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
8 September 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 "Upcoming Events of Interest."
]
Learn more about the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for a Competitive Workforce (formerly the Center for Workforce Preparation C.W.P.), which serves as the primary bridge between the business and education communities. One of I.C.W’s current initiatives is the employment of people with disabilities. I.C.W. promotes materials, participates in national conferences and roundtables, convenes experts, and disseminates information to chambers and their business members so they can better understand the facts and the resources available to support the employment of individuals with disabilities. This webcast will provide more information about I.C.W. and how local chambers of commerce play a pivotal role as a workforce intermediary. In addition, it will also discuss the challenges small business owners face in maintaining their competitiveness and how a trusted source can be an invaluable partner in ensuring a quality workforce.
DATES: Comments should be submitted by November 6, 2006.
SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (F.T.A.) has placed in the docket and on its website, proposed guidance in the form of circulars to assist grantees in implementing the Elderly Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities (Section 5310), Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC), and New Freedom Programs beginning in F.Y. 2007. By this notice, F.T.A. invites public comment on the proposed circulars for these programs. This notice also includes guidance for F.Y. 2007 implementation for the coordinated planning process.
This notice establishes program guidance on how to implement the new coordinated public transit-human services transportation planning requirements for fiscal year 2007 for the Elderly Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities (Section 5310), Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC), and New Freedom programs. These requirements are based on provisions in the statute as well as issues raised and commented on during the public comment period. The March 15, 2006, Federal Register notice provided interim guidance for implementing the Section 5310, JARC and New Freedom programs for fiscal year 2006.
This notice also provides summaries of the proposed Section 5310, JARC and New Freedom program circulars on which F.T.A. seeks comment, and responds to comments received in response to the March 15, 2006, Federal Register notice. These programs are affected by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU, Pub. L. 109-59), signed into law on August 10, 2005. The Section 5310 program provides funding, allocated by a formula, to States for capital projects to assist in meeting the transportation needs of older adults and persons with disabilities. The States administer this program. The current Section 5310 circular, developed in 1998, needs to be updated to reflect changes in the law. The JARC program was authorized as a discretionary program under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21, Pub. L. 105-178, June 9, 1998), and changed to a formula program under SAFETEA-LU. The JARC program provides formula funding to States and designated recipients to support the development and maintenance of job access projects designed to transport welfare recipients and eligible low-income individuals to and from jobs and activities related to their employment. The JARC program also supports reverse commute projects designed to transport residents of urbanized areas and other than urbanized areas to suburban employment opportunities. The New Freedom program is newly established in SAFETEA-LU. The purpose of the New Freedom program is to provide new public transportation services and public transportation alternatives beyond those required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) that assist individuals with disabilities with transportation, including transportation to and from jobs and employment support services.
Electronic versions of the proposed circulars may be found on the docket, at [ http://dms.dot.gov ], docket number FTA-2006-24037, or on F.T.A's Web site, at [ http://www.fta.dot.gov ].
Access the U.R.L. to read the full announcement including instructions on how to submit public comments.
[The contents of the news release are included below in its entirety.]
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Job Corps today announced the launch of an initiative designed to improve students" preparedness for high-demand industries of the 21st century. The new program called STARS (Speakers, Tutors, Achievement, Retention and Success) will increase Job Corps students' academic achievement, career skills attainment and retention in the program by providing motivational speakers to inspire them, and highly-qualified tutors and mentors to assist them in academics and personal skills.
"The STARS initiative is a major component of Job Corps' Vision for the 21st Century," said Job Corps National Director Esther R. Johnson. "STARS resources will help students strengthen their literacy, numeracy, and personal and social development. STARS will increase student retention in Job Corps, ensure completion of their program of study, and ultimately prepare them for the 21st century workplace."
Motivational speakers will offer students the opportunity to hear and interact with real-life achievers who will provide motivating and inspiring messages about what it takes to succeed and the challenges they will face. Tutors will provide students with academic assistance based on their individual needs. Mentors will provide guidance in career technical areas and offer strategies to enhance personal development and life skills.
Thirteen Job Corps centers across the country have been selected for the STARS pilot phase. The STARS initiative began with a motivational speaker at the Woodland Job Corps Center in Laurel, Md. on Aug. 24, 2006.
EmployAbility is one of the first agencies that T-TAP selected to receive technical assistance when the project began in 2002. Agencies responded to a request for proposals, and EmployAbility received a year of intensive support from project staff and a mentor agency that has been successful in moving individuals with disabilities into customized positions in the community earning at least minimum wages. Access the website to read a success story from EmployAbility.
The Governor of Alabama, The Secretary of Labor and the U.S. Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, in response to the need for increased national collaboration among assistance networks, are hosting a national dialogue to highlight the issues, programs, and best practices employed at federal, state and community levels to assure the recovery and return to success of transitioning wounded, injured and disabled service members and their families.
To register online, access: [ http://www.dol.gov/vets/REALifelines/ ]. For further assistance, contact: Vivian Blair at (404) 562-2305 or email: [ E-mail blair.vivian@dol.gov ].
Presenters: Cathy Healy, When Work Works, and Steve Korte, A & F Wood Products
This webcast focuses on the Center for Workforce Preparation (C.W.P.) of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and how local chambers of commerce play a pivotal role as a workforce intermediary. In addition, it also shows the challenges small business owners face in maintaining their competitiveness and how a trusted source can be an invaluable partner in ensuring a quality workforce.
Cathy Healy manages the When Work Works. This initiative is introducing employers in 24 communities to workplace flexibility and effective workplaces as a strategy for recruiting and retaining workers. Steve Korte, co-owner of A & F Wood Products, a business in that provides employment opportunities to individuals with disabilities through accessibility support, training, and a workplace environment that is user-friendly.
Access the U.R.L. for more information and to register for this webcast. Note, there is a fee associated with participation.
Pre-registration ends September 14th!
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.
The Society for Human Resource Management (S.H.R.M.) is the world's largest association devoted to human resource management. Representing more than 210,000 individual members, the Society's mission is to serve the needs of H.R. professionals by providing the most essential and comprehensive resources available. As an influential voice, the Society's mission is also to advance the human resource profession to ensure that H.R. is recognized as an essential partner in developing and executing organizational strategy. Founded in 1948, S.H.R.M. currently has more than 550 affiliated chapters within the United States and members in more than 100 countries.
Access the U.R.L. for more information including registration and pre-conference and conference schedule of events.
APPLICATION: Interested attendees must complete and submit an application no later than October 6, 2006. To receive a letter further explaining the Summit details and an application, send an e-mail to: [ E-mail laura-farah@uiowa.edu ].
The Summit is for individuals who are current or recent beneficiaries of Social Security Disability Insurance (S.S.D.I.), Supplemental Security Income (S.S.I.), Medicare, and/or Medicaid to share their ideas on ways that Social Security disability and other programs can better encourage people who want to go to work. There will be no cost to those who attend. The Panel hopes to assemble a diverse group of individuals who represent many racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, as well as individuals with many different types of disabilities.
This two-page brochure for small- and medium-sized businesses interested in increasing their hiring pool by recruiting well-qualified employees with disabilities. The brochure describes how to:
The brochure also includes links to some very useful resources.
This document represents a new four page fact sheet in .pdf form that explains the programs, initiatives and the accommodation process available within the Computer / Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP). Providing real solutions for real needs is the mission of CAP to ensure people with disabilities and wounded service members have equal access to the information environment and opportunities in the Federal government. CAP is working to remove barriers to Federal employment opportunities by eliminating the costs of assistive technology.
This fact sheet provides information on how to use a diversified array of funding resources to support community-integrated employment outcomes. Ms. Nancy Brooks-Lane, Director of Developmental Disabilities Services Cobb-Douglas Counties Community Services Boards in Georgia, provides detailed examples on how to target and use a variety of funding opportunities for this purpose. First, Ms. Brooks-Lane discusses how her organization decided to shift its focus on facility-based programs to community-integrated outcomes. Then, she answers frequently asked questions about how the organization funded this change using multiple resources.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and its Center for Mental Health Services (C.M.H.S.) are pleased to introduce six Evidence-Based Practice Implementation Resource Kits to encourage the use of evidence-based practices in mental health. The Kits were developed as one of several SAMHSA / C.M.H.S. activities critical to its science-to-services strategy. We expect to identify additional practices for future Kits.
The Kits contain many useful resources, including:
Supported Employment is a well-defined approach to helping people with mental illnesses find and keep competitive employment within their communities. Supported employment programs are staffed by employment specialists who have frequent meetings with treatment providers to integrate supported employment with mental health services. The core principles of this program include:
Access the U.R.L. to view and download the resources available in the Supported Employment Toolkit.
One of Easter Seals Project ACTION’s (ESPA) most popular items, the Taxicab Pocket Guide, is back with a new look. An easy reference for taxi drivers and operators, this laminated pocket guide outlines taxi drivers' responsibilities for serving passengers with disabilities under the A.D.A.. Covers disability etiquette, mobility aids, assisting customers with service animals and describes the responsibilities that passengers with disabilities have to ensure themselves a ride.
The re-designed pocket guide is available from ESPA's on-line clearinghouse or by calling (800) 659-6428 Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (E.D.T.). In addition to English, this publication is also available in Farsi and Spanish.
[Excerpted from a September 1st U.S. Chamber of Commerce e-mail announcement.]
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced the creation of the Institute for a Competitive Workforce (I.C.W.), an affiliate that will serve as a bridge between the business and education communities to improve the nation's education system and ensure a capable workforce. The new entity is the result of a merger between the Chamber's Center for Workforce Preparation (C.W.P.) and the Business Education Network (BEN).
"The most important component to any business's success and prosperity is a competent and skilled workforce," said Arthur Rothkopf, Chamber senior vice president. "By pooling the resources of these two groups, we can help ensure that businesses have the educated, qualified, and skilled workers they need to keep America globally competitive."
I.C.W. will be engaged in numerous activities both nationally and at the local and regional levels, including coalition building with state and local chambers of commerce to advance pro-education initiatives and community strategic planning. It will also connect state and local chambers and businesses to replicable and sustainable education and workforce development strategies, and provide comprehensive research and reporting on education issues and trends. In early 2007, the Chamber and I.C.W. will be unveiling report cards on each state's K - 12 education system and using the results to formulate education reform measures.
I.C.W’s first major public event will be the annual Education and Workforce Summit in Dallas, October 4 - 6, which will assemble the nation's top education, workforce, and business leaders and feature a keynote address by U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. More information on the summit, including a full list of speakers, participants and events, can be found online at [ /icw/events/default ].
On July 3, 2006 Butler New Media launched America's first nationwide online panels for people with disabilities. These two large panels allow people with disabilities to participate in:
The F.A.Q. section includes more information on:
The Resources page includes links to many helpful resources on disability statistics and research.
Access the ABILITY panel media kit to learn more about this new project at [ http://www.abilitypanel.com/mediakit.html ]. The following is excerpted from the July 3rd press release:
“With the name ABILITY and the slogan “Be Heard” panelists will have the opportunity to participate in Mystery Shopping, Market Research, and a myriad of other specialized studies. The two panels that people can join are: The Mystery Shopping / Evaluation Panel and the Market Research Panel. Participants in the Mystery Shopping Panel will have the opportunity to participate in: Mystery Shopping, Product and Service Evaluations and Usability Testing. The Market Research Panel is used for Surveys, Opinion Polls, Focus Groups, and other specialized research.
The project is the vision of Butler New Media co-founder and person with a disability, Cornelius Butler. He is an alumnus of Georgia’s High School / High Tech Program and the first person in the nation to start a business after graduating from the program. He wanted to provide an easier way for corporations and other organizations to research the large and diverse disability market. He realized as a legally blind individual that people with disabilities have unique needs, wants, and desires that are currently not being addressed by mainstream market research. “I wanted to make it easier for organizations to get the viewpoints of real people with disabilities. I believe that this project will break new ground in building awareness about the disability community and market” said Butler.
N.C.W.D. / Youth has revised its popular, Career Planning Begins with Assessment: A Guide for Professionals Serving Youth with Educational & Career Development Challenges. This guide is for multiple audiences within the workforce development system as they assist youth in making decisions and choices based on appropriate assessments that focus on the talents, knowledge, skills, interests, values, and aptitudes of each individual. Youth service practitioners will find information on selecting career-related assessments, determining when to refer youth for additional assessment, and on other issues such as accommodations, legal issues, and ethical considerations. Administrators and policymakers will find information on developing practical and effective policies, collaboration among programs, and interagency assessment systems.