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
12 May 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 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 "For Your Information."]
Spread the word and start to plan your regional events, Navigators! This year’s official theme for October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month is "Americans with Disabilities: Ready for the Global Workforce". Use this opportunity to plan activities during the month of October that promote employment for people with disabilities. Last year, Navigators organized One-Stop Orientations, Open Houses and Adaptive Equipment Demonstrations for people with disabilities and professionals in the disability community. Others coordinated employer forums on the benefits of hiring people with disabilities and seminars for disability / community service providers on partnering effectively with business, as well as workshops for youth service providers on effectively serving youth with disabilities. Perhaps you can collaborate with other community service providers to organize a job fair or resource fair that promotes the employment services and resources available in your area. Send in any other ideas that you are working on for this October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month to LHPDC via E-mail laura-farah@uiowa.edu and we will share them with Navigators nationwide!
Read more from the following News Release:
Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao announced that "Americans with Disabilities: Ready for the Global Workforce" will be the official theme for October's National Disability Employment Awareness Month, which is celebrated nationwide. "The 2006 theme…highlights the fact that workers with disabilities are an underutilized and ambitious group of Americans eager to pursue their career dreams," said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao.
The private sector; federal, state and local governments; and advocacy organizations can now use the theme to plan events and programs that showcase the abilities and skills of employees and job candidates who have disabilities. "This year’s theme reflects the fact that increasing the opportunities for Americans with disabilities in the workforce can produce far-reaching, positive results for employers," said Roy Grizzard, assistant secretary of labor for the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).
DATES: The 23 eligible States must submit their applications for incentive funding to the Department of Labor by June 12, 2006.
SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, in collaboration with the Department of Education, announces that 23 States (see below) are eligible to apply for Workforce Investment Act (WIA) (Pub. L. 105-220, 29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.) incentive awards under the WIA Regulations.
The following 23 States have qualified to receive a share of the $16.5 million available for incentive grant awards under WIA section 503. These funds, which were contributed by the Department of Education from appropriations for the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act and the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, are available for the eligible States to use through June 30, 2008, to support innovative workforce development and education activities that are authorized under title I (Workforce Investment Systems) or title II (the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)) of WIA, or under the Perkins Act (Pub. L. 105-332, 20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.). In order to qualify for a grant award, a state must have exceeded performance levels, agreed to by the Secretaries, Governor, and State Education Officer, for outcomes in WIA title I, adult education (AEFLA), and vocational education (Perkins Act) programs. The goals included placement after training, retention in employment, and improvement in literacy levels, among other measures. After review of the performance data submitted by States to the Department of Labor and to the Department of Education, each Department determined which States would qualify for incentives for its program (or programs). (The Appendix at the bottom of this notice details the eligibility of each state by program.) These lists of eligible States were compared, and States that qualified under all three programs are eligible to apply for and receive an incentive grant award. The amount that each state is eligible to receive was determined by the Department of Labor and the Department of Education and is based on WIA section 503(c) (20 U.S.C. 9273(c)), and is proportional to the total funding received by these States for the three Acts.
The States eligible to apply for incentive grant awards, and the amounts they are eligible to receive, are listed below. Current DPN and WIG states are highlighted in bold. This might be a good opportunity for grantees to work with their states to use some of the incentive funding to address access issues in the workforce development system; specifically, ensuring that One-Stop Centers include assistive technology and adaptive equipment; program materials are available in alternate formats; arrangements are in place to accommodate individuals with different needs such as the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. If you would like more suggestions, please contact the LHPDC via E-mail laura-farah@uiowa.edu.
| Name of State | Current DPN and WIG State? | Amount of Award | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Arizona | Yes | $709,618 |
| 2. | Colorado | Yes | $680,253 |
| 3. | Connecticut | Yes | $673,907 |
| 4. | Delaware | Yes | $646,569 |
| 5. | Georgia | No | $762,930 |
| 6. | Illinois | Yes | $941,250 |
| 7. | Indiana | Yes | $717,986 |
| 8. | Iowa | Yes | $665,157 |
| 9. | Kentucky | Yes | $716,581 |
| 10. | Maryland | Yes | $711,961 |
| 11. | Massachusetts | Yes | $712,003 |
| 12. | Michigan | Yes | $817,852 |
| 13. | Minnesota | No | $699,205 |
| 14. | Nebraska | No | $651,792 |
| 15. | Nevada | No | $661,574 |
| 16. | North Dakota | No | $644,150 |
| 17. | Oklahoma | Yes | $688,143 |
| 18. | Oregon | Yes | $714,422 |
| 19. | Pennsylvania | No | $853,980 |
| 20. | South Carolina | Yes | $709,298 |
| 21. | Tennessee | Yes | $740,699 |
| 22. | West Virginia | No | $685,054 |
| 23. | Wisconsin | Yes | $713,988 |
Access the URL to read the full announcement including application instructions.
DATES: Applications must be received by June 9, 2006.
SUMMARY: The Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy has announced the availability of up to $500,000 to fund one cooperative agreement for an 18-month period of performance. The goal of the cooperative agreement is for a Research Consortium to develop a standard design methodology and conduct case study research to identify ways in which an organization's structures, values, policies and day-to-day practices, facilitate the employment of people with disabilities. These case studies will validate and document effective policies and strategies within corporations that have had success in recruiting, hiring, retaining and promoting people with disabilities.
The information generated will result in individual case studies that can serve as models for other employers. The case studies, cross-case comparative analysis, and topical research briefs will be disseminated through employer and industry associations and used in academic settings such as business school curriculums and professional development courses to educate future business leaders.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: Applications will be accepted from consortia whose members may be profit and non-profit organizations that may include but are not limited to institutions of higher education, limited liability organizations, State and local government entities, and faith-based and community organizations. The consortium must have a lead entity and at least two (2) additional entities, all of which have demonstrated knowledge of and experience in: (a) Designing and conducting qualitative research studies, including business case studies, and summarizing these findings to both academic and business sectors; (b) studying corporate culture from both a broad perspective and in terms of its impact on employment of people with disabilities; and (c) building relationships or collaborating with or gaining access to employers.
Applications must identify the lead entity for the agreement and identify members of the consortium. The named lead entity will have daily fiscal and operational responsibility for cooperative agreement activities.
Access the URLs to read the full announcement including application and submission information.
DATES: Grant applications are due by June 15, 2006, with the voluntary intent to apply due by May 11, 2006. The grants will start September 30, 2006 with a grant period of 60 months.
SUMMARY: Since fiscal year (FY) 2001, Congress has appropriated over $245 million for the Real Choice Systems Change (RCSC) Grants for Community Living. In implementing the RCSC program, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has awarded over 297 grants to all 50 states, the District of Columbia (DC), and two territories totaling approximately $238 million. In FY2006, during the consolidated appropriations process, Congress appropriated an additional $25 million (with a 1% across the board rescission leaving approximately $24,750,000) to fund a new round of RCSC grants. (see H.R Conference Report 109-337 ) With this funding, CMS will be awarding several states and non-profit agencies with small supplemental grants.
States and other eligible organizations, in partnership with their disability and aging communities, may submit proposals to design and construct systems infrastructure that will result in effective and enduring improvements in community long-term support systems. These system changes are designed to enable children and adults of any age who have a disability or long-term illness to:
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: States that received a FY 2004 Comprehensive Systems Grant (Wisconsin, Vermont), or a 2005 Systems Transformation Grant (Arkansas, Maine, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Louisiana, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Missouri, Iowa, Oregon) are not eligible to receive a System Transformation Grant in FY 2006. This grant opportunity is open to any single state Medicaid Agency, state mental health agency, state mental retardation and developmental disabilities agency, state Department of Aging or an instrumentality of the state. Specific requirements pertaining to eligible applicants in a state and the required supporting documentation can be found in, Section III., Eligibility Information. Failure to comply with all requirements of this solicitation will result in withdrawal of the application from competitive status.
AWARD INFORMATION: CMS is offering a total of approximately $20 million in Systems Transformation grants to qualifying states based on a competitive award process. Grants will only be offered to those states eligible to apply.
Access the URL to read the full solicitation including application and submission information.
DATES: Proposals are due on May 30, 2006.
SUMMARY: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is soliciting proposals from states to participate in the Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment. This demonstration, created by section 204 of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 (P.L. 106-170), allows states to provide benefits, equivalent to those provided by Medicaid, to the categorically needy, to workers who have physical or mental impairments that, without medical assistance, will likely result in disability. The demonstration was created to further the overall goals of the legislation by demonstrating the value of providing health care benefits and other services to support individuals with disabilities in employment and independence. Outcomes that the demonstration seeks to measure include: reliance on cash benefits, employment status, changes in health status, cost of health care, and quality of life. This demonstration grant provides an opportunity to investigate the question: can a program of medical assistance and other supports forestall or prevent the loss of employment and independence due to a potentially disabling and medically determinable physical or mental impairment?
This demonstration project may not supplant existing state funds that are provided for workers with potentially severe disabilities in effect at the time of the approval of the demonstration project. For example, individuals eligible for a Medicaid buy-in, medically needy, or other Medicaid options, may not be served by this demonstration instead of Medicaid. This grant provides the opportunity to concentrate prevention efforts on a sub-state region such as a city, county, or labor market area. For example, a grantee might choose to work with employers and other service providers in a specific geographic location. Yet another possibility is that this demonstration be used as a "wrap around" for employer-provided private insurance plans.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: All states are eligible to participate in the Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment. For purposes of this program, "state" is defined as any entity qualified to submit a Medicaid state plan under title XIX of the Act.
AWARD INFORMATION: Funding for the Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment may be distributed through 2009 and $250 million in funding has been appropriated for the program. There are no minimum or maximum grant awards per state or per project; however, CMS reserves the right to negotiate the size of any demonstration project proposed by a state. CMS anticipates making awards on July 30, 2006. States with existing DMIE grants may not apply.
Access the URL to read the full solicitation including application and submission information.
Mental Health Month is an annual observance sponsored by the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) and the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (NCCBH). It is designed to increase awareness about mental health and mental illness. For more information on mental health or this year’s Mental Health Month theme, call NMHA at 800-969-NMHA (6642), or visit the web site at www.nmha.org.
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.
The purpose of this pilot project is to expand employment services to Department of Mental Health (DMH) consumers assist them with finding and keeping suitable full-time and part-time employment. To accomplish this, the project will enhance linkages between the Division of Career Services (DCS) One-Stop Career Centers and the DMH Services for Education and Employment (SEE) projects and to promote access to Career Center services for DMH consumers while utilizing existing specialized supports from the SEE to assist consumers to acquire and maintain employment.
The primary goal of the pilot project is to increase the number of DMH consumers that are currently utilizing the One-Stop Career Center system. Additional goals include increasing the number of DMH consumers who are employed as well as developing processes whereby DMH consumers can use particular services from both the One-Stop Career Centers and SEE programs in a non-duplicative manner. Special focus in the pilot projects will be given to DMH consumers who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness, and / or are young adults (aged 18 - 25).
Since Career Centers are a normalized community employment service, it is the goal of the Department of Mental Health to assist consumers to access Career Center services appropriate to their needs, desires, and level of functioning. DMH SEE services can and should complement Career Center services. Career centers offer excellent job readiness and job development services, but do not offer the individualized and specialized placement and follow-up services that SEE provides. By using appropriate Career Center services, DMH consumers can increase their community resource access, and SEE staff are able to concentrate on the specialized services that they are trained to provide.
JobNet, a Massachusetts One Stop Career Center, operates several programs to assist individuals with disabilities to secure employment and / or housing. The JobNet Disability Employment Services Unit is responsible for delivery of employment services through several programs including the Employment Connections program.
Employment Connections is ten years old and represents a unique partnership between the Division of Career Services (DCS) and the Department of Mental Health (DMH). This program was created to provide employment services to individuals with psychiatric disabilities who are consumers of the DMH system and are currently or were previously homeless. The design of the Employment Connections program is to assist this population to secure and retain full and / or part-time competitive employment.
If you would like more information on either of these two programs, please contact Lisa Matrundola at: E-Mail LMatrundola@detma.org.
According to this resource from the American Psychiatric Association, Mental illness is common, and the milder conditions are very common. One fifth of Americans suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder during any given year. One fifth of school-age children are also affected by these conditions. Severe and persistent mental illness is less common, but still afflicts 3 percent of the population. The vast majority of individuals with mental disorders continue to function in their daily lives, although with varying impairments. Overall medical care costs are driven up enormously by costs associated with unrecognized psychiatric syndromes.
The exact causes of mental disorders are unknown, but an explosive growth of research has brought us closer to the answers. We can say that certain inherited dispositions interact with triggering environmental factors. Poverty and stress are well-known to be bad for your health — this is true for mental health and physical health. In fact, the distinction between "mental" illness and "physical" illness can be misleading. Like physical illnesses, mental disorders can have a biological nature. Many physical illnesses can also have a strong emotional component.
[The following is excerpted from the News Release.]
Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao announced that "Americans with Disabilities: Ready for the Global Workforce" will be the official theme for October's National Disability Employment Awareness Month, which is celebrated nationwide. "The 2006 theme…highlights the fact that workers with disabilities are an underutilized and ambitious group of Americans eager to pursue their career dreams," said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao.
The private sector; federal, state and local governments; and advocacy organizations can now use the theme to plan events and programs that showcase the abilities and skills of employees and job candidates who have disabilities. "This year’s theme reflects the fact that increasing the opportunities for Americans with disabilities in the workforce can produce far-reaching, positive results for employers," said Roy Grizzard, assistant secretary of labor for the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).
Partnering with state and national organizations, Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD) will host a national conference which will focus on sharing best practices in the field of mentoring youth with disabilities. Over 200 representatives from various agencies are expected to attend the two day conference. The first day will feature a keynote speaker and specific workshops that cover a variety of topics related to mentoring including: a historical perspective on mentoring and what research has shown; effective one-to-one, group, and online mentoring models; evaluating mentoring programs; recruiting, screening and training mentors; how mentoring can impact health, education, and employment goals for youth; how to start and operate a mentoring program; and how to include youth with disabilities in existing mentoring projects. The conference will also feature a planning symposium for leaders in the fields of health, education, employment, independent living, and transition for youth with disabilities. Leaders will meet with members of PYD's National Disability Mentoring Council to discuss policy issues, legislative & research needs, funding, and an agenda for future collaboration between agencies who are all conducting various initiatives serving youth with disabilities.
More information on the conference, agenda, and how to register will be posted on this website as it becomes available. For questions on the conference please contact PYD's Deputy Director, Maureen Gallagher at E-mail mgallagher@pyd.org.
This pre-conference seminar provided participants with concrete and specific guidance about state experiences and emerging practices that have promise to improve employment outcomes for individuals with complex needs, including individuals with disabilities. Speakers addressed how states can create partnerships among the workforce system, healthcare system, TANF system, disability organizations and other groups to provide the resources and supports necessary to assist this emerging workforce reach their employment goals.
Access the URL to view and download copies of the presentations, as well as additional handouts including the following:
The Inter-agency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities announces the nationwide roll-out of best practice guidelines, contained in its publication "Preparing the Workplace for Everyone." Under Executive Order 13347, federal agencies are charged with assessing the adequacy of emergency plans and procedures. The Council’s guidelines are designed to facilitate the full involvement and inclusion of employees and visitors with disabilities in workplace emergency plans. The guidelines address the full range of topics, from evacuation, to sheltering, to working with first responders, to the shared responsibilities of employers and employees. Each topic is presented with an overview, points for consideration, actual examples from over 20 federal agencies, and critical questions for the reader.
The guidelines are being hosted by the Department of Labor which serves as Chair of the Council’s Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness in the Workplace. To access the HTML and PDF versions of "Preparing the Workplace for Everyone," visit http://www.dol.gov/odep/programs/emergency.htm. To obtain print copies of the publication send an e-mail to Sandra Moreno at E-mail Moreno.sandra@dol.gov.
CareerOneStop and partner Web sites continue to integrate new technology, resources, and tools into our core products.
Tools and Technology data were developed by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Information Network (O*NET). Over 14,000 descriptors are used to illustrate the common machines, equipment, tools, and software needed for more than 150 in-demand occupations. These descriptors are categorized as tools or technology.
According to the National Mental Health Association (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/), a mental illness is a disease that causes mild to severe disturbances in thought and / or behavior, resulting in an inability to cope with life’s ordinary demands and routines. There are more than 200 classified forms of mental illness. Some of the more common disorders are depression, bipolar disorder, dementia, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorders, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and anxiety disorders. Symptoms may include changes in mood, personality, personal habits and / or social withdrawal. An estimated 54 million Americans suffer from some form of mental disorder in a given year. This fact sheet includes a quick overview of some of the job accommodations that might be useful for people with mental illness.
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. This publication includes information about psychiatric impairments, including: