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
15 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 "Publications of Interest."
]
Many Disability Program Navigators (DPN) are trying to think of strategies and concrete examples to engage the workforce development system to begin thinking about and working with youth with disabilities while they are still in the school system to help with their transition from high school to post-secondary education and meaningful employment opportunities. Lessons learned from a recent small discussion group held with DPNs on “Youth and Transition to Work” included developing linkages with schools, special education directors and transitional/career counselors; as well as directly with youth with disabilities in- or out of school. The group talked about the importance of understanding and speaking the language of the target population, which was a common theme shared by the other groups as well. This represents doing research in order to understand the needs and issues faced by transitioning youth and identifying what other programs and services exist and are working with youth in transition to ensure that efforts are not duplicated. Many initiatives and organizations are focusing on similar activities and thus no progress. Some other successful strategies shared by the group included:
In reference to this last suggested strategy, the Paving the Way to Work Guide, created by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) is intended for individuals designing mentoring programs for youth, including youth with disabilities, in the transition phase to adulthood. Mentoring is recognized as one of the most important strategies for assisting youth in making a positive transition into adulthood. This Guide is intended for individuals designing mentoring programs for youth, including youth with disabilities, in the transition phase to adulthood.
[The article is included below in its entirety.]
The team of Maggie Leedy, Price Baum and the Rev. Dave Seymour described challenges facing persons with disabilities throughout society at an educational workshop of Shore Leadership’s 2006 Class at Oxford’s Community Center on Thursday, Aug. 24. Introduced by William Pfordt, Shore Leadership’s program director, the team emphasized that persons with disabilities have much to offer society but are often ignored based on misunderstanding, indifference, or historic stigma that continues to limit their opportunities in the workplace, the professions, and community life.
Shore Leadership is beginning its second decade. Pfordt schedules monthly educational workshops at diverse locations, April through November, and presides over graduation ceremonies in December. Baum, a lifelong Oxford resident and well known sailing instructor, is an expert on the Americans with Disabilities Act. Quadriplegic from a diving accident years ago, he uses a wheelchair. Seymour is founding chairman and now honorary chairman of the disAbility Coalition of Talbot County, which spells its name with a small d and a capital A to emphasize abilities of persons with physical, neurological, developmental and mental disabilities. He was born with cerebral palsy and always used a wheelchair.
Leedy, a skilled presenter, is Lead Navigator of Maryland’s Disability Program Navigators, which seeks employment opportunities for qualified persons with disabilities. She is part of Montgomery Works in Wheaton. Ellen Mousin, from the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce, manages the Navigator program on the Upper Shore. Leedy, Mousin, and their colleagues throughout Maryland encourage employers to recruit and train qualified persons with disabilities for a full range of job possibilities. Workplace accommodations are rarely costly, they say, and persons with disabilities have an outstanding work ethic. “Too often employers see a wheelchair, not the applicant, and fail to appreciate his or her qualifications and positive attitude,” said Seymour. “A friend who graduated with high honors from Stanford Law School was interviewed and rejected by a dozen law firms in our Nation’s Capital,” Baum recalled. They couldn’t see past his wheelchair either.”
Seymour was dismayed that church leaders retired him the day he was ordained. “Even men of the cloth could not see my potential. I am much more than a man in a wheelchair.” Leedy emphasized there are many degrees of physical, neurological, developmental and mental disabilities, and each person must be evaluated on their abilities. “The person comes first,” she says, “then evaluation of his or her particular situation.” Baum stressed the need to focus on what the person can do, not abilities lost through illness or injury. “They are the same people they were before an accident or sickness. But now they must make adjustments to move on with their life, and sometimes society has to cooperate by making adjustments in the workplace to welcome them.”
From a business point of view, Seymour said making restaurants, lodgings and shops fully accessible helps the bottom line. “Studies show that persons with disabilities travel, enjoy theatre, shopping and good food like everybody else, and spend more than $74 billion annually. To benefit from some of that spending, it’s surely worth building a ramp, putting grab bars in restrooms, and widening doors to accommodate wheelchairs.” Baum wheeled next to Seymour, smiling, “It’s also the law. The Americans with Disabilities Act leveled the playing field, so to speak, so persons with disabilities might work, socialize, go to sporting events and the theatre, and attend religious services, just like their able-bodied neighbors.”
Leedy and Baum played a game of “terrible choices” with conferees, listing four categories of disability: blindness, mental retardation, cerebral palsy and quadriplegia, asking them to say which disability they would reluctantly accept, and which they would most strongly reject. “All of us are one accident or illness away from a disability,” Leedy reminded the 20 class members and guests from Easton, St. Michaels, Cambridge, Salisbury, Baltimore, and Delaware. “That is a reality. Strokes, accidents, and serious illnesses can incapacitate any of us at any time, and leave us with disabilities. What we’re saying this morning is that disabilities are not necessarily handicaps; that individuals with the same categorical illness or condition function differently, and we must look at the person, not the disability. There are many levels of blindness, deafness, immobility, cerebral palsy, retardation, even quadriplegia. Evaluate the person and what that person can do.” Seymour’s comment summed up the meeting, “As leaders, we must ensure that the Mid-Shore and Eastern Shore is known as a land of opportunity; not just a land of pleasant living.”
[The following is excerpted from the News Release.]
Preparing America's youth, including those with disabilities, for today's job market is an important task. Unfortunately, workforce development professionals have not always had access to the proper training they need to help youth to succeed. But in the 21st century, that is changing thanks to innovations funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). ODEP and the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth), announced a new credential — the Youth Services Endorsement — recognizing the knowledge, skills, and abilities of youth service practitioners. The credential was recently approved by the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP), and it will be added to the association's Certified Workforce Development Professional program.
"It is vitally important that youth have the guidance they need to make the best choices about their employment and training," said Roy Grizzard, assistant secretary of labor for ODEP. "This new credential will ensure that the workforce development professionals who assist them are well qualified and prepared to help our youth succeed in the work world. In addition, better-prepared youth will help the workforce development system address employers' needs for qualified workers."
The Youth Services Endorsement adopts competencies that NCWD/Youth developed over the past three years through an ODEP grant aimed at improving the workforce development system for all youth, while focusing on policies and practices that enhance services for youth with disabilities.
Recent studies point to lower rates of graduation from high school and lower teen employment as indicators of the need to better serve youth in education and in preparing for the workplace. Led by the National Youth Employment Coalition, the NCWD/Youth's Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA) Initiative seeks to improve the competencies of professionals who work daily with youth, as a critical step to improving the opportunities and outcomes for all youth.
For more information on NCWD/Youth and the KSA Initiative, please visit: www.ncwd-youth.info.
For more information on NAWDP's credential process, please visit www.nawdp.org/certification.htm.
Easter Seals Project ACTION announces five new cities and dates for its popular train-the-trainer event, "People on the Move: Using All Transportation Options (ADA and Beyond)."
The two-day instruction offers the basic tools needed to expand community transportation options. It is designed for trainers, teachers, people with disabilities, transit personnel, human service providers, transportation coordinators, independent living specialists and advocates who support community change. The training includes techniques for teaching individuals how to use fixed-route transportation, covers customer service issues, and addresses environmental barriers that impede access to public transportation.
The 2006-07 dates, locations and application deadlines are:
The training is free, although there is a $100 refundable fee to apply and reserve space in a class. Other details are available on the ESPA Web site, or by calling (800)659-6428 or (202)347-3066 to learn more.
In October 2005, the Institute for Community Inclusion at UMass Boston hosted Mission: Employment II, a conference that brought together people with disabilities and workforce, rehabilitation, and employment professionals. Representatives from the Massachusetts Business Leadership Network (MassBLN) presented these tips on how employment service providers can better respond to companies’ needs.
While the job seeker is an employment professional's primary customer, placement services can only succeed if they meet business needs. This newsletter examines the "demand side" of job development-- straight from employers' mouths. Note that while some resources are Massachusetts-specific, the recommendations work worldwide.
Resources highlighted in the newsletter include the following:
The JAN Presentation Library provides training resources for JAN's users. These materials may be used in group training or by individuals. They may easily be incorporated into larger training events. Some resources are for general audiences, some are quite specific.
The resources include:
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), U.S. Department of Education, has made available materials and resources from the Rehabilitation Services Administration's 2006 National Employment Conference - Employment and Disability: Transition Into High-Demand Industries.
The Rehabilitation Services Administration's (RSA's) 2006 National Employment Conference, Employment and Disability: Transition Into High-Demand Industries, in partnership with the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR), took place Aug. 21-23, 2006. The conference brought together business leaders, representatives of public vocational rehabilitation agencies and other stakeholders with an interest in the transition and employment of students and young adults with disabilities. The conference featured interactive training, successful programs in high-growth industry careers, and effective strategies for achieving successful post-school outcomes for youths and young adults with disabilities.
At the conference, OSERS Assistant Secretary Hager released the latest versions of:
This brochure targets small- and medium-sized businesses that may or may not have thought of increasing their hiring pool by hiring employees with disabilities.
Of interest to anyone whose work station is located in a cubicle. The following short resources offer some etiquette protocols!
The Burton Blatt Institute (BBI), located at Syracuse University, will build the premier organization to advance civic, economic, and social participation of persons with disabilities in a global society by creating a collaborative environment—with entrepreneurial innovation and best business practices—to foster public-private dialogue, and create the capacity to transform policy, systems, and people through inclusive education, the workforce, and communities.
BBI, takes its name from Burton Blatt (1927–85), a pioneer in humanizing services for people with mental retardation, a staunch advocate of deinstitutionalization, and a national leader in special education. Blatt was dean of the School of Education and Centennial Professor at Syracuse University, served as director of SU’s Division of Special Education and Rehabilitation, and founded the Center on Human Policy to promote a more open and accepting society for persons with disabilities.
Access the URL to view and download conference materials.
DisabilityInfo.gov (www.disabilityinfo.gov) is a one-stop federal Web site designed to offer people with disabilities and many others access to the information and resources they need to live full and independent lives in the workplace and in their communities. Managed by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) (www.dol.gov/odep), DisabilityInfo.gov offers a broad range of valuable information, not only for people with disabilities, but also their family members, service providers, employers and many others.
With 21 federal agencies contributing content to this Web site, DisabilityInfo.gov contains extensive, frequently updated information on a host of cross-cutting topics. Easy to navigate, DisabilityInfo.gov is organized by subject areas that include benefits, civil rights, community life, education, employment, health, housing, technology and transportation. By selecting a category from the tabs at the top of the home page, users are directed to valuable information covering state and local resources, news and events, grants and funding, laws and regulations and more.
DisabilityInfo.gov also offers a free subscription service where you can sign up to receive Disability Connection, our bimonthly newsletter, as well as other e-mail alerts covering information tailored to your individual interests. Just visit http://service.govdelivery.com/service/user.html?code=USODEP to sign up today!
This Guide, created by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) is intended for individuals designing mentoring programs for youth, including youth with disabilities, in the transition phase to adulthood. The creation of the Mentoring Guide is rooted in ODEP’s charge to find and promote the most effective research-based policies and practices to improve transition outcomes for youth with disabilities. Mentoring is recognized as one of the most important strategies for assisting youth in making a positive transition into adulthood. Both caring adults and peers may play a key role in mentoring. In response to the under-representation of youth with disabilities in most youth development programs, ODEP, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, launched an initiative to promote mentoring for youth with disabilities in 2004. This Guide is intended for individuals designing mentoring programs for youth, including youth with disabilities, in the transition phase to adulthood.
Access the URL to download the full guide or in sections.
[The following is excerpted from the Introduction.]
Where do individuals with mental retardation and developmental disabilities (DD) work, and what types of jobs do they have? How many hours do they work, what do they earn, and who pays their wages? Do they have access to health care benefits and paid time off? This Research to Practice brief provides answers to those and other questions. It is the first in a series of brief products that present findings from the FY2004-2005 National Survey of Community Rehabilitation Providers Individual Employment Outcomes Survey funded by the U.S. Administration on Developmental Disabilities. The survey aimed to provide a current snapshot of employment outcomes for recently employed individuals with DD. Overall, survey results show that the majority of individuals with DD work part-time in individual jobs predominantly in the entry-level service industry, earn above minimum wage, and receive paid time off.
This article examines some of the historical antecedents of the current climate for the delivery of personal assistance goods and services and explores the incorporation of asset development into future strategies. In particular, the article describes efforts by two states, New Hampshire and Wisconsin, to develop Living with Independence, Freedom, and Equality (LIFE) Account Savings Programs as a mechanism to promote the quality of life and economic well-being of individuals with disabilities by making asset development an integral part of their home and community-based supports.
See more information on LIFE accounts featured in the September EQUITY e-newsletter:
Stuart Gilkison, Wisconsin Pathways to Independence, supplies survey results of the Wisconsin LIFE Account project, demonstrating the desires of people with disabilities to build savings for purchases that will increase their independence and productivity while also maintaining their vital health coverage and standard of living.
Definitions of some of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services waivers and demonstration programs that present opportunities for people with disabilities to build assets.