Law, Health Policy & Disability Center
University of Iowa College of Law
and
The Burton Blatt Institute
Syracuse University
One-Stop Toolkit
Resources of the Week Technical Assistance Project E-Mail listserv
21 April 2006
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 LPHDC 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 laura-farah@uiowa.edu ]
[ E-mail LFarah8@aol.com ]
[ http://disability.law.uiowa.edu/dpn/ ]
[ http://www.onestoptoolkit.org ]
[The full announcement is located under the section heading "For Your Information and Action."
]
As a Navigator, you may be looking for creative ways to spotlight information and resources to customers with disabilities and One-Stop staff. May is Mental Health Month and presents a great opportunity to offer practical tips that all people can use to help balance everyday stresses, increase their awareness of mental health issues, and improve their overall health. Visit the National Mental Health Association’s website listed above and get activity guides and fact sheets that you can use to promote mental health awareness throughout your community and in the workforce system. Check out the flyer which highlights activities that you, as a Navigator, may coordinate related to mental health awareness in the workplace, such as giving a presentation on the importance of a healthy work / life balance to your local Chamber of Commerce or business group (http://www.nmha.org/may/activity_ideas.pdf) (Get free Adobe Reader). This may also be a great opportunity to organize training and offer resources for One-Stop staff on how to more effectively work with customers with mental health disabilities.
DATES: Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 15, 2006. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 13, 2006.
SUMMARY: The Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as amended (AT Act), authorizes support for State AT programs that increase the availability of, funding for, access to, provision of, and training about AT devices and AT services. According to section 3 (15) of the AT Act, the term "State AT program" means a program authorized under section 4 of the AT Act. Section 4 authorizes both the State Grant for AT program and the Alternative Financing Program under Title III of the Assistive Technology Act of 1998 as in effect prior to the enactment of the 2004 amendments. These programs are required to collect data and report on the activities they conduct to determine whether those activities are being conducted appropriately and successfully and to assess the outcomes of those activities. Section 6 (b)(5) of the AT Act authorizes support to assist State AT Programs with this data collection and reporting.
The Department of Education is establishing this priority for the FY 2006 grant competition only, in accordance with section 437 (d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA). This priority is for a project to develop, as necessary, implement, maintain, and update a data collection and reporting system for use by all State AT programs and the U.S. Department of Education. The purpose of this system is to--
The project must--
Assist entities that carry out State AT programs in developing and implementing effective data collection and reporting systems that--
Develop, as appropriate, maintain, and update a data collection and reporting system capable of collecting consistent, high-quality qualitative and quantitative data on the activities conducted by all State AT programs and the outcomes of those activities.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: Public or private non-profit or for-profit organizations, including institutions of higher education that have personnel with--
An eligible entity can demonstrate its experience and expertise with its own personnel or through proposed subcontracts with other entities that have personnel with the relevant experience and expertise.
| Type of Award: | Cooperative agreement. |
|---|---|
| Estimated Available Funds: | $250,000. |
| Estimated Number of Awards: | 1. |
Access the URL to read the full announcement including application and submission information.
If you or your One-Stop / community is involved in any activities to help celebrate and bring awareness to mental health, please send me a description to highlight in a One-Stop Toolkit Resources of the Week during the month of May.
This 50 year tradition, which helps improve the lives of millions of Americans every year, promotes mental wellness and overall health in your community. The theme for this year’s observance is MIND Your Health, which focuses on the mind-body connection. The National Mental Health Association offers materials that give practical tips that people of all ages and backgrounds can use to help balance everyday stresses, increase their awareness of mental health issues, and improve their overall health. Resources also provide how-to’s for reaching out to specific audiences.
This website contains all the materials you'll need to launch a successful Mental Health Campaign this May and throughout the year:
The Center for Personal Assistance Services is seeking Workplace Personal Assistance Services (WPAS) promising practice nominations from private and public employers. WPAS include work task-related assistance, such as the use of an assistant to read business documents not otherwise available electronically, a sign language interpreter for company meeting or training, and help lifting or reaching work-related items. WPAS may include personal care-related assistance such as helping an employee to access the restroom, eat or drink at work, or travel for business purposes.
Do you have a promising practice to share? Please tell us more about it. Go to: http://www.jan.wvu.edu/media/PAS.html and click on the hyperlink in order to nominate the WPAS practice. We will follow up with a call to hear more about the success of the practice. WPAS promising practices will be developed into a series of case studies. These case studies will be disseminated to other employers wishing to replicate the successful practice.
The 2005 - 2006 recipients of the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility have been announced in 6 of the 17 host cities: Durham, Long Beach, Detroit, Chicago, Long Island, and Richmond. Companies being recognized have scored in the top 20% of employers, using national data from a representative sampling of the Family and Work Institute's National Study of Employers. A rigorous scoring process measures workplace flexibility programs in both policy and culture. Employers respond to an on-line survey and are asked to describe the company's workplace flexibility programs. The companies whose scores fall within a high threshold are promoted to the second round of the application process. Their employees are invited to verify aspects of the workplace culture that support the ability to work flexibly and whether or not there is jeopardy if the practice is used. Awards will be presented at local chamber-sponsored events in the host communities.
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) will unite national experts on job accommodation and disability employment law to provide training opportunities via audio conferences and Webcasts in 2006. 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 that enhance an organization’s ability to accommodate and employ people with disabilities.
The $25 per session registration fee includes admission to the training audio conference or Webcast and accessible training materials. All sessions will have real-time captioning available. Access the URL for more information including registration.
Acquire knowledge and skills to accommodate employees with disabilities, comply with the ADA, and develop innovative employment practices. Staff from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) and other experts will answer questions such as:
For over 22 years, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has provided focused, trusted, and informed answers to these and other questions. This annual conference unites JAN consultants with featured speakers who have expertise in employment law, innovative employment practices, and disability issues. With two full days of training, the JAN Conference offers three concurrent training tracks addressing accommodation issues, innovative employment practices, and ADA / legal issues. Sessions will be highly interactive and include question and answer segments. In addition, JAN consultants will be available throughout the conference to address your specific questions. The Exhibit Area, which includes a High Tech Demonstration Room, provides additional learning opportunities.
Access the URL for more information, including online registration. Note, participation is limited to 300.
Many veterans have been exposed to traumatic events, or have suffered injuries that may result in motor, sensory, and/or cognitive impairments. As service members make the transition into civilian life, there is a growing need for accommodations in the workplace. The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) assists employers and veterans by identifying accommodations in the workplace, discussing disability rights information, and linking callers to service organizations in their communities and across the country. For more information, visit JAN’s Consultant’s Corner at http://www.jan.wvu.edu/corner/vol03iss02.htm which contains links for veteran-specific resources, or call a JAN consultant for further information.
The following is an example of the accommodations a returning service member may require:
Situation: A veteran with a traumatic injury to her vocal cords needed accommodations for increasing her vocal volume when communicating with customers.
Solution: Her employer accommodated her with a portable speech amplifier. Cost: $225.00
Re-integrating veterans into civilian life and the workplace has become the mission for several programs and organizations. The following are valuable resources for veterans, employers, and rehab professionals:
[The following is excerpted from the Executive Summary to the report.]
This report highlights best practices of nine states that promote the hiring, retention, and advancement of individuals with disabilities in state government jobs. The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is issuing this report as part of the agency's efforts in support of the New Freedom Initiative, President George W. Bush's comprehensive strategy for the full integration of people with disabilities into all aspects of America's social and economic life.
The governors of the nine participating states voluntarily allowed EEOC to review a wide range of best practices affecting individuals with disabilities who are state government employees or applicants for state employment. EEOC examined state government practices related to the following:
This report also lists a number of what may be inadvertent barriers to the employment, retention, and advancement of qualified individuals with disabilities. EEOC suggests that all states evaluate their practices to determine whether they include these or other barriers. This report has two purposes. First, all employers, including the participating states, can learn from the best practices outlined in this report. Second, EEOC is offering states free, informal technical assistance to promote voluntary compliance with the ADA. Following are some of EEOC's most significant findings:
Contingent workers placed by staffing firms, including for example, temporary, contract, and leased workers, represent a growing segment of the labor force. Employment through staffing firms is particularly critical for individuals with disabilities who are seeking to move into the workforce. In 1997, the Commission issued an enforcement guidance titled, "Application of EEO Laws to Contingent Workers Placed by Temporary Employment Agencies and Other Staffing Firms" ("Contingent Workers Guidance") that dealt generally with the liability of staffing firms and their clients for violations of federal employment discrimination laws. This guidance addresses unanswered questions in the prior guidance and explains the responsibilities of staffing firms and their clients in complying with requirements unique to the ADA, including for example, reasonable accommodation and rules concerning disability-related questions and medical examinations.
The Guidance applies to private and to state and local government employers with fifteen or more employees. Federal sector employers also are covered by the Guidance, as the result of the 1992 amendments to the Rehabilitation Act. The ADA's requirements generally apply to "qualified individuals with disabilities." However, the discussion of disability-related inquiries and medical examinations in the Guidance applies to all applicants and employees, whether they have disabilities or not.
The 2006 AccessWorld Guide to Assistive Technology Products guide, published by AFB Press, is based on information from AFB's popular online products database. Detailed profiles of over 200 products are provided to help determine which ones best meet your needs. Each profile includes product name, description and category; manufacturer's name; suggested price; product features; and more. A separate section lists all manufacturers and their contact information, as well as warranty information. The guide also includes a comprehensive list of objective product evaluations previously published in AccessWorld.
The guide, published in print and on ASCII disk, is available for $24.95. Access the URL for more information including how to order.