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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126
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87
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
Posted On :
02/21/10 03:05PM
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41
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10
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.
Posted On :
02/17/10 04:29PM
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96
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32
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.
Posted On :
02/07/10 08:45PM
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51
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19
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
Posted On :
01/31/10 10:16AM
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530
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343
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.
Posted On :
01/29/10 01:27PM
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212
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74
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.
Posted On :
01/24/10 09:52AM
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129
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33
Asset Development Strategies to Promote Economic Self-Sufficiency of Persons with Disabilities
Learn how workforce professionals can become more involved to help jobseekers with low-incomes access favorable tax credits and connect to asset building strategies. With the New Year comes tax season. In this spotlight, we share information and resources about asset building strategies and how important they are to individuals with disabilities. Information and strategies focus on initiatives and incentives that working individuals with disabilities may qualify for including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites. It also includes information on the Real Economic Impact Tour, which is a national initiative that is working closely with the Internal Revenue Service to help get the information out about EITC and VITA sites and build coalitions in local communities to help connect to asset building strategies. The spotlight begins with a Disability Program Navigator promising practice on promoting economic self-sufficiency of job seekers with disabilities.
Posted On :
01/16/10 05:22AM
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120
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40
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.
Posted On :
12/31/09 02:34PM
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167
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35
Career-Focused Services for Students with Disabilites at Community Colleges
A report (March 2009), prepared by the National Collaborative on Workforce & Disability for Youth and the Workforce Strategy Center, examined the efforts of community colleges to meet the local workforce development needs of employers and promoting career opportunities for students with disabilities.
Posted On :
12/30/09 02:42PM
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133
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42
International Asssociation of Jewish Vocational Services (IAJVS) Financial Career Pathways Demonstration Project for People with Disabilities
IAJVS was funded by ETA/DOL to develop a sectoral approach focused on the financial services industry and workers with disabilities.
Posted On :
12/22/09 11:41AM
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187
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46
National Center for Service and Employment of Individuals with Disabilities
Volunteering and community service are proven avenues through which individuals with disabilities can gain skills, explore career paths, and develop the social networks necessary to gain meaningful employment or postsecondary education. The National Center, Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston, is a collaboration of several organizations. The National Center will identify and document effective practices in the areas of volunteerism, service, and employment, as well as postsecondary outcomes. For additional information, contact: Sheila Fesko, Institute for Community Inclusion, Sheila.fesko@umb.edu
Posted On :
12/20/09 08:34PM
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154
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56
Green Collar Jobs for People wiht Barriers to Employment
This Report was funded by the City of Berkeley's Office of Energy and Sustainable Development. This Report by Raquel Pinderhughes, PhD,includes a model for an effective green collar jobs training and placement program. The target popoulation was 18-35 year old men and women with barriers to employment, including persons who do not have a high school diploma, have been out of the labor market for a long time, were formally incarcerated, and/or have limited market skills and experience.
Posted On :
12/20/09 07:22PM
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183
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62
DOL Veterans Services National Resources
This resource highlights several DOL and other government programs that support disabled veterans to become employed. These are useful resources to connect with at the local, state, and/or regional levels.
Posted On :
12/01/09 04:25PM
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180
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66
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 asset building strategies being used. One very successful strategy has been facilitating the One-Stop Career Centers to become Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites.
Posted On :
12/01/09 03:36PM
/Views :
227
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111
"Inclusion: Creating an Inclusive Environment: A Handbook for the Inclusion of People with Disabilities in National and Community service Programs," National Service Inclusion Project, Corporation for National and Community Service.
This Handbook will assist program to fully and meaningfully include individuals with disabilities in national and community service programs. It includes specific resources to assist you in the areas of outreach, recruitment, selection, and retention of participants with disabilities in national and community service. Comments and questions can be directed to Jewel Bazilio at jbazilio@cns.gov, Corporation for National and Community Service.
Posted On :
11/19/09 08:55AM
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152
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52
Toolkit and White Paper on Improving Transition Outcomes of Youth with Disabilities through Apprenticeship U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration Training and Employment Notice (TEN) No. 10-09, September 21st, 2009
This Training and Employment Notice (TEN) was sent from Assistant Secretary of the Employment and Training Administration, Jane Oates, on September 21st to all State Workforce Agencies, Workforce Liaisons, Apprenticeship Agency Directors and Field Technicians and state and regional Directors, Workforce Investment Boards and staff (both state and local). The purpose of this TEN is to disseminate a white paper and toolkit which focus on expanding apprenticeship opportunities for youth and young adults with disabilities. Access the URL to view and download this training and employment notice, which includes links to the following attachments: A: Improving Transition Outcomes of Youth with Disabilities by Increasing Access to Apprenticeship Opportunities B: Youth with Disabilities Entering the Workplace Through Apprenticeship: Introduction B1: Understanding Apprenticeship Basics B2: Preparing Youth and Young Adults for Apprenticeship Programs B3: Increasing the Participation of Young Adults with Disabilities in Apprenticeship Programs B4: Establishing New Apprenticeship Programs B5: What Apprenticeship Employers Need to Know About Working with Young Adults with Disabilities B6: Looking to Future Opportunities in Apprenticeship
Posted On :
10/23/09 02:03PM
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237
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88
“A Review of Recent Evaluation Efforts Associated with Programs and Policies Designed to Promote the Employment of Adults with Disabilities,”
Gina A. Livermore and Nanette Goodman, February, 2009, Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Employment Policy for Persons with Disabilities at Cornell University-This Report reviews recent evaluation activities being conducted for 27 state and federal programs, policies, and initiatives designed to promote the employment of people with disabilities. The review provides information on the nature of the initiatives and evaluation efforts that have been recently completed or are currently under way, as well as findings to date related to effectiveness. Suggested avenues where further efforts and progress might be warranted are also included. The general findings of the review are: on the individual, rather than the employers; Many efforts are designed to address system complexity; Then onus of change appears to be on the state and local systems; There are new efforts to combine/coordinate health and vocational supports; There is some emphasis on asset development; Few initiatives focus on early intervention or preventing labor force withdrawal at disability onset; and Most initiatives represent small changes to the status quo.
Posted On :
10/19/09 04:51PM
/Views :
197
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60
Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation: Special Issue on Youth with Disabilities
The September 2009 issue of the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation contains six (6) articles on youth with disabilities. The articles, by researchers from Mathematica Policy Research, TransCen Inc., and the Social Security Administration, explore challenges and policy facing youth receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The following highlights some of the findings: The public cost of child dependence on SSI is more than $400 million a month—in December 2007, approximately 721,000 youth ages 13 to 21 received SSI benefits. SSI youth are approximately equally divided into three disability categories: mental retardation, mental and behavioral disorders, and physical disabilities. Persons in these categories, largely have different outcomes. For example, 40% of the population with mental disabilities are involved with the juvenile justice system; At age 18, many SSI youth are not working and not in school. A major concern is that some of these youth, especially those with mental health disabilities might not be sufficiently prepared for work; Employment rates of former SSI youth after age 18 are low compared to other young adults; and Intervention strategies that emphasize the importance of work could potentially improve the outcomes of these youth and reduce long-term program dependency and lives of poverty.
Posted On :
10/19/09 04:48PM
/Views :
252
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71
(Podcast) Promising Practice: Quality Employment of Disabled Veterans
This podcast will follow a segment of a workforce3one webinar connected earlier this year on the Disability Program Navigators (DPNs) partnering with the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) and Local Veterans Employment Representative (LVER) staff to provide access to the full array of services available to disabled veterans though the public workforce system. The Idaho State will be asked to provide follow-up on what has been happening in the state in this area since the Webinar aired almost a year ago. In addition, a newly released Information Brief on this topic will be posted and discussed. Gordon Graff has been the State Lead for the Idaho DPN project since it was initially funded three years ago. His position is locate din the Idaho Department of Labor. Idaho has used ARRA funds to supplement the funding for the DPN program. Gordon is an expert on developing local partnerships to coordinate and leverage resources to promote employment of customers with disabilities in the One-Stop Career Center system.