rehabilitation services, whether within the organization's building(s) or elsewhere in the community.

EMPLOYEES/STAFF TO BE INCLUDED IN FTE CALCULATION:

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF – Please count all employees or the portion of their time spent providing management services. Job titles may be: CEO, CFO, COO, executive director, controller, deputy director, director of (re)habilitation services, human services director/personnel manager, director of residential services, director, manager, computer systems manager, and employees involved in public relations, fund raising, and sales/marketing.

PROFESSIONAL STAFF – Please count all employees or the portion of their time directly spent providing professional services to individuals with disabilities. Job titles may be as follows: case manager, case aide, job coach, counselor, job developer, skill trainer, teacher, instructor, adult day services instructors and aides, vocational coordinator, residential manager, home health care/resident/supported employment aides, supported living assistant, independent living coordinators, evaluator, recreation specialist, birth to three and preschool instructors, instructors, etc.

TECHNICAL STAFF – Please count all employees or the portion of their time directly spent providing technical support services. Job titles may be as follows: production and commercial services supervisors, production aides, other staff with the title of aide not counted as professionals, production managers, quality assurance staff, shipping/receiving staff, staff involved with bidding, janitorial, building managers, food service managers, catering staff, purchasing/inventory control staff or other service supervisors, Rest Area Maintenance managers and supervisors.

SUPPORT STAFF – Please count all employees or the portion of their time directly spent providing support services. Job titles may be as follows: secretary, administrative assistant, office manager, typist, clerk, receptionist, word processing specialist, bookkeeper, data processing clerk, accounting assistant, payroll clerk, inventory control staff, truck/van/bus drivers and maintenance workers, transportation coordinators, security staff, and cooks.

DO NOT INCLUDE: Occupational therapists, physical therapists, therapy aides, speech therapists, and individuals with disabilities enrolled in work or training programs or other individuals hired to perform the same production or service functions performed by individuals with disabilities as part of their training or employment program.

A Member that is (a) a not-for-profit Corporation qualified under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and authorized to do business in the State of Wisconsin, or (b) an entity of federal, state or local government or (c) a for profit business authorized by the State of Wisconsin to provide human services, providing services similar to or in support of the services provided by a Corporate Member and which has been determined by the Board as not eligible for Corporate Membership.  An Associate Member shall not be entitled to vote at meetings of the Members.  Associate members may serve on the Corporation committees and workgroups. The membership services to which Associate Members are entitled shall be limited to those determined by the Board and may be restricted according to 501(c).

Please contact Thomas Cook, Executive Director, for more information 608-244-5310 or  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Membership Benefits:

1. Discounts on training events and conferences
2. Access to RFW's The Loop E-Newsletter
3. Access to listservs
4. Be the first to learn about job openings and internships
5. Ability to serve on committees and work groups

Student Members are not eligible to serve on the board of directors, nor do they have voting privileges.

Annual Dues: $2,500

A Professional Affiliate Member shall be an individual interested in the goals and objectives of the Corporation or who is in some way involved or interested in the delivery of employment, residential, independent living, and/or other support services to persons with disabilities or who are disadvantaged, and has been determined by the Board as not eligible for Corporate or Associate Membership.  An Affiliate Member shall not be entitled to vote at meetings of the Members.  Professional affiliate members may serve on the Corporation committees and workgroups. The membership services to which Professional Affiliate Members are entitled shall be limited to those determined by the Board and may be restricted according to 501(c).

Please contact Thomas Cook, Executive Director, for more information 608-244-5310 or  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Membership Benefits:

Professional Members of RFW are entitled to the following membership benefits:

1. Discounts on training and conference opportunities
2. Access to Member's Only area of website
3. Access to listservs
4. Participation on various RFW in Action committees and work groups
5. Access to The Loop newsletter

Professional Members are not eligible to serve on the RFW in Action Board, nor do they have voting privileges.

Annual Dues: $175