N.D.I. Technical Assistance Team
N.D.I. Consulting, Inc.
[ http://www.dpnavigator.net ]
and
The Burton Blatt Institute
Syracuse University
[ http://bbi.syr.edu ]
One–Stop Toolkit Resources of the Week Technical Assistance Project E–Mail listserv
January 15, 2010
Good morning everyone and Happy New Year!
Below please find the website(s) and publication(s) 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.
Laura Gleneck
Project Coordinator
NDI Technical Assistance Team
Phone: 781-899-0139
Fax: 781-642-0895
[ E–mail lgleneck@ndi-inc.org ]
[ http://www.dpnavigator.net ]
Good morning Navigators,
What is a great way to help customers of the One-Stop Career Center system who are of low-income get the best benefit from tax season? Sign up for the two-part NDI TA team DPN webinar series on Asset Development for People with Disabilities in the month of February. This series will be held the first time the first week of February and repeated again the third week of February to allow Navigators multiple opportunities to avail themselves of this important information. This series is designed to increase the Navigator’s awareness of the many available Asset Development strategies and resources that exist to promote and support increased self-sufficiency and financial stability among individuals with low-incomes, including individuals with disabilities.
REGISTER FOR ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TWO SET OF DATES:
First week of February
DATES: Tuesday and Thursday, February 2nd and 4th, (3pm– 4:30pm Eastern Standard Time)
REGISTRATION: In order to register YOU MUST GO TO BOTH links
Part 1: [ https://ndi.webex.com/ndi/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=967733466 ]
Part 2: [ https://ndi.webex.com/ndi/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=968751236 ]
You will receive TWO confirmation emails from messenger@webex.com with instructions for joining each session.
Closed Captioning & Screen-Reading: If you require Closed Captioning or utilize screen-reading software please indicate that on your registration and submit your registration 3 business days prior to the event.
Training Materials: The Power Point presentation plus any supporting materials will be available for download when you log-in to the training session. These materials can be found on the left hand side of the page and will be listed under “Event Material”.
Repeated Session – Third week of February
DATES: Tuesday and Thursday, February 16th and 18th (3pm– 4:30pm Eastern Standard Time)
REGISTRATION: In order to register YOU MUST GO TO BOTH links
Part 1: [ https://ndi.webex.com/ndi/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=968099077 ]
Part 2: [ https://ndi.webex.com/ndi/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=966527772 ]
You will receive a confirmation email from messenger@webex.com with instructions for joining the session.
Closed Captioning & Screen-Reading: If you require Closed Captioning or utilize screen-reading software please indicate that on your registration and submit your registration 3 business days prior to the event.
Training Materials: The Power Point presentation plus any supporting materials will be available for download when you log-in to the training session. These materials can be found on the left hand side of the page and will be listed under “Event Material”.
Under Resources of Interest check out some great resources to share with One-Stop staff and community partners. The archive of the PowerPoint presentation highlighting what the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) Mean for the One-Stop System and Job Corps may be great for you and your partners to use as part of a workshop or training event. You can find other resources of interest to use and share under Websites of the Week and Real Economic Impact.
Happy Friday!
United States Department of Labor: Recovery Grant Award Announcements
Employment and Training Administration
[ http://www.dol.gov/dol/green/ ]
$100
million in green jobs training grants through Recovery Act
[ http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20091526.htm ]
[The following is excerpted from a January 6, 2010 news release.]
Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today [January 6th ] announced nearly $100 million in green jobs training grants, as authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). The grants will support job training programs to help dislocated workers and others, including veterans, women, African Americans and Latinos, find jobs in expanding green industries and related occupations. Approximately $28 million of the total funds will support projects in communities impacted by auto industry restructuring.
Through the Energy Training Partnership Grants being administered by the United States Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration, 25 projects ranging from approximately $1.4 to $5 million each will receive grants. These grants are built on strategic partnerships - requiring labor and business to work together. Training activities funded through this grant program will be individually tailored based on occupations and skills identified as in demand in local areas around the country. Training programs will seek to prepare workers for a range of careers including: hybrid/electric auto technicians, weatherization specialists, wind and energy auditors, and solar panel installers.
Grant recipients are expected to work in conjunction with a diverse range of partners, including labor organizations, employers and workforce investment boards. Bringing together the workforce expertise of these groups will allow grantees to develop programs that are responsive to the needs of both workers and employers, and that provide participants with the support needed to successfully complete training. The grantees will utilize these partnerships to design and distribute training approaches that lead to portable industry credentials and employment, including career opportunities in registered apprenticeship programs.
These grants are part of a larger Recovery Act initiative - totaling $500 million - to fund workforce development projects that promote economic growth by preparing workers for careers in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. The Department of Labor expects to release funding for two remaining green grant award categories over the next several weeks.
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: Pathways Out of Poverty Grants
[ http://www.doleta.gov/pdf/Pathways_Poverty_grants.pdf ]
[ http://www.dol.gov/dol/green/ ]
(DOL/ETA Press Release)
SUMMARY: For individuals who are living below or near the poverty level, the current economic downturn has created a unique set of challenges, and has heightened the need to find pathways out of poverty and into employment. These individuals may lack basic literacy and job readiness skills, and they may face other barriers to employment, such as the need for childcare or transportation.
To assist individuals in meeting these challenges, the Department is investing in Pathways Out of Poverty grants, which will integrate training and supportive services into cohesive programs that will help targeted populations find pathways out of poverty and into economic self-sufficiency through employment in energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. Despite the economic downturn, these green industries present many potential opportunities for individuals to learn new skills and competencies, gain employment, and advance along career pathways. In order to most effectively serve the specific populations targeted by these grants, the Department of Labor encouraged applicants to focus project efforts in communities located within one or more contiguous Public Micro Data Areas (PUMAs) where poverty rates were 15% or higher. PUMAs are geographic areas designated by the United States Census Bureau.
These investments will prepare participants for employment within energy efficiency and renewable energy industries and are designed to: Include sound recruitment and referral strategies for targeted populations;
GRANTEES
Forty (40) awards ranging from approximately $1 million to $8 million each were made to two categories of grantees: (1) national nonprofit organizations with networks of local affiliates; and (2) local public organizations or private non-profit organizations. In both categories, projects will be implemented at the community level by partnerships that include nonprofit organizations, the public workforce system, the education and training community, employers and industry-related organizations, and labor organizations.
Access the URL to learn more about each grantee including areas served, industries of focus, participants served, project description and contact information.
INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION
For more information, to r e gist e r for the event, or to provide input, access: [ http://www.disabilitylisteningtour.com/ ].
Chubby Checker and Social Security Announce a New "Twist" in the Law: Changes Make it Easier to Qualify for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs
Social Security Administration eNews January 8, 2010
[ http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pressoffice/pr/chubby-checker-pr.htm ]
[The news release is included below in its entirety.]
Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, and Chubby Checker, Grammy Award winner and rock and roll legend, today [ January 8th ] launched a new campaign to inform millions of Americans about a new “twist” in the law that makes it easier to qualify for extra help with Medicare prescription drug costs. The extra help program currently provides assistance to more than nine million senior and disabled Americans - saving them an average of almost $4,000 a year on their Medicare prescription drug plan costs. To apply for extra help, there is an easy-to-use online application available at [ www.socialsecurity.gov ].
“The changes in the Medicare law that take effect this month will allow hundreds of thousands of Americans who are struggling to pay their prescription drug costs to get extra help during these tough economic times,” said Commissioner Astrue. “I am thrilled that Chubby Checker has volunteered to help us spread this important message through a new television, radio, and Internet spot as well as pamphlets and posters.”
“Listen up, America! For 50 years, people of all ages and backgrounds have danced the Twist,” Chubby Checker said. “Now it’s important everyone learn about this new twist in the law. Check it out at [ www.socialsecurity.gov ].
To qualify for extra help, people must meet certain resource and income limits. The new Medicare law eases those requirements in two ways. First, it eliminates the cash value of life insurance from counting as a resource. Second, it eliminates the assistance people receive from others to pay for household expenses, such as food, rent, mortgage or utilities, from counting as income. There also is another important “twist” in the law. The application for extra help can now start the application process for Medicare Savings Programs - state programs that provide help with other Medicare costs. These programs help pay Medicare Part B (medical insurance) premiums. For some people, the Medicare Savings Programs also pay Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) premiums, if any, and Part A and B deductibles and co-payments.
To learn more about the extra help program and to view the new TV spot featuring Chubby Checker, go to [ www.socialsecurity.gov/extrahelp ].
National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth Webinar Series
[ http://www.ncwd-youth.info/ ]
This Youth Service Professional live webinar series consists of the following five workshops:
1. How to Be Sure All Your Youth Can Make It: The Guideposts
Presented by Patricia Gill - January 27, 2010 2pm to 3:30pm EST $70.
[ http://www.dynamicinstitute.com/Catalog/catalog_detail.cfm?ClassID=2567 ]
The Guideposts are a framework for the successful transition of all youth to adulthood and a productive, independent, self-sufficient life. What does a youth with a disability need to "make it"? The diverse and complex needs of today's youth cannot be met by any one professional, school district, government program, or private organization acting alone.
Sean Roy
Bonus: Participants will receive a copy of "Tunnels & Cliffs: A Guide for Workforce Development Practitioners and Policymakers Serving Youth with Mental Health Needs", as well as several newly released mental health info briefs.
3. Can't Ask, Afraid to Tell: Disability Inquiries & Disclosure in the Workforce Development SystemBonus: Participants will receive a copy of "The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth" and also learn about several free resources they can use when to make decisions and develop program policies for their work.
4. Locked Up but Not Locked Out: Serving Youth Involved in the Juvenile Justice SystemFor More Information and Registration
Click on the workshop title for more details or to register.
What the ADA
Amendments (ADAAA) Mean for the One-Stop System & Job Corps
United States Department of Labor Civil Rights Center
[ http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/crc/ADAAA-WIA.ppt ].
This PowerPoint presentation from the United States Department of Labor's Civil Rights Center describes the key changes that resulted from the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) and what Equal Opportunity Officers in the One-Stop System and Job Corps should know about the impact of these amendments. The ADAAA (Public Law 110-325) was signed into law on September 25, 2008 and went into effect on January 1, 2009.
This represents the PowerPoint presentation from the webinar that was presented on March 18, 2009. It is designed for Equal Opportunity Officers, One-Stop administrators, and Disability Program Navigators at all levels of the system. Topics included how the ADAAA has changed the disability nondiscrimination laws that apply to the system, and what steps audience members will need to take as a result of the ADAAA.
Disability Benefits for Wounded Warriors
Social Security Administration
[ http://www.socialsecurity.gov/woundedwarriors/ ]
Military service members can receive expedited processing of disability claims from Social Security. Benefits available through Social Security are different than those from the Department of Veterans Affairs and require a separate application.
The expedited process is used for military service members who become disabled while on active military service on or after October 1, 2001, regardless of where the disability occurs.
Access the website to link to the following questions that include answers to questions most people ask about applying for disability benefits.
I was disabled for a while several years ago and my health has now improved.
In addition, this website includes links to other useful information.
Over the years, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has introduced different hiring authorities to assist in streamlining the hiring process. One such hiring authority is Schedule A, which is an Excepted Service appointing authority which may be used to hire individuals with disabilities. Using the Schedule A appointing authority, qualified candidates who meet the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) guidelines can be hired non-competitively ―
The core of the new Schedule A hiring resource package is a set of quick reference guides that provide Hiring Managers, Disability Program Managers and/or Selective Placement Coordinators, Human Resource professionals, Applicants with Disabilities, and Service Providers with the tools needed to process Schedule A appointments.
Access the URL listed above to visit the Schedule A section of ODEP’s publications page. You can also order copies from ODEP’s online ordering site at: [ http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/rc/odep.htm ]. You may also want to order the brochure holder.
Access the December 14, 2009, United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission press release on the guides at: [ http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/12-14-09.cfm ].
GovBenefits.gov is a collaborative effort of 17 Federal agencies, including the United States. Departments of Labor (Managing Partner), Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Homeland Security, Interior, Justice, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, the Office of Personnel Management, the Small Business Administration, and the Social Security Administration. New benefit information is added as GovBenefits.gov continues to expand information on Federal, State and local government benefit programs.
The site’s core function is the eligibility pre-screening questionnaire. Answers to the questionnaire are used to evaluate a visitor’s situation and compare it with program criteria to determine potential eligibility for benefit and assistance programs.
The State Benefits section of the website allows a user to select a state from a map or list to learn more about the selected State’s benefit programs. Once you access the list of programs for the identified state it includes a description of the programs and the ability to click on links to view benefit details and to determine eligibility.
United States Savings BondsAs tax season approaches this year, remember to encourage your clients to purchase savings bonds through their tax returns. As a result of a recent administrative rule change, tax filers can now check a box on their federal tax returns requesting their refund be provided in the form of a savings bond.
As more than 100 million United States households receive refund checks each year, this change fosters intermediate and long-term savings and encourages low-income Americans to plan and save for their future at the time when they are more likely to have available resources. According to the Doorways to Dreams Fund (D2D), savings is easier for low-income families since they may receive up to 20% of their annual income at tax time, which may be the single largest lump sum of income they receive all year. Investing in savings bonds, through the convenience of a tax return, allows low-income Americans to invest in a recognized, safe, credible, high-value savings product for as little as $50 - at a fixed time each year when finances are already on their minds.
Series I United States Savings Bonds issued before April 30, 2010 will pay 3.36% at issue [ http://treasurydirect.gov/news/pressroom/currenteebondratespr.htm ]. After that, the rate will be adjusted every six months but includes a fixed rate of 30%.
For more information and helpful tools to market this savings opportunity including one-pagers, fact-sheets, brochures, and videos, visit [ http://www.d2dfund.org/taxtimebonds ]This list of information will assist you with businesses and job seekers. Find occupation information, wages, skills profiler, training providers and resources for the workforce development professional.
Statistics are a powerful tool - in research, policymaking, program evaluation, and advocacy. They are used to frame the issues, monitor current circumstances and progress, judge the effectiveness of policies and programs, make projections about the future, and predict the costs of potential policy changes. Statistics about the population with disabilities and about the government programs that serve people with disabilities - disability statistics - are often difficult to find. Numerous government agencies generate and publish disability statistics, and as result, disability statistics are scattered and buried in documents and Web sites all across the Federal government.
The Disability Statistics Compendium is the first of what is intended to be an annual publication of statistics on people with disabilities and government programs that serve the population with disabilities and is modeled after the Statistical Abstracts of the United States, published yearly by the United States. Department of Commerce. The Compendium is designed to serve as a reference guide to government publications. At the bottom of each table, the source of data appearing in each table is presented. These referenced sources contain additional statistical and information about the way the data were collected and the statistics were generated.