But a hundred lives could change every year if the Legislature permanently funds an employment pilot project, now in its second year.

"We don't have to wait and watch them deteriorate as they get bored and lose skills the public education system has worked so hard to provide them," said George Kelner, director of the Division of Services for People with Disabilities.

The pilot is one of several programs aimed at reducing the 1,642 disabled Utahns waiting for services. Now, the division's funding typically works like an emergency room: disabled adults with the most critical needs are helped first.

State officials also are seeking $150,000 for the second year of a family preservation pilot, which provides workshops to help with managing a disabled child's behavior, resentment from non-disabled children and other issues.

Kelner noted that giving disabled adults a network of co-workers and a sense of belonging may reduce the state's obligations down the line.

"Plus they become taxpayers," he said. "They're paying back into the system instead of just using resources."

jlyon@sltrib.com