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
9 November 2007
Good morning everyone,
Please note that due to travel plus the Thanksgiving holiday, there will not be a weekly resource on November 16th or 23rd.
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 Gleneck
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 ]
As part of ongoing technical assistance activities, the Law, Health Policy, and Disability Center (LHPDC) of the University of Iowa’s College of Law, the national TA and Evaluation Provider to the Disability Program Navigator Initiative, is hosting a two-part audio conference series on Serving as a Resource on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
This training series will provide a general overview of the ADA and its’ implications for Disability Program Navigators and One-Stop Career Centers in achieving successful employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. The purpose of the training is to provide Navigators with a working knowledge of the ADA, so that they can serve as a resource to the workforce development system. As a systems change agent, the Navigator can pass on the information to One-Stop staff, partners, employers and customers to help them better understand their rights and obligations under the ADA. The training will also provide guidance on how to recognize when to seek case-specific guidance on the ADA and national and regional resources that can assist in providing that guidance. All of the information, including handouts and presentation materials, will be archived and posted to the Audio Conference Series section of the DPN website.
During the first call in this series, the following list was included as helpful resources accessible via the Internet for DPNs on the ADA.
Navigators may also wish to check out this free tutorial developed by the DBTAC National Network of ADA Centers to provide education and resources on the requirements applicable to State and Local government under Title II of the ADA. It is expected that this tutorial will be a valuable educational tool to orient ADA coordinators to their roles and how to address key ADA-related areas.
The HSC Foundation (HSCF) has launched a Youth Transitions Initiative, designed to become a long-range signature project to assist young people with disabilities and chronic illness in the Washington metropolitan area and beyond to move from school to adulthood to the world of work. The aim is for the Initiative to become a central resource in the field of youth transitions, filling gaps in information and providing support for organizations that are involved in transitioning youth. The Foundation’s approach to youth in transition is intended to be comprehensive, and as such, includes health, education, vocational training, youth development, employment, and social components. The Initiative’s ultimate goal is to strengthen transition programs and services and stimulate other investments in the field.
Join the Job Accommodation Network's monthly Webcast, Hiring and Accommodating Veterans with Disabilities, 2:00 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, November 13, 2007.
Speakers: Megan DuLaney, Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP), and Debra Ruh, Tec Access
Session Description: Our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are returning everyday from deployment in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Yet, many of them are not returning to their duty assignments, instead, they are recovering at various Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) because of injuries they sustained in the Global War on Terror. CAP works closely with service members across the nation to ensure they receive appropriate assistive technology for their needs. TecAccess is actively partnering with leading organizations to train disabled veterans. These partners commit to furnish program funding and high quality jobs for our Nation´s heroes. Join Megan and Debra as they describe how these nationally acclaimed programs can benefit your company or agency. Learn what these wounded service members are experiencing as they transition into civilian careers. These trained and skilled veterans will be a valuable asset in the civilian workforce.
Webcasts use your Web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer or FireFox). You must have the Macromedia Flash plug-in on your computer. Captioning is integrated into the Webcast platform. Please read how the training works for more information.
Registration for Webcasts is $35 per computer accessing the training. Any number of people may participate at that connection.
The registration fee (per computer connection) includes admission to the training Webcast and accessible training materials. All sessions will have real-time captioning. Registration is for a site--any number of people may participate at the site. Dates are subject to change.
To register for this Webcast: http://www.jan.wvu.edu/webcast/register/
Additional webcasts in this series include the following:
For more information about this Webcast or others in the JAN/USBLN series go to:
http://www.jan.wvu.edu/webcast/
E–mail training@jan.wvu.edu
800-526-7234 and select Option "5" (Voice) and 877-781-9403 (TTY)
[The following is excerpted from the web page.]
Did you know. . .
The gap between available jobs and available workers with the skills needed in those jobs could grow to 35 million or more in 5 years. Yet, individuals with disabilities remain an untapped resource of potential workers. Fortunately, resources are available at low or no cost to assist employers to support the employment of individuals with disabilities.
Businesses can find help at a network of 10 regional Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTACs, known also as the ADA & IT Centers). The DBTACs offer information and referrals, technical assistance, public awareness, and training on all aspects of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Employers can contact a technical assistance specialist through a national toll free information line, (800) 949-4232 (V/TTY). These specialists will provide information and answer questions on employment, architectural access, effective communication and other issues.
Businesses can access an array of training programs ranging from Web courses to on-site, customized sessions for large groups of employers and businesses.
Each regional DBTAC maintains an online, searchable database of ADA and disability-related publications, ranging from legal documents to fact sheets and checklists. Employers can request copies of publications.
Hiring workers with disabilities is not only the smart thing to do, it's the right thing to do.
Access the website to read more including accessing links to resources on the ADA for businesses, i.e., tax incentives, and business tax credits and deductions for employment of people with disabilities.
Effective disclosure can establish a positive working relationship with your employer. Practicing with a close friend, family member, or career counselor can help to increase your comfort level and skills. This disclosure decision guide offers strategies to determine what approach will work best for an individual.
This free tutorial was developed by the DBTAC National Network of ADA Centers to provide education and resources on the requirements applicable to State and Local government under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It is expected that this tutorial will be a valuable educational tool to orient ADA coordinators to their roles and how to address key ADA-related areas.
CareerConnect is a program created by the American Foundation for the Blind to provide free resources and tools for students and job seekers with vision loss as well as the professionals who work with them, their families and potential employers. AFB CareerConnect does not provide jobs, do job searches or job placement; rather, it offers students and job seekers the tools to learn how to conduct these exercises independently.
CareerConnect is a free resource for people who want to learn about the range and diversity of jobs performed by adults who are blind or visually impaired throughout the United States and Canada. Whether you are a student exploring careers, a job seeker investigating work options, an employer planning to diversify your workforce, a professional working with visually impaired people; or, a friend or family member assisting someone who is blind or has low vision, this web site can help you!
This briefing document examines issues central to the disability experience including disability rights, healthcare, education, employment and housing. Through historical analyses, the document takes the long view of disability public policy, showing the evolution to its current state. In doing so, it finds a troubling snapshot of America:
Disability Rights: In addition to bringing about broad prohibitions of discrimination on the basis of disability, the enactment of the ADA demonstrated that the disability community is capable of rallying broad grassroots and political forces to create change. However, the courts have weakened many protections contained in the ADA, particularly in private employment practices.
Healthcare: Medicaid and Medicare are critically important in providing health insurance and long-term services and supports to millions of Americans with disabilities. However, while becoming more and more supportive of community-based services, the current structures of these government programs leave most beneficiaries with disabilities without the ability to lift themselves out of poverty without losing critical benefits. Meanwhile, private health insurance is often not available or affordable to people with serious pre-existing conditions or disability, and when it is, may not cover important services such as physical or occupational therapy and assistive technology.
Education: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has resulted in significant gains in education whereas just 30 years ago many young people with disabilities were denied access to public schools altogether. Nevertheless, graduation, college admission and employment rates for people with disabilities remain far below national averages.
Employment: Despite the focus by federal and state governments on employment services, people with disabilities experience very high rates of unemployment. Public and private employers continue to discriminate in their hiring and employment practices. In addition, federal and state benefit programs such as Medicaid don’t provide adequate incentives to enable all people with disabilities who want to work to do so.
Housing: Public-private partnerships have demonstrated great promise in developing affordable supportive housing for people with disabilities. However, limited federal and private funding for these endeavors and other accessible public housing is constantly threatened. Meanwhile, the nationwide housing boom of the last decade has dramatically aggravated the shortage of affordable accessible housing.
The Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) monitored 23 state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies in FY 2007 as authorized by Section 107 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. These agencies, their stakeholders, and RSA identified promising practices that provide useful samples of programs and services that promote youth with disabilities transitioning from school to employment. These promising practices are unique to the VR agencies providing the programs and contact information is provided for each practice. Access the URL to find links to summaries of the practices listed below.