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
30 June 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.
![[Animated G.I.F. image, approximation of current United States flag on a white pole with a round ball on the end, with red, blue, and orange fireworks being launched and exploding in the background. The flag is reflecting the fireworks' light.]](downloads/flag06302006.gif)
Have a good day and Fourth of July 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, first Resource is located under the section heading "Resources of Interest."
]
The NEW RED BOOK 2006 is available! As a Disability Program Navigator, you know how important it is to provide accurate information to beneficiaries of S.S.I. / S.S.D.I. so that individuals can make informed choices about work. Be sure to review the changes for 2006 and provide this updated information in a one-page, easy-to-read / post handout to One-Stop staff and throughout the disability community! Check out the online versions available both in P.D.F. and H.T.M.L. formats and in English and Spanish versions, and access the U.R.L. to view and download a copy. Or better yet, call to order the Red Book and get copies in alternative formats by calling (800) 772-1213 [Voice] or (800) 325-0778 [T.T.Y.]. The Red Book serves as a general reference source about the employment-related provisions of Social Security Disability Insurance (S.S.D.I.) and the Supplemental Security Income (S.S.I.) Programs for educators, advocates, rehabilitation professionals, and counselors who serve people with disabilities.
[The full announcement, second Resource is located under the section heading "Resources of Interest."
]
Download and print out the 2006 National Disability Employment Awareness Month poster now and hang it up in your One-Stop Career Centers! Or request a 20” x 30” or a 10” x 15” paper version of this poster by e-mailing your name, complete mailing address and number of posters requested to ndeam@dol.gov, or call 202-693-7880. Use this advertisement to remind your community about this year's theme, Americans with Disabilities: Ready for the Global Workforce and promote any events or activities you are planning for October.
[The following is excerpted from the O.P.A. News Release.]
The U.S. Department of Labor's Workforce Recruitment Program (W.R.P.) has placed more than 300 qualified college students and recent graduates with disabilities in summer positions. The placements were made through a free database of 1,900 candidates seeking summer and full-time employment that was distributed on a compact disc this past spring to public and private sector employers. The Labor Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the Department of Defense jointly sponsor the W.R.P.. This year, the program celebrates its 11th year of helping public and private sector employers meet their staffing needs and diversity goals.
"We are very proud of the success we have had with the Workforce Recruitment Program, as a number of those hired have found permanent jobs and careers," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "This program is an example of what is possible if agencies work together on programs that benefit the nation as well as the people participating." Using the complimentary database, employers can search from a pool of pre-screened students and recent graduates who have skills in a broad range of areas including computer science, business, public relations, science, engineering, law, and office administration. Searches generate candidate profiles, academic and demographic data, and contact information for students from more than 200 colleges and universities in over 45 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
"The Workforce Recruitment Program offers employers an excellent source of well-educated and skilled job candidates who are ready to get to work and explore real career options," said Roy Grizzard, assistant secretary of labor for the Office of Disability Employment Policy.
To request a copy of the C.D.-ROM, send your name, company name, address and phone number to wrp@dol.gov or call ODEP at 202-693-7880.
On June 28th, the U.S. Department of Labor announced $4 million in grants to 55 faith-based and community organizations competitively chosen to help hard-to-serve populations prepare for and succeed in employment opportunities. According to the news release, projects receiving awards will serve individuals who face significant hurdles to employment, including welfare recipients, high school dropouts, and ex-offenders. Grantees will provide personalized care and supportive services, such as mentoring or life skills coaching, to enable individuals to fully utilize the employment services offered at local One-Stop Career Centers.
The grants are part of the Labor Department's on-going effort to partner its existing programs with effective faith-based and community organizations to better serve the needy. Today's awards more than triple last year's funding and will allow recipients to expand services into their communities.
Access the U.R.L. to read the full announcement.
Ninety-one grants, totaling nearly $26 million, were awarded to provide approximately 17,000 veterans with job training to help them succeed in civilian careers. The grants were awarded under the Department of Labor's Veterans' Workforce Investment Program (V.W.I.P.) and Homeless Veterans Re-integration Program (H.V.R.P.). Funds are awarded on a competitive basis to state and local workforce investment boards, local public agencies, and non-profit organizations, including faith-based and community organizations. These agencies have a familiarity with the area and population to be served and have demonstrated that they can administer an effective program.
More than $6.8 million will be used to support 12 V.W.I.P. grants to help veterans from targeted groups overcome employment barriers and ease their transition into un-subsidized jobs. Through this program, veterans receive skills assessments, individual job counseling, labor market information, classroom or on-the-job training, skills upgrading and retraining, placement assistance and crucial follow-up services. The Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) expects the V.W.I.P. grants to provide training for more than 3,800 veterans. Veterans receiving assistance under these grants may also be eligible for services through other Workforce Investment Act programs for economically disadvantaged or dislocated workers.
To assist the nation's homeless veterans, the Department of Labor is awarding more than $19 million in 79 H.V.R.P. grants. These funds are being distributed nationwide through 42 newly competed H.V.R.P. grants and 37 current H.V.R.P. grants receiving second- and third-year funding. H.V.R.P. grants help homeless veterans, often with barriers to employment, to re-integrate into America's workforce. Homeless veterans may receive occupational, classroom and on-the-job training, as well as job search help and job placement assistance, including follow-up services. VETS expects these funds to help nearly 13,000 homeless veterans.
Grantees under both programs network and coordinate their efforts with various other local, state and federal social service providers. H.V.R.P. is recognized as an extraordinarily efficient and effective program and is the only federal program that focuses exclusively on employment of veterans who are homeless.
[The article is listed below in its entirety.]
For employers hurting for workers, the time has come to tap into a group usually passed over, says Gary Daniele, disability navigator for WorkSource Oregon: people with disabilities. "There's still a stigma out there that people with disabilities can only work in workshops, janitorial services or as a dishwasher," Daniele said. "I'm here to say, 'Absolutely not.' I promote folks working competitively in the workplace."
Daniele helps people with disabilities enter the work force and trains and educates employers about how they can accommodate disabled workers. Employers should accommodate both their employees and customers who have special needs, which can increase sales and employee retention, Daniele said. In Deschutes County, the May unemployment rate plunged to 4.2 percent, which signifies an ever-shrinking labor market.
Many employers are complaining that they can't find enough help to satisfy business demand, forcing them to recruit outside the market or reduce operations. They say their labor problems are exacerbated in summer, when tourists flood the region. Citing the labor crunch, Daniele suggests employers open themselves to a wider population of potential employees.
"Today is a great time for folks who have barriers to get a job because big companies are dying for good employees," Daniele said. "More often than not, people with barriers may be the best employees because, if they enjoy what they do, they stay in their jobs for longer and are usually hard workers."
At two of the five WorkSource offices in Central Oregon - Bend and Madras - computer stations are available that are equipped with special software programs for people with disabilities. The programs magnify images, read scanned or written documents orally and type whatever the user dictates through a microphone. Daniele doesn't know how many businesses in Central Oregon use such services. He thinks most businesses don't know the programs exist or think they're too expensive. The computer programs range from $300 to $1,000, he said. Companies can get tax credits for using the programs, Daniele added, and they can be useful for all employees - not just those who are disabled. WorkSource will soon build a more extensive system of computer programs in the Redmond office, Daniele said.
For businesses hoping to market their services to people with disabilities, all it could take, for example, is offering a menu in larger type or Braille, or recording it on an M.P.3 player, said Stephanie Jaeger, principal of Stephanie Jaeger Architecture & Design L.L.C. in Bend. The nation's aging population, many of whom have disabilities, accounts for $175 million in discretionary spending power, she said. "So much of our focus is on the group of youngsters with spending power," Jaeger said at a Bend Chamber of Commerce Power Morning meeting last week. "But the older market has significant spending power that we can tap into."
Tapping into that market means assessing how a business may or may not be accessible to people with special needs. That includes architectural interior designs, Jaeger said. Employers also can make themselves more accessible to customers with disabilities by educating staff on how to approach someone with a disability. "You approach them the same as you've approach anyone," Jaeger said. "Ask them if they need assistance." Central Oregon Sporting Clays owner Jay Walsh attended the chamber meetings to learn about serving his customers with disabilities.
His customers' disabilities include mobility and hearing problems. "If I don't pay attention to folks with disabilities, it cuts out a pretty good chunk of my business," Walsh said, adding that he's planning on offering brochures and other printed materials with larger print. Communication is how you service your customer," Walsh said. "If you can't service them, you're not firing on all cylinders. With that in mind, I'll be conscientious about my communications with customers."
This conference promises to be an excellent learning and networking opportunity for all professionals who are responsible for diversity programs within small, medium and large organizations. During this two-and-a-half-day forum, you will attend guided dialogue sessions that focus on emerging issues, best practices, current research, and legislative and regulatory compliance; you will also gain a better understanding of corporate diversity programs from diversity experts and have the opportunity to network with colleagues in the field of diversity management.
Access the web site for more information, including registration, concurrent sessions, pre-conference workshops, networking opportunities and hotel accommodations.
The Social Security Administration has released the 2006 edition of what many people simply call the "Red Book. The Red Book serves as a general reference source about the employment-related provisions of Social Security Disability Insurance and the Supplemental Security Income Programs for educators, advocates, rehabilitation professionals, and counselors who serve people with disabilities. Online versions are available both in P.D.F. and H.T.M.L. formats and in English and Spanish versions. Access the U.R.L. to view and download a copy. To obtain the Red Book by phone or in alternative formats, you may call (800) 772-1213 [Voice] or (800) 325-0778 [T.T.Y.].
The D.O.L.’s Office of Disability Employment Policy’s (ODEP) Assistant Secretary Roy Grizzard has announced that the 2006 poster for National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is now available to the public. This year’s theme, Americans with Disabilities: Ready for the Global Workforce, was announced by U.S.D.O.L. Secretary Elaine L. Chao in May.
Bursting with color (purple, orange and yellow) the 2006 NDEAM poster carries the theme, Americans with Disabilities: Ready for the Global Workforce. A young man with a developmental disability is posed with a global backdrop. He is wearing a tie and a white shirt. Using a headset, he is responding to a telephone call. The words “October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month” appear at the bottom of the poster.
Congress enacted Public Law 176 in 1945 establishing October as the month to recognize the contributions Americans with disabilities are making in the workplace. This poster can be used to focus attention on employment opportunities for workers with disabilities. This poster can also be distributed at programs celebrating the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) in July and NDEAM in October.
To read the full story and download the poster, access the web site.
"At Your Service: Welcoming Customers with Disabilities" is a free, accessible, self-paced Web-Course for people interested in discovering best practices for working with customers who have disabilities. This course has recently been revised and expanded in response to requests from more than 10,000 participants who have taken the course.
The course was created as a training tool for Customer Service Representatives employed at the Department of Labor's One-Stop Centers as well as for Navigators in the Disability Program Navigator Initiative, jointly funded by the Department of Labor (D.O.L.) and the Social Security Administration (S.S.A.). However, anyone interested in learning more about interacting effectively with people who have a variety of disabilities will also benefit from this Web-Course.
As Navigators or staff at One-Stop Centers, you provide a vital link between people with disabilities who are seeking work and employers in your community who are looking for competent, reliable employees. This course will provide you with the information and background you need to serve people with disabilities effectively and courteously. Upon completion of this Web-Course, you will be able to:
To participate in the "At Your Service" course, you need to have access to a computer that has:
To gain the most from the "At Your Service" course, you should have familiarity with:
The "At Your Service" course is organized into a Pre Test, 15 self-paced topics, and a Post Test. Before starting the topics, you will be directed to complete a Pre Test. The first seven topics explore various core concepts such as Disability Etiquette, the Workforce Investment Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The other eight topics are individual case studies that offer the opportunity to practice the information presented in the first half of this course. After completing all topics, a Post Test will be available.
All fifteen topics consist of 1 - 5 pages of information and relevant examples, including any applicable legal cases. Some topics contain multiple-choice or true / false "Apply Your Knowledge" questions. Additional generic and disability-specific "Tell Me More" resources that can assist you in your work and a "Glossary of Terms" are also available for reference throughout the course.
The resources offered on this section of the National Center for Learning Disabilities (N.C.L.D.) web site are for parents of a child with a learning disability (L.D.), or for parents who suspect their child may have a learning disability. The goal of the Parent Center is to empower parents with the information and tools they need to become informed and effective advocates for their children, both at home and at school.
[Greg Smith, better known as “The Strength Coach,” was the closing key note speaker at the Disability Program Navigator (D.P.N.) Second Annual Training, which was held in Chicago, IL in November 2004. The D.P.N. program recently learned that Greg was in Mississippi, his home, during last year’s Hurricane Katrina and lost practically everything: home, power wheelchair, accessible van, etc. We reached out to him to ask what we might be able to do and he asked us to share information about the availability of his book!]
Greg Smith's life is a modern day miracle. Born with muscular dystrophy, Greg has turned his physical challenges into his greatest strengths, and has given inspiration to millions through “On A Roll – Talk Radio on Life & Disability,” a nationally syndicated radio show that he created and hosts from his power wheelchair. Greg Smith's memoir is an honest and uplifting story of one African American man's quest for independence, love and success. This book provides a rare "insider's look" at the crossroads in America where family, disability, race and inspiration meet.
Access the Strength Coach web site to learn more about Greg, guest speaking opportunities and his radio show “On a Roll” at: http://www.thestrengthcoach.com/.
The federal government plays a significant role in supporting youths with disabilities, many of whom research has shown are less likely than other students to successfully transition from high school to post-secondary education or employment. Federal programs make considerable investments in providing transition services for youths with disabilities, often through state and local agencies. G.A.O. has previously reported problems in how these programs support transition, such as difficulties youths with disabilities may experience in accessing services.
To better understand how federal programs interact at the state and local levels to support transitioning youths with disabilities, on November 15, 2005, G.A.O. convened a conference of professionals and state and local program experts who are directly involved with transitioning youths with disabilities in California. While the perspectives offered were limited to one state’s experience, California has wide variation in population, industry, disability rates, and employment rates among its counties, and thus may offer lessons to other states about the challenges and successes in serving transitioning youths. This report summarizes the views of panelists on challenges they experienced serving this population during critical transition years, and identifies several practices that they believe are helping to address those challenges in California.
Since the late 1970s and early 1980s, performance measures and standards, especially outcome-oriented ones, have become increasingly commonplace. Increased accountability is generally seen as beneficial, not just by the tax-paying public, but also by policymakers, administrators, and participants. In this age of accountability, however, adjusting performance to account for different characteristics and expected outcomes and the use of incentives become increasingly important strategies. In recognition of the emerging importance of this issue, the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability / Youth developed "Performance Measures Adjustment and Incentives-Key Strategies for Providing More and Better Services to Harder to Serve Populations in the Age of Accountability," prepared by Christopher T. King, Director, Ray Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resources, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin.
This paper discusses intended and unintended consequences of performance measurement and explores how performance adjustment and incentive mechanisms can counter some of these effects and encourage effective service delivery to disadvantaged and harder-to-serve populations. The paper makes the following recommendations: