9 October 2009

Good morning everyone!

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.

Have a great weekend!

***NEW CONTACT INFORMATION***
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 ]

ONE–STOP TOOLKIT TABLE OF CONTENTS

Resource of the Week Highlight for Disability Program Navigators

Good morning Navigators,

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) and
21 October 2009 is Disability Mentoring Day (DMD)

So, what is one great way you ask to get the word out about National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) to your staff, partners, employers, etc?  I would recommend doing so by sharing NDEAM 30-second trainings.  If you are not familiar with them then you are in for a treat.  This 5 - Part Series of 30-Second Trainings has been developed for Disability Program Navigators to use with staff and partners and employers in their Local Workforce Investment Areas to promote and increase awareness of the benefits and resources available to employers hiring and accommodating qualified job applicants and employees with disabilities. This training series can be used to augment other local level activities in honor of NDEAM, or can be used as stand-alone.  Every Wednesday - beginning with last Wednesday and continuing throughout the month—you will be receiving one of the five 30-second trainings.   We are encouraging Navigators to send out a 30-Second Training every Friday this month, hence the five trainings in this series!

So, what can you do…1) check your Wednesday e-mails…..2) access the series directly on the DPNavigator.net website at [ http://dpnavigator.net/pages/NDEAM.html] This set of 30-Second Trainings has two versions of each training – one with sound and one without sound

Have your activities been “Spotlighted” yet?
Each year Disability Program Navigators plan activities and events for October's NDEAM and DMD. Over the years, the national DPN Program Office and the national TA provider have been really inspired by the different activities and events communities have planned to raise awareness during these national annual events.

During the month of October, the Disability and Employment website will spotlight some of the strategies that DPNs are helping to implement to raise awareness within their communities about youth and working age adults with disabilities and employment.

Check it out at:  [ http://disability.workforce3one.org/ ] by clicking on “Spotlight.”  If you have not already done so, let us know what you have planned and maybe your area will be spotlighted.  It is a great opportunity to share with the public workforce system all of the great work that communities are doing to help raise awareness about employment for people with disabilities!!!

Resources, Resources, and Resources
As always, check out the other resources included in this issue.  Many of them may be helpful to include and/or highlight in your activities this month.

WIA Reauthorization Listening Session
Under For Your Information, you can tap into the archive of last Thursday’s WIA Reauthorization Listening Session for disability stakeholders and learn what your peers and representatives from the workforce system along with national experts had to say in their testimony about WIA Reauthorization.  Of note, 19 of the 21 invited presenters by both the Employment and Training Administration and of the Office of Disability Employment Policy mentioned in their testimony that the DPN Initiative and the work of the Disability Program Navigators is a success and should be a permanent part of any reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act.  The recorded version and transcript is now available on the Workforce3 One website (http://www.workforce3one.org/view/5000926034463890808/info).

Additional comments on reauthorization will be accepted via e-mails to WIA.Reauthorization@dol.gov until October 15 .

Happy Friday!

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

U.S. Department of Labor holds ‘national listening session’ for public input on reauthorization of Workforce Investment Act
U.S. Department of Labor News Release
October 1, 2009
[ http://www.dol.gov/ ]

[The News Release is included below in its entirety.  Among those invited to provide testimony were representatives from the Workforce Investment System and Disability Program Navigator Initiative.]

On October 1st, the U.S. Department of Labor held a national listening session on the reauthorization of the Workforce Reinvestment Act (WIA) for a broad range of stakeholders.  Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy Kathy Martinez and Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Jane Oates heard comments from workforce investment systems personnel, representatives of the disability community, leaders of nonprofit organizations, academic professionals and members of the general public. Approximately 700 people attended in person, by webinar and via conference call.

We must bear in mind that the problems and solutions applicable to the employment success of workers with disabilities impact the entire workforce,” said Assistant Secretary Martinez. “Addressing our nation’s unacceptably high unemployment rate is critical to our economic recovery as a whole.”  “We need the talent and dedication of all working age Americans if we are to successfully compete in the global marketplace,” said Assistant Secretary Oates.  “Any investment that helps workers with disabilities realize their potential is an investment toward the overall strength of our workforce and the nation’s economy.”

This listening session follows Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis’ directive that the department offer a series of opportunities to hear from interested stakeholders about the pending WIA reauthorization.  Participants were invited to respond to three questions:  What is working well in WIA and should be continued? What is not working well and should be discontinued or altered? What opportunities does reauthorization present for innovation and change?

The national listening session marks the kickoff of National Disability Employment Awareness Month.  More information on this observance and related events can be found at [ http://www.dol.gov/odep/programs/ndeam.htm].  Additionally, the department’s Employment and Training Administration has launched a new resource page on disability and employment at [ http://www.dol.gov/odep/programs/ndeam.htm ] ( See more information under “Resources of Interest.”)

An audio file and transcript of the listening session will be available to the public at www.workforce3one.org after Oct. 6.  Additional comments will be accepted via e-mails to WIA.Reauthorization@dol.gov until Oct. 15.

.

President's Proclamation - National Disability Employment Awareness Month
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
September 30, 2009
[ http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-National-Disability-Employment-Awareness-Month/ ]

[The Proclamation is included below in its entirety.]

Fair access to employment is a fundamental right of every American, including the 54 million people in this country living with disabilities. A job can provide financial stability, help maximize our potential, and allow us to achieve our dreams. As Americans, we possess a range of vocational opportunities to make the most of our talents and succeed in a chosen career; those with disabilities are entitled to the same opportunities. During National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we recommit ourselves to implementing effective policies and practices that increase employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

In the past half-century, we have made great strides toward providing equal employment opportunities in America, but much work remains to be done. As part of that continuing effort, we must seek to provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Only then can Americans with disabilities achieve full participation in the workforce and reach the height of their ambition.

My Administration is committed to promoting positive change for every American, including those with disabilities. The Federal Government and its contractors can lead the way by implementing effective employment policies and practices that increase opportunities and help workers achieve their full potential. Across this country, millions of people with disabilities are working or want to work. We must ensure they have access to the support and services they need to succeed.

Recognizing the need for equal employment opportunities, we must also strengthen and expand the educational opportunities for individuals with disabilities. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act substantially increased funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and provided more than $500 million for vocational rehabilitation services, including job training, education, and placement. If we are to build a world free from unnecessary barriers, stereotypes, and discrimination, we must ensure that every American receives an education that prepares him or her for future success.

Each day, Americans with disabilities play a critical role in forging and shaping the identity of our Nation. Their contributions touch us all through personal experience or through that of a family member, neighbor, friend, or colleague. We grow stronger as a Nation when Americans feel the dignity conferred by having the ability to support themselves and their families through productive work. This month, we rededicate ourselves to fostering an inclusive work culture that welcomes the skills and talents of all qualified employees.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 2009, as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. I call on all Americans to celebrate the contributions of individuals with disabilities to our workplaces and communities, and to promote the employment of individuals with disabilities to create a better, more inclusive America, one in which every person is rightly recognized for his or her abilities and accomplishments.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

- BARACK OBAMA

President Obama Announces New Initiatives During National Disability Employment Awareness Month
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
October 5, 2009
[ http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press office/President-Obama-Announces-New-Initiatives-during-National-Disability-Employment-Month/ ]

In this news release, President Obama announces that his Administration is taking several steps to ensure “fair and equal access to employment for all Americans, particularly the 54 million people in this country living with disabilities.”

• The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) will collaborate to sponsor and organize a day long Federal Government-wide job fair for people with disabilities.  The Fair will take place in early spring 2010.  In addition to the Job Fair, OPM, ODEP, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and  the Department of Defense's office on Computer and Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP) will provide workshops throughout the day on a variety of topics including the Schedule A hiring waiver and the right to the provision of reasonable accommodations including information on assistive and communications technology
• OPM will develop training on Schedule A for federal Human Resources specialists, hiring managers and selective placement coordinators that will be easily accessible and includes on line training.
• EEOC and the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division will hold four Town Hall meetings throughout the nation to share information about the ADA Amendments Act proposed regulations and to gather comments on them.  All Town Hall meetings will consist of two sessions - one for disability advocates and one for the employer community. These sessions will be completed by November 20th. The four locations are Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, and New Orleans.
• The Department of Justice will release a video that will identify and respond to a number of common myths held by employers about workers with disabilities.
• OPM will create and lead a task force comprised of representatives from key Federal Departments and Agencies that have developed and implemented model practices for recruiting, retaining and advancing employees with disabilities.  The task force will report on the innovative practices agencies use to encourage the employment of individuals with disabilities.  The report will identify and promote successful practices for conducting outreach, recruiting, hiring qualified candidates, successful accommodations, and providing opportunities for career advancement at all levels.

U.S. Labor Department awards cooperative agreement to establish national technical assistance center for employers on people with disabilities
U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) News Release
September 30, 2009
[ http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/ODEP20091196.htm ]

[The news release is included below in its entirety.]

The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has awarded a cooperative agreement to Cornell University's Employment and Disability Institute, School of Industrial and Labor Relations in Ithaca, N.Y., to establish a national technical assistance center for employers on employment of people with disabilities. The purpose of the center will be to conduct innovative research, assist ODEP in developing demand-side policy, and share best practices with employers on the recruitment, hiring, retention and advancement of people with disabilities.

"Employers must create workplace cultures in which employees with disabilities are as fully integrated and valued as those without disabilities," said Assistant Secretary for Labor for Disability Employment Policy Kathy Martinez. "The national technical assistance center will be designed to identify how employers can change expectations and open the path to good jobs for people with disabilities."

Cornell University's Employment and Disability Institute, School of Industrial and Labor Relations will receive $1.6 million to lead a consortium for the center, which will include the AFL-CIO Center for Green Jobs, the Altarum Institute, the Conference Board, the Institute of Educational Leadership, the National Business and Disability Council, Rutgers University's John J. Heldrich Center and the U.S. Business Leadership Network.

The cooperative agreement was awarded as a result of a competitive process and has a 12 -month period of performance.

UPCOMING EVENTS OF INTEREST

The source for information and insight on disability employment issues in the federal government for more than 25 years. Get an edge in recruiting, hiring and retaining qualified federal employees with disabilities. Attend to find the latest information on personnel policies and practices, developments in technology, legal updates, and resources that will help your agency achieve its goals.

This Webinar, which took place on September 24th, highlighted the promising strategies that the Oregon DPN project developed and implemented to facilitate enrollment in Workforce Investment Act (WIA) intensive services for job seekers who have disabilities and/or multiple barriers to employment.  These practices include:  developing and implementing Career Mapping Workshops; Resource Planning and Coordination Techniques; and Integrated Resource Teams.  The Career Mapping Workshop was implemented as a core service workshop that was available to all jobseekers throughout the state.  A key component of the success of this practice which led to the expansion/replication from one pilot region to every region in the states s was compiling the requisite outcome data to document success and return on investment. 

The Disability Program Navigator’s role in this process was to provide extensive training around resources coordination (including the facilitation and creation of IRTs) to WIA staff at the One-Stop Career Centers and to assist them in implementing the employment plans generated through these practices.  The positive outcomes were: the WIA system provided more intensive services to untapped labor pools; WIA performance measures were exceeded for these populations; and WIA-service providers increased access to community-based services and resources for their enrolled WIA-job seekers.  This Webinar discussed how to: develop and implement an IRT; develop individual employment plans that leverage resources from multiple partners to benefit the jobseekers with multiple employment challenges including disabilities; compile outcome data; and replicate the other promising practices in your local One-Strop Career Center.

Access the URL to view the presentation files, recorded version and transcript.

RESOURCES OF INTEREST

U.S. Department of Labor New Data Series on Employment Status of People with a Disability—September
[ http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsdisability.htm ]

In June 2008 , questions were added to the Current Population Survey (CPS) to identify persons with a disability in the civilian noninstitutional population age 16 and older. The addition of these questions allowed BLS to begin releasing monthly labor force data from the CPS for persons with a disability. The collection of these data is sponsored by the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy. Publication of CPS disability data began in February 2009 with the issuance of labor force data for January 2009 . Explanatory materials are available on the frequently asked questions page. These materials provide information on comparisons with other data sources, variability of the data, and the types of data available. Additionally, links to historical data and alternate formats are located below.

In September 2009 , the unemployment rate of persons with a disability was 16.2 percent, compared with 9.2 percent for persons with no disability, not seasonally adjusted. The employment-population ratio for persons with a disability was 18.4 percent, compared with 64.1 percent for persons with no disability.

Access the URL to view the chart plus other pertinent statistical related information.

WEBSITES OF THE WEEK

Disability and Employment Resource Page
Workforce3 One
[ http://disability.workforce3one.org/ ]

Navigating the services and resources available for assisting people with disabilities to obtain quality employment is like fitting together the pieces of a puzzle.  America cannot successfully compete in a global economy without fully engaging the 33 million working-age people with disabilities in our workforce.  As we meet our goal of “Good Jobs for Everyone,” the public workforce system needs to expand its capacity to provide integrated, seamless, and accessible services and programs to people with disabilities and/or other challenges to employment.  To achieve this goal and building upon lessons learned from the Employment and Training Administration’s  Disability Program Navigator (DPN) initiative, the workforce system is collaborating with a wide range of partners to help people with disabilities obtain meaningful and effective employment opportunities.

In connection with National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) in October, Workforce3 One has unveiled a new Disability and Employment Resource Page to provide employment-related resources for the workforce system. 

The purpose of this new section on the Workforce3 One website is to disseminate promising practices to promote the positive employment outcomes of people with disabilities and expand the capacity of the One-Stop Career Center system to serve customers with disabilities.  This site compiles information related to disability and employment in one location on Workforce3 One and along with the addition of a new “Disability” super search category will make it easier for users to find this information. 

Check out the “Disability” Super Search Category at [ http://www.workforce3one.org/find ] .

ODEP Updates: October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month
U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy
[ http://www.dol.gov/odep/index.htm ]

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Central
Internal Revenue Service
[ http://www.eitc.irs.gov/central/main/ ]

The Earned Income Tax Credit (or EITC) is a credit for people who do not earn high incomes. EITC can reduce taxes and result in a refund. In simple terms, workers keep more of what they earn.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) created this website to include the latest tools for marketing, education and tools to help in accurate tax return preparation.  IRS's goals for EITC are to increase participation while reducing error. The resources in this kit help balance the goals, assisting organizations to reach those eligible workers who qualify for the credit and preparing accurate returns which reduces claims made in error.

The Tax Preparer Toolkit (http://www.eitc.irs.gov/rptoolkit/main/) has EITC information and products to help assist in preparing tax returns.  This toolkit includes:

• The latest rules and tax law changes
• EITC eligibility requirements
• Tips on how to file accurate claims and meet your due diligence requirements
• The most up to date EITC forms, brochures and support materials available for download
• Compliance information

On this site, you can also access information related to State and Local credits ( http://www.eitc.irs.gov/rptoolkit/stateandlocalEITC/ ).

For links to more information on the EITC on irs.gov, go to:  [ http://www.eitc.irs.gov/rptoolkit/resources/ ].

PUBLICATIONS OF THE WEEK

The Current State of Health Care for People with Disabilities
National Council on Disability
September 30, 2009
[ http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/index.htm ]

The following is excerpted from the Reports Transmittal letter to the President.]

The National Council on Disability (NCD) undertook this study in 2007 to focus the nation’s attention on the health care disparities experienced by people with disabilities, and to provide information and recommendations that can help to eliminate health care inequities for people with disabilities.

Some key findings include the following:

• People with disabilities experience significant health disparities and barriers to health care, as compared with people who do not have disabilities.
• People with disabilities frequently lack either health insurance or coverage for necessary services, such as specialty care, long-term services, prescription medications, durable medical equipment, and assistive technologies.
• Most federally funded health disparities research does not recognize and include people with disabilities as a disparity population.
• The absence of professional training on disability competency issues for health care practitioners is one of the most significant barriers preventing people with disabilities from receiving appropriate and effective health care.
• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has had limited impact on how health care is delivered for people with disabilities. Significant architectural and programmatic accessibility barriers still remain, and health care providers continue to lack awareness about steps they are required to take to ensure that patients with disabilities have access to appropriate, culturally competent care.

 
The report offers a broad range of recommendations for reforms that will address some of the most significant obstacles to health, health care, disease prevention, and health promotion for people with disabilities. NCD believes that this report provides a road map for eliminating the pervasive barriers to health care for people with disabilities, which will improve the quality of life, productivity, and well-being of greater numbers of Americans as the population ages. NCD also believes that this report is in keeping with the Administration’s goals for inclusive health care reform.