Law, Health Policy & Disability Center
University of Iowa College of Law
http://disability.law.uiowa.edu/dpn/
and
The Burton Blatt Institute
Syracuse University
http://bbi.syr.edu
One–Stop Toolkit
Resources of the Week Technical Assistance Project E–Mail listserv
20 April 2007
Good morning everyone,
Below please find the web site and publication of the week, as well as other resources that we hope will be useful as you work on systems change activities to help improve employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.
To subscribe and / or view past resources of the week archives, access: www.onestoptoolkit.org and click on the link to "Resources of the Week" on the right hand side of the home page.
To view an indexed list of the resources of the week by subject matter, visit the L.P.H.D.C. web site at http://disability.law.uiowa.edu/lhpdc/resources/wig/default.asp. It currently includes 20 categories, covering over 300 annotated references. Each category opens to a new window with each Resource of the Week which covered material in that area.
Have a good day and weekend!
Laura Farah
Program Associate
Law, Health Policy & Disability Center
University of Iowa College of Law
P: 617–489–0086
F: 617–489–1374
[ E–mail Lgleneck@mail.law.uiowa.edu ]
[ E–mail LFarah8@aol.com ]
[ http://www.onestoptoolkit.org ]
[The full announcement is located under the section heading “Resources of Interest.”]
Disability Navigators help to connect youth with disabilities with employment in a variety of ways. Some Navigators serve on local Youth Councils, many coordinate training for workforce centers and WIA youth programs on serving youth with disabilities, while other Navigators collaborate with schools and special education coordinators to educate youth with disabilities on the variety of employment services and resources. The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability (NCWD/Youth) offers a series of Quick Reference Guides that provide resources on critical topics for administrators, youth service practitioners, and policymakers. The topics in the guides range from how to create successful work-based experiences for youth and their employers, to the process of collecting information that can be used in decision-making, career-planning, and service plan development for a young person, as well as benefits planning for youth with disabilities, and identifying and screening for hidden disabilities. There are also guides on universal access for youth with disabilities and youth development and leadership. Pass on these Quick Reference Guides to One-Stop staff who primarily work with youth, youth service practitioners such as School-to-Career programs, local Youth Councils, and other community agencies that serve youth, so that they may have more information on successfully serving youth with disabilities.
DATES: The deadline for applications has been extended from April 30th to May 31st.
U. S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao invites nominations for the 2007 Secretary of Labor's New Freedom Initiative Awards. This marks the sixth year that Secretary Chao will be presenting awards to businesses, non-profit organizations and individuals who have demonstrated exemplary and innovative efforts in enhancing employment opportunities for workers with disabilities.
Access the URL to learn the eligibility criteria, the nomination process and the administrative procedures for the New Freedom Initiative Award, and to solicit the Secretary of Labor's New Freedom Initiative Award nominations. You can also access a list of FAQs on the NFI for 2007 at: http://www.dol.gov/odep/newfreedom/NFI07.htm.
APPLICATION: There is no special application packet, but you must follow the guidelines and criteria posted in the February 12 Federal Register Notice, which can be accessed at the URL listed above.
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has announced the first seven of its 2007 Accommodation and Compliance Series Webcasts. These one-hour training opportunities bring expertise from JAN staff and other national experts to your computer. The series unites national experts on job accommodation and disability employment law to provide one-hour training opportunities via Webcasts.
The Accommodation and Compliance Training Series provides a convenient opportunity for human resource managers, compliance officers, disability and diversity managers, and other professionals to discover ways to enhance an organization’s ability to accommodate and employ people with disabilities. The 2007 topics remaining include:
How to participate. Webcasts use your Web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer or FireFox). You must have the Macromedia Flash plug-in on your computer. Captioning is available. Please read the How the Training Works page for more information.
Registration. Registration for Webcasts is $30 per computer accessing the training. Any number of people may participate at that connection.
Access the URL for more information including how to register.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Mental Health Information Center provides information about mental health via a toll-free telephone number (800-789-2647), this website, and more than 600 publications. It was developed for users of mental health services and their families, the general public, policy makers, providers, and the media. The website contains a lot of valuable resources including:
JAN's Accommodation and Compliance Series is designed to help employers determine effective accommodations and comply with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Each publication in the series addresses a specific medical condition and provides information about the condition, ADA information, accommodation ideas, and resources for additional information. The Accommodation and Compliance Series is a starting point in the accommodation process and may not address every situation. Accommodations should be made on a case by case basis, considering each employee's individual limitations and accommodation needs.
The issue on employees with brain injuries provides information about traumatic brain injury (TBI), TBIs and the Americans with Disabilities Act, and recommendations for accommodating employees with TBIs and additional resources.
The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability (NCWD/Youth) offers a series of Quick Reference Guides that provide resources on critical topics for administrators, youth service practitioners, and policymakers. Each Guide, available in PDF or MS Word format, offers succinct descriptions of a topic with resources that have been identified by experts at NCWD/Youth.
The library has nearly 5,500 links to Career Resources, including relocation and cost of living information, career videos, job search tips, and more. The main topic areas you can search through include: career exploration, job search, education & training, and business & employment.
Self-Employment Technical Assistance, Resources, & Training (START-UP / USA) is a partnership between Virginia Commonwealth University and Griffin-Hammis and Associates, LLC. START-UP / USA is funded by a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). A primary focus of the project will be to provide technical assistance and disseminate resources nationally to individuals interested in pursuing self-employment. This includes a live web cast series during year one of the project with successful entrepreneurs who will share their secrets for success.
START-UP / USA also will be providing assistance to three sub-national projects, START-UP / Alaska, START-UP / Florida, and START-UP / New York. These projects are charged with the generation of data and information to validate systems capacity-building strategies and systems change models for successfully increasing self-employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. The information generated through these model programs will be disseminated nationally for replication through technical assistance and support.
Starting a job can be difficult for any young person. If you happen to have a hidden disability, such as a mental health impairment, a new workplace can be overwhelming. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the leading cause of disability in the U.S. for ages 15-44 is major depressive disorder (and this is only one type of mental health impairment). Along with questions about the job itself, youth may have questions about when and how to disclose their disability and wonder if it is appropriate to ask for modifications in a new work setting. This fact sheet provides guidance to assist with a successful transition into the workforce by answering questions regarding disclosure, accommodations and resources.
Entrepreneurs drive America's economy, accounting for the majority of our nation's new job creation and innovations. According to the U. S. Census Bureau's 2002 Survey of Business Owners, self-employed individuals who have no paid employees operate three-fourths of U.S. businesses. The U. S. Small Business Administration reports that America's 25.8 million small businesses employ more than 50 percent of the private workforce, generate more than half of the nation's gross domestic product, and are the principal source of new jobs in the U.S. economy. Access the URL to read the benefits of entrepreneurship and benefits and advantages of entrepreneurship education, and how youth with disabilities can be included.
This publication is designed to help human resources personnel look at the benefits of a Mental Health-Friendly Workplace. Section I is a brief introduction to the status of mental health in the U.S. workplace, including the challenge of overcoming stigma and discrimination toward persons with mental illnesses. Section V provides ready-to-use resources for communicating with employees about mental health in the workplace. Section VI provides materials for basic supervisory training in some mental health essentials for working with employees who experience mental illnesses.