National Council on Disability Report, Workforce Infrastructure in Support of People with Disabilities...
On January 20, 2010, the National Council on Disability submitted a report to President Obama entitled,"Workforce Infrastructure in Support of People with Disabilities: Matching Human Resources to Service Needs." The report examines the extent to which disability workforce infrastructure—health, education and social services programs—support people with disabilities, in addition to examining the potential imbalance between demand and supply for these services in the future. After a careful analysis of national trends and barriers, the report offers a list of recommendations to meet the needs of people with disabilities with respect to the workforce infrastructure, including taking a proactive approach to meet shortages through cooperation between the public and private sectors. Specifically, the recommendations include the following: ? Expand BLS data coverage of occupations specific to the disability services in order to better plan for shortages in these positions; ? Begin planning strategically to hire more from the pool of workers with disabilities; ? Encourage partnership opportunities between the public and private sectors; ? Promote opportunities to encourage new entrants into critical infrastructure occupations, such as home health aide, personal care assistant, mental health worker, and rehabilitation counselor; ? Increase the salaries, benefits and flexibility in work schedules for infrastructure employees; ? Develop new ways to achieve the necessary competencies and credentials for infrastructure occupations; and ? Fund research to develop a strong evidence base for the services offered by employment, health care and education support programs. The rport is at: http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2010/NCD_Workforce508.pdf
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03/09/10 12:40PM
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Universal Access in the Workforce System
Universal Access and the Workforce System Under Title I of WIA, the workforce system provides the framework for delivery of workforce activities at the state and local levels to individuals who need those services. This legislation made it clear that persons with disabilities are among the people who are supposed to benefit from this restructuring. WIA incorporates seven key principles, one focuses on universal access: All job seekers are to be given universal access to a core set of career decision-making and job search tools. The National Disability Program Navigator (DPN) Program Office has completed another information brief in its DPN Promising Practice Series focusing on universal access and the workforce investment system. A series of videos and information briefs has been developed to disseminate promising practices to expand the capacity of the One-Stop Career Center system to serve customers with disabilities and promote positive employment outcomes of people with disabilities. To learn more, access: http://disability.workforce3one.org/page/tag/promising_practices The Attachment highlights additional resources on universal design.
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03/09/10 12:09PM
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Think Beyond the Label Campaign
Think Beyond the Label Campaign Kicks Off A national marketing campaign, Think Beyond the Label (TBTL)was launched at the end of January 2010. The campaign is the result of a collaborative effort by more than 30 Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG) projects and is managed by Health & Disability Advocates, parent organization of the National Consortium for Health Systems Development. Think Beyond the Label targets small and mid-sized businesses and is designed to make the business case for employers to hire people with disabilities by providing them with: 1. information needed to hire people with disabilities; 2. tools necessary to integrate people with disabilities into the workforce; and 3. local resources to help them access this segment of the labor pool. The campaign includes television and print advertising as well as Internet marketing. It has generated interest from the business community and garnered local and national attention from a broad range of disability employment stakeholders as well as media. National TV ads are running on news outlets including CNN, Headline News, ESPN and other channels. Wirestone, the media agency that created Think Beyond the Label, has developed a comprehensive social media strategy that includes the use of a web site or digital hub, http://www.thinkbeyondthelabel.com, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIN and other Internet markets. Visit http://www.thinkbeyondthelabel.com
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03/09/10 08:20AM
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Disability Policy Research Brief: Will Health Care Reform Increase the Employment of People with Disabilities
In November 2009, Mathematica Policy Research Inc, issued a Disability Policy Research Brief, Number 09-04, entitled, "Will Health Care Reform Increase the Employment of People with Disabilities?" "Working age people with disabilities in America have a low employment rate and a high rate of dependence on public programs-a situation fueled, at least in part, by the challenges of the current health care financing system." In this Brief, the following misconceptions are dispelled: 1) people with disabilities cannot work; and 2) they are all insured by public programs.
Posted On :
03/01/10 03:07PM
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Promising Practices… Achieving a more welcoming, integrated and accessible One-Stop Career Center system
As one of the key principles of WIA, universal access offered the promise of a welcoming, integrated, and user-friendly system. Job seekers would be able to independently tap into all available employment services, resulting in fewer requests for specialized assistance and more efficient use of staff resources. Under WIA and the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodations would be provided upon request; however, One-Stop Career Centers would streamline services so that a wide-ranging population of job seekers, including job seekers with disabilities, would have direct access to their resources, programs and activities. With the addition of Disability Program Navigators (DPNs) in One-Stop Career Centers across the nation, universal access moved into the spotlight. Read the full Brief to learn how DPNs throughout the country are helping to expand universal access in One-Stop Career Centers for a more diverse population of job seekers.
Posted On :
03/01/10 02:16PM
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Recent GAO Reports on Support for Low-Income Families
On February 22, 2010, the GAO summarized its recent reports on programs and policies supporting low-income families through: 1)income supports; 2)worker training; 3)programs involving fathers; and 4)care and protection of children. With poverty rates,unemployment, and underemployment increasing, the Federal system of supports become increasingly important to a growing number of persons due to their higher rates of poverty-this includes persons with disabilities. Several reports are directly applicable to the public workforce system and include recommendations about WIA performance measures, WIA-TANF coordination, use of the EITC, etc.
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02/26/10 02:53PM
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Demonstration to Maintain Independence (DMIE)-Impact on Health Care Reform
A Brief issued by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. in December of 2009, describes how the Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment (DMIE) grant program can inform the national health care reform debate. The Brief describes why DMIE was funded, what services were available, and what is known about the program participants. Lessons learned from DMIE include: burdensome cost-sharing can discourage low-income workers with potentially disabling conditions from seeking medical care; coverage that is not affordable places people with potentially disabling conditions at greater risk of being underinsured; and affordable coverage may improve overall health, leading to prolonged employment and a reduction in dependence on Federal disability benefits. The Brief is available at: www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/PDFs/disability/WWD_DMIE.pdf
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02/21/10 03:05PM
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Promising Practice: Promoting Economic Self-Sufficiency of Job Seekers with Disabilities
Disability Program Navigators (DPNs) throughout the country have developed and implemented successful strategies in the public workforce system to promote the employment and economic self-sufficiency of persons with disabilities. This Information Brief highlights how DPNs are improving access to financial education; home ownership ad entrepreneurial programs, and increased use of the Earned Income Tax Credit to expand economic opportunities of job seekers with disabilities. One very successful strategy has been facilitating the One-Stop Career Centers to become Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites. Read the full Brief to learn about more strategies, resources and examples of how the One-Stop Career Center system can help support jobseekers with low-incomes during tax season.
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02/17/10 04:29PM
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Green Jobs Employment Opportunities-Resources
The Employment and Training Administration (DOL/ETA) has a Green Jobs Initiative (http://www.doleta.gov/brg/GreenJobs/) to foster a greener economy and a green-educated workforce. ETA is positioned to provide labor market intelligence and work with core-constituencies of labor, industry, and education to identify relevant Green Jobs skills and develop competency models leading to meaningful career ladders. This spotlight focuses on the green economy and shares some information and resources for workforce professionals to help get connected. The attached document includes general resources on green jobs, including green jobs for veterans and persons with challenges to employment.
Posted On :
02/11/10 12:05PM
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Equal Access: Universal Design of Instruction
DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) serves to increase the participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs and careers, including STEM education and careers. It is funded by the National Science Foundation to promote persons with disabilties becoming trained for STEM career opportunitues. The home Web page is: http://www.washington.edu/doit/ Its Web site has many videos, information on universal design, acessible distance learning, and learning strategies.
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02/07/10 09:27PM
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Partnerships with Job Corps
Job Corps is a free education and training program that helps young people learn a career, earn a high school diploma or GED, and find and keep a good job. For eligible youth at least 16 years of age, Job Corps provides the all-around skills needed to succeed in a career and in life. The Job Corps is a very important partner for the workforce system to promote employment opportunities of youth with disabilities. In this spotlight, we share information about the Job Corps program along with links to resources you can access for more information. The spotlight begins with a brief overview of the Job Corps Program. The Job Corps (http://jobcorps.doleta.gov/), a program of the U.S. Department of Labor, was established in 1964 under the Economic Opportunity Act, but it is currently authorized under the Workforce Investment Act. Job Corps receives an annual appropriation of about $1.5 billion with approximately 62,000 youth trained annually through this program. The Job Corps provides eligible youth with academic, career technical and social skills needed to become employable and independent and to help place them in employment, the military or continuing education. There are currently 123 Centers in 50 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
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02/07/10 08:52PM
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United We Ride Dialogue Final Report, 2/2010
Transportation plays a critical role in providing access to employment, health care, education, community services, and other activities necessary for daily life. For people who cannot drive or afford an automobile, access to public transportation services is one of the major barriers to essential services and participation in community life. Transportation challenges can be even greater for people with disabilities, older adults, and people with limited incomes. The Federal Interagency Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM) includes 11 federal departments, 9 of which are responsible for providing transportation for people with disabilities, older adults, and people with limited incomes. CCAM officially launched United We Ride in 2004 to: (1) Provide more rides for target populations for the same or fewer assets; (2) Simplify access; and (3) Increase customer satisfaction. CCAM asked the National Academy of Public Administration (National Academy) and Easter Seals Project ACTION to develop and host the first United We Ride (UWR) National Dialogue. The goal of the Dialogue was to help shape future policy direction and provide input to the next CCAM strategic plan. The United We Ride National Dialogue brought together key stakeholders using collaborative web-based technologies to discuss the following broad question: “What ideas can improve access to affordable and reliable transportation for people with disabilities, older adults, and people with limited incomes?” The attached docuemnt is the Final Report from the UWR Dialogue.
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02/07/10 08:45PM
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ETA and VETS annoucement of new video and information brief on employment of disabled veterans
ETA and VETS, DOL, are announcing the availability of a new video and information brief to promote the employment of disabled veterans through the One-Stop Career Center system. Both are available on http://disability.workforce3one.org. Share these resources with your system's stakeholders. Related resources: http://disability.workforce3one.org/view/4200927374360810672/info
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01/31/10 10:16AM
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518
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Coordinating with Indian and Native American Programs in the One-Stops
The attached document provides several strategies to coordinate with ETA's Indian and Native American Programs, resources,and grantee contact information
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01/31/10 09:47AM
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National Network of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Centers
The ADA National Network is a network of 10 regional ADA Centers thta provide expertise for up-to-date information, referrals, resources, and training on the Americans with Disabilites Act (ADA) to business, government entities, and persons with disabilities. http://www.adata.org/network.org
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01/31/10 09:38AM
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Enhancing Employment Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities
The International Association of Jewish Vocational Services (AJVS)published a Report entitled, "Enhancing Employment Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities: An Employer-Directed Approach." This toolkit is a compilation of information, resources, and tools that can be used to implement or strengthen an "employer-directed approach" to job training and placement for organizations serving people with disabilities and the employers that hire them.
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01/29/10 01:27PM
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Announcement of TANF Services to Assist Youth Get Support for Employment
ETA has issues a Training and Employment Notice(TEN)to encourage the public workforce system to partner with TANF agencies in their efforts to promote subsidized employment opportunities allowable under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s (ARRA) TANF Contingency funding for the creation and expansion of subsidized summer employment for low-income youth. It also encourages co-enrollment of youth in TANF and appropriate WIA programs so individuals can benefit from WIA services such as supportive services,occupational skills training,and other relevant services. The U.S. Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services have jointly identifies areas of collaboration that support training and employment opportunities for low-income families, particularly opportunities to place eligible TANF participants in subsidized employment in the summer of 2010. It is DOL's hope that this national partnership focused on subsidized employment will be modeled throughout state and local TANF and workforce agencies. The need for this partnership comes at a critical time-- overall teen employment rate has remained devastatingly low, reaching levels not seen in 60 years. Unfortunately, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the proportion of young people employed in July 2009 was 51.4 percent. This is the lowest July rate for the series, which began in 1948. While the WIA summer youth employment funding under ARRA has been nearly expended,significant TANF Emergency Contingency funding remains and TANF agencies can choose to commit some of those funds to subsidized employment programs for low-income youth. Individuals with disabilites and family members with disabilites comprise a disproportionately high percent of the population receiving TANF benefits.
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01/24/10 09:52AM
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Funding Sources for Assistive Technology for Persons with Disabilities
Assistive technology devices and assistive technology service are defined in the Assistive Technology Act (ATA) of 1998, as follows: • Assistive Technology Device-Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially or off-the-shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capacities of individuals with disabilities. • Assistive technology service: Any service that directly assist an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology service. There are several funding sources to assist with paying of assistive technology for individuals with disabilities, including funding by the employer (tax credits are available for the employer), Vocational Rehabilitation, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security Work Incentives, Veteran’s Administration, local service, charitable, religious, and civic organizations, private foundations, and private insurance. The attached provides a list of Web sites for variety of information on assistive technology and funding sources for persons with disabilities.
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01/24/10 09:38AM
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125
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National Instiute for Corrections New Employment of Ex-Offenders Resources f
The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) has released a new publication,”Using Labor Market Information to Promote Positive Employment Outcomes for Offenders.” Free copies can be ordered at: http://nicic.org/Library/024136 and Career Resource Centers, http://nicic.gov/Library/020931. In February 2010 NIC will release another publication, “How to Build Partnerships with Employers and Market Offender Workforce Initiatives.”
Posted On :
01/16/10 05:56AM
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107
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Successful Employer Implementation of the Federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act
The Partnership for Workplace Mental Health, a program of the American Psychiatric Foundation,advances effective employer approaches to mental health issues that impact the workplace. There is a compelling business case for effective treatment of mental health disabilities because of their high prevelance in the workplace and their impact on the corporate bottom line when left untreated. The Partnership has just issued a Brief for employers on successful implementation of the new Federal Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. Case studies from various companies-JPMorgan Chase, DuPont, Weingarten Realty Investors, and Houston Chronicle-are included in this Brief. Visit the Partnership's Web site: http://www.workplacementalhealth.org. It has a variety of useful resources, including calulators, briefs, web-sites, Toolkits, etc. for employers and employees.