Sheltered Workshop legislation, better known as Senate Bill 52, (RSMo 178.900 – 178.930) was initially developed by several concerned parents and actually drafted by a C.M.S.E. parent, the late Frank Ackerman, in early 1965. This legislation provided the authority for state funding to help set up and provide staff support for the sheltered workshops throughout the state of Missouri. These workshops were developed as a way to provide employment opportunities to adults with developmental disabilities.

Initially in Columbia, the workshop was established by Woodhaven Learning Center along with several other local associations and agencies, including the Boone County United Cerebral Palsy Association, Boone County Association for Retarded Citizens, and the University Committee on Mental Retardation.

In 1969, the Workshop began operation with 15 employees and two paid staff members, one volunteer and a production income of $8000. On June 19, 1979, the Board of Directors voted to change the name of Woodhaven Boone County Extended Employment Workshop to Central Missouri Sheltered Enterprises.

The first sustaining contract was procured from McGraw-Edison in the fall of 1970. The contract was for the hankering of electrical appliance cords. The workshop also began its printing of cards using silk screen. In July of 1972 the workshop received a grant from the Developmental Disabilities Council. This grant was to pay for 75% of the cost of a truck, an “L” sealer, and shrink tunnel, and 75% of the salary of a truck driver-supervisor for one year. With this aid the workshop was able to procure several new contracts and employ an additional 22 workers with disabilities.

In 1976 the workshop procured a contract with 3M Company to hand assemble electrical connectors. This contract helped to employ additional workers and significantly improved production income. A contract with Vickers Inc. to warehouse and assemble seal Kits was also responsible for allowing the workshop to hire additional employees.

In January of 1981, Central Missouri Subcontracting Enterprises with the aid of a $40,000 county community block grant purchased the existing building from Woodhaven Learning Center for $125,000.
In September 1984 a 5000 square foot edition was completed on the north side of the building at a cost of $90,000. In 1999 the workshop embarked on a capital campaign, “Workforce 2000” to raise funds for a new warehouse addition and a new break room. The campaign was a success, and in fact generated in excess of $550,000 toward this building project. The building project was completed in November 2001.

In 2004, C.M.S.E. celebrated its 35 year anniversary with a name change. Our former name, Central Missouri Sheltered Enterprises was changed to Central Missouri Subcontracting Enterprises this last year. This was a result of a long range planning session in which our employees decided to take the name “sheltered” out of the workshop’s name.

Currently the Sheltered workshop’s major contractors include
3-M Company, Square D, Otsconn, Weaver Manufacturing, ACS Simco and the University of Missouri. During the 2004-2005 fiscal year, which ended June 30th, 2005, C.M.S.E. completed over $800,000 worth of contract work. The Companies listed above provide the sub-contracts, which enable the workshop to provide work experiences to over 142 Boone County residents with disabilities during the 2004-05 year.

Although many of C.M.S.E.’s employees are currently unable to successfully work in competitive employment in the community, it must be pointed out that during the last 4 to 5 years over 30 employees have developed the work and social skills necessary to move on into competitive or supported employment. Several years ago, C.M.S.E. expanded employment opportunities to its employees by providing employment services in the community. This program had allowed employees to go to work at a job site with the support of a C.M.S.E. staff member. This is an exciting program, which has provided many opportunities for a number of C.M.S.E.’s employees.

One of these sites includes a company called Otscon, which manufacturers components for the Nissan, Camary and Isuzu automobile lines. Currently, C.M.S.E. has 6 employees who are working at this job site. Securing employment opportunities in an industrial type setting has been difficult for many of the supported employment providers in Columbia, However, since C.M.S.E. has already developed a relationship with many of these companies, we believe that this may prove to be a great opportunity for many of those employees who enjoy this type of work. In late 1998, C.M.S.E. was one of the first organizations in the state to begin providing supported employment services through the Department of Mental Health’s (DMH) Medicaid Waiver program.

During the last several years, C.M.S.E. has also begun working with persons with more severe disabilities who had previously been enrolled in day programs.(costing taxpayers approximately $8000. per person annually). Through a new training program developed by the workshop, additional staff have been hired to provide intensive training and support for these individuals. This has allowed them the opportunity to work, pay taxes, and be productive citizens while also saving the state thousands of dollars in expenses.

Currently, Central Missouri Subcontracting Enterprises receives approximately $13.00 per day from the Dept. of Education to provide staff support for most of its employees. This support makes up less than 20% of the Sheltered Workshop’s total income. The majority of the workshops income needed for the day-to-day operations comes from the actual subcontract jobs it completes for local area businesses. C.M.S.E.’s subcontract income has increased from $293,000 in 1993 to well over $800,000 in 2005. Before the manufacturing industry suffered its 2-3 year recession, which began in mid 2001, C.M.S.E.’S annual contract activity surpassed $1,000,000/year (year ending June 30, 2001).

The Board of Directors at C.M.S.E. consists of from 13 to 15 volunteer members, drawn from the business community, parents and other concerned citizens from the community. Board members serve a 3-year term. Currently the workshop staff consists of 13 Supervisors, a Bookkeeper, a receptionist and a Director. Our administrative cost are less than 10%, which is well below the norm for most other non-for-profit organizations such as ourselves.