Thursday, April 7, 2016

[Mspe] MSPE Live.WORK.Achieve Listserv - April 2016

Live.WORK.Achieve

A Listserv for the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment

for Youth and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities

Including Intellectual Disabilities Project

 

April 2016

 

Welcome to Live.WORK.Achieve, a monthly e-newsletter targeting anyone interested in and supportive of employment for youth and young adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Live.WORK.Achieve is offered through the Institute for Disability Studies in collaboration with the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities and Disability Rights Mississippi and includes resources and information on employment and career development.

 

Inside this edition:

 

1) What Matters to Me Employment Survey

2) Taylor Interviews Self-Advocate Liz Weintraub

3) Free Quality Health Care Day for CYSHCNs – May 24, Pearl

4) Fact Sheets on Transition and Work

5) Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment

6) Guidance on Health Care and Job Training for Youth with Disabilities

__________________________________________________________________

 

1) What Matters to Me Employment Survey

 

The What Matters to Me Employment Survey is collecting data on a spectrum of areas people with disabilities encounter every day in Mississippi—employment, housing, transportation, education, voting, health care, and long-term care. Information gained from this study will be used to guide systems change efforts in the state. Please complete this 10-minute web-based questionnaire. Your participation in this study is completely voluntary, and you may decline to answer any questions that make you uncomfortable or withdraw at any time without penalty.  Foreseeable psychological, social, or physical risks expected as a result of participating in this study are nonexistent to minimal.  All data will be kept strictly anonymous and confidential.

 

To take the survey, go to https://usmep.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_bJWI8mIWUd5ILpX.   

 

As a participant in this research study, your anonymity is important.  Only group information will be presented in fulfillment of degree requirements and at scientific meetings and/or published in journals.

Questions concerning this research should be directed to Jerry Alliston at 601.266.5979.  This study and consent form have been reviewed and approved by The University of Southern Mississippi's Institutional Review Board, which ensures that research projects involving human subjects follow federal regulations.  Any questions or concerns about rights as a research subject should be directed to the Administrator of the Institutional Review Board at The University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5147, Hattiesburg, MS  39406, 601.266.5997.

 

2) Taylor Interviews Self-Advocate Liz Weintraub

 

This week’s Chit Chat Thursday with Taylor is the first of a three-part feature with Liz Weintraub, a self-advocate with the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD).  Taylor was able to meet with Liz during his first trip to Washington, D.C. in March. Chit Chat Thursday with Taylor is hosted by Taylor Carley, self-advocacy coordinator at the Institute for Disability Studies, and is produced by IDS, specifically through the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment Project, a joint project between Mississippi’s Developmental Disabilities Network. This network includes the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities (MS CDD), Disability Rights Mississippi (DRMS) and IDS, Mississippi’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service (UCEDD). For this latest video, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMpKCT3EScU&feature=youtu.be.

 

3) Free Quality Health Care Day for CYSHCNs – May 24, Pearl

 

Are you searching for quality health care for your child or youth with special health care needs (CYSHCNs)? Are you a partner at all levels in the decisions made about your child’s health care? Do you have a youth transitioning to adult healthcare? Learn more about these key measures of quality health care for your CYSHCNs and others at a free special health care day for families and health care providers scheduled from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 24, at the Muse Center at 515 Country Place Parkway in Pearl. For more information or to register, please contact F2F Parent Coordinator Keishawna Smith at 601.432.6929 or ksmith@ihl.state.ms.us.

 

4) Fact Sheets on Transition and Work

 

The Federal Partners in Transition (FPT) workgroup presents two new fact sheets: What to Know About Work-Based Learning Experiences for Students and Youth with Disabilities and What to Know About Transition Services for Students and Youth with Disabilities.  These fact sheets were created to address the compatible outcome goals and policy priorities identified in The 2020 Youth Transition Plan:  A Federal Interagency Strategy. For copies of the fact sheets visit http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/transition/products/fpt-fact-sheet--work-based-eperiences--11-5-15.pdf and http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/transition/products/fpt-fact-sheet-transitionservices-swd-ywd-3-9-2016.pdf. For a copy of the Youth Transition Plan, visit http://www.dol.gov/odep/pdf/20150302-FPT.pdf.

 

5) Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment

 

The next meeting of the Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (the Committee) will take place on Wed., Apr. 27, and Thurs., Apr. 28. The meeting will be open to the public on Apr. 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT and on Apr. 28, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT. The meeting will take place at the U.S. Access Board, 1331 F Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, D.C. On Apr. 27 and 28, the four subcommittees of the Committee will report out on their work since the last meeting of the Committee. In addition, the entire Committee will discuss recommendations regarding the AbilityOne® program. Also, the Committee will consider recommendations regarding the certificate program under section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The whole Committee will also discuss next steps and timelines for the final report. The public comment period of the meeting will take place on Apr. 27, from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. EDT. Instructions for submitting comments can be found in the Federal Register Notice. The deadline for submitting comments is April 15. To view the meeting agenda, visit http://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/date/20160427.htm.

 

6) Guidance on Health Care and Job Training for Youth with Disabilities

 

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have issued a “Dear Colleague” letter for youth service providers, state and local agencies, and policymakers. The letter notes the interdependence between health and wellness and employment and offers guidance to ensure that young people with disabilities or chronic health conditions receive health care transition and job training services under the Affordable Care Act and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). To read a copy of the letter which focuses on health care transition planning, visit http://www.dol.gov/odep/pdf/ExpandingAccessToHealthCareServicesAndWork-BasedExperiencesForYouthWithChronicHealthConditionsAndDisabilities.pdf.

 

 

***PLEASE NOTE: If you are unable to access any of the links in Live.WORK.Achieve, please make sure the entire link is highlighted.  If a link is not highlighted, please copy and paste the entire link into your web browser.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Live.WORK.Achieve~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Live.WORK.Achieve is sponsored by the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment (MSPE) for Youth and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities, Including Intellectual Disabilities project. MSPE is funded by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is managed by the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities (MS CDD), Disability Rights Mississippi (DRMS) and The University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies (IDS).   

 

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TO SUBSCRIBE

 

If this mailing was forwarded to you and you are not already subscribed to the Live.WORK.Achieve listserv, here’s how you can become a subscriber:

 

Sign up online at https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/mspe.  

 

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Unsubscribe online at https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/mspe  and login with your email address and your password. If you do not have a password (they are emailed to members at the beginning of every month), contact one of the administrators listed below.

 

****************************************

 

Please visit the IDS Calendar of Events at http://www.usm.edu/ids/calevents/.

 

Questions may be addressed to

Alma.Ellis@usm.edu

OR

Jerry.Alliston@usm.edu

_______________________________________________

MSPE Live.WORK.Acheive mailing list

mspe@usm.edu

https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/mspe  

 

Monday, March 7, 2016

[Mspe] MSPE Live.WORK.Achieve Listserv - March 2016

Live.WORK.Achieve

A Listserv for the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment

for Youth and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities

Including Intellectual Disabilities Project

 

March 2016

 

Welcome to Live.WORK.Achieve, a monthly e-newsletter targeting anyone interested in and supportive of employment for youth and young adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Live.WORK.Achieve is offered through the Institute for Disability Studies in collaboration with the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities and Disability Rights Mississippi and includes resources and information on employment and career development.

 

Inside this edition:

 

1) EmployAbility Job Fair – Mar. 31, Jackson

2) Chit Chat Thursday with Taylor

3) Employment First Technical Brief Published

4) Just-In-Time Toolkit for Managers

__________________________________________________________________

 

1) EmployAbility Job Fair – Mar. 31, Jackson

 

The third annual Employability Job Fair will be held Thurs., Mar. 31, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Thad Cochran Center at the Jackson Medical Mall at 350 W. Woodrow Wilson Avenue in Jackson. The event is co-sponsored by the Governor’s Office and Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services’ offices of Vocational Rehabilitation and Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind. No registration required for job seekers. Employers will be onsite at the fair, and resumé writing and interview skills sessions will be held. For more information, contact Adam Todd at 601.503.4555 or atodd@mdes.ms.gov or Dorothy Young at 601.853.5310 or dyoung@mdrs.ms.gov. 

 

2) Chit Chat Thursday with Taylor

 

Chit Chat Thursday with Taylor is a monthly video series highlighting self-advocacy activities, services and successes in Mississippi.  It is hosted by Taylor Carley, self-advocacy coordinator, and is produced by the Institute for Disability Studies, specifically through the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment Project which is a joint project between the Mississippi’s Developmental Disabilities Network. This network includes the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities (MS CDD), The University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies (IDS), Mississippi’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service (UCEDD), and Disability Rights Mississippi (DRMS). To view the current episode, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhTraDj9hxM.

 

3) Employment First Technical Brief Published

 

The fourth Employment First Technical Brief, Federal Resources Available to Support State Employment First Efforts has been released by the Office of Disability Employment Policy and the LEAD Center. The four-part series is for anyone working to implement Employment First in their state, region or agency. This brief provides information to state governments and external stakeholders about available federal funding resources and technical assistance available to further state Employment First systems change efforts. The federal government utilizes funding vehicles such as competitive grants, direct programmatic funding, demonstration projects, pilot initiatives, and increased federal matching funds to help state and local governments prioritize strategies that lead to competitive, integrated employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Funding can also be used to discourage certain practices or policies, as in the case of reduced reimbursement rates or decreased funding invested in services that lead to segregated outcomes for individuals with disabilities. To download the fourth brief, as well as the first three briefs in the series, visit http://www.leadcenter.org/resource-center/publication/employment-first-technical-briefs. 

 

4) Just-In-Time Toolkit for Managers

 

With an increasingly diverse workforce and new federal regulations encouraging organizations to employ more people with disabilities, it is essential that organizations learn to attract, retain and engage prospective and current employees with disabilities. Managers are critical to achieving these disability goals. Unfortunately, most managers are not prepared to foster a disability inclusive workplace. The Just-In-Time Toolkit developed at Cornell University's Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability is online and easy to use with 10-modules of five minutes or less. For more information, visit DisabilityToolkit.org.

 

 

***PLEASE NOTE: If you are unable to access any of the links in Live.WORK.Achieve, please make sure the entire link is highlighted.  If a link is not highlighted, please copy and paste the entire link into your web browser.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Live.WORK.Achieve~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Live.WORK.Achieve is sponsored by the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment (MSPE) for Youth and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities, Including Intellectual Disabilities project. MSPE is funded by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is managed by the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities (MS CDD), Disability Rights Mississippi (DRMS) and The University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies (IDS).   

 

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TO SUBSCRIBE

 

If this mailing was forwarded to you and you are not already subscribed to the Live.WORK.Achieve listserv, here’s how you can become a subscriber:

 

Sign up online at https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/mspe.  

 

TO UNSUBSCRIBE

 

Unsubscribe online at https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/mspe  and login with your email address and your password. If you do not have a password (they are emailed to members at the beginning of every month), contact one of the administrators listed below.

 

****************************************

 

Please visit the IDS Calendar of Events at http://www.usm.edu/ids/calevents/.

 

Questions may be addressed to

Alma.Ellis@usm.edu

OR

Jerry.Alliston@usm.edu

_______________________________________________

MSPE Live.WORK.Acheive mailing list

mspe@usm.edu

https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/mspe  

 

Thursday, February 11, 2016

[Mspe] MSPE Live.WORK.Achieve Listserv - Special Edition

Live.WORK.Achieve

A Listserv for the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment

for Youth and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities

Including Intellectual Disabilities Project

 

February 11, 2016

 

Welcome to Live.WORK.Achieve, a monthly e-newsletter targeting anyone interested in and supportive of employment for youth and young adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Live.WORK.Achieve is offered through the Institute for Disability Studies in collaboration with the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities and Disability Rights Mississippi and includes resources and information on employment and career development.

 

Inside this edition:

 

1) Chit Chat Thursday with Taylor

2) Golden Eagles Wheelchair Basketball Exhibition Game – Feb. 20, Hattiesburg

__________________________________________________________________

 

1) Chit Chat Thursday with Taylor

 

Chit Chat Thursday with Taylor is a monthly video series highlighting self-advocacy activities, services and successes in Mississippi.  It is hosted by Taylor Carley, self-advocacy coordinator, and is produced by the Institute for Disability Studies, specifically through the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment Project which is a joint project of Mississippi’s Developmental Disabilities Network. This network includes the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities (MS CDD), The University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies (IDS), Mississippi’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service (UCEDD), and Disability Rights Mississippi (DRMS). To view the first episode, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7wdsVnmsSI.  

 

2) Golden Eagles Wheelchair Basketball Exhibition Game – Feb. 20, Hattiesburg

 

Join the Golden Eagles and the Rollin Tigers on Sat., Feb. 20, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Payne Center on the Southern Miss campus for a chance to watch and play wheelchair basketball. Lunch will be served. For more information, call Devin Bellman at 228.214.3400. This activity, sponsored by the Institute for Disability Studies, the STEP UP TO LEADERSHIP Council, TRIAD AmeriCorps and MACE, is free and open to the public.

 

 

***PLEASE NOTE: If you are unable to access any of the links in Live.WORK.Achieve, please make sure the entire link is highlighted.  If a link is not highlighted, please copy and paste the entire link into your web browser.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Live.WORK.Achieve~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Live.WORK.Achieve is sponsored by the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment (MSPE) for Youth and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities, Including Intellectual Disabilities project. MSPE is funded by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is managed by the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities (MS CDD), Disability Rights Mississippi (DRMS) and The University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies (IDS).   

 

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SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE

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TO SUBSCRIBE

 

If this mailing was forwarded to you and you are not already subscribed to the Live.WORK.Achieve listserv, here’s how you can become a subscriber:

 

Sign up online at https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/mspe.  

 

TO UNSUBSCRIBE

 

Unsubscribe online at https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/mspe  and login with your email address and your password. If you do not have a password (they are emailed to members at the beginning of every month), contact one of the administrators listed below.

 

****************************************

 

Please visit the IDS Calendar of Events at http://www.usm.edu/ids/calevents/.

 

Questions may be addressed to

Alma.Ellis@usm.edu

OR

Jerry.Alliston@usm.edu

_______________________________________________

MSPE Live.WORK.Acheive mailing list

mspe@usm.edu

https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/mspe  

 

[Mspe] MSPE Live.WORK.Achieve Listserv - February 2016

Live.WORK.Achieve

A Listserv for the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment

for Youth and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities

Including Intellectual Disabilities Project

 

February 2016

 

Welcome to Live.WORK.Achieve, a monthly e-newsletter targeting anyone interested in and supportive of employment for youth and young adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Live.WORK.Achieve is offered through the Institute for Disability Studies in collaboration with the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities and Disability Rights Mississippi and includes resources and information on employment and career development.

 

Inside this edition:

 

1) Building Partnerships. . . Working Together Conference – Feb. 25-26, Jackson

2) Disability Employment Tracker

3) Employment First Technical Briefs

4) Customized Employment

5) Virtual Wheelchair Coaches

6) Business and Vocational Rehabilitation Can Build Employment Partnerships

__________________________________________________________________

 

1) Building Partnerships. . . Working Together Conference – Feb. 25-26

 

Mississippi’s 8th Annual Special Education Conference for parents and professionals will be held Thur., Feb. 25, and Fri., Feb. 26, at the Jackson Convention Center at 105 East Pascagoula Street in Jackson. Registration for the conference begins at 8 a.m. Sessions begin at 9 a.m. Registration is $25 and includes breakfast, lunch, and snacks. For more information on speakers or to register, visit http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07ebwqjwfzee0eeb24&llr=julfnscab&showPage=true.  

 

2) Disability Employment Tracker

 

Open enrollment for year three of the Disability Employment Tracker is now underway. Sponsored by the National Organization on Disability (NOD), this tool provides companies a confidential assessment of their disability and veteran employment policies and practices, providing tailored reports in four areas. Completion of the Tracker is required to be considered for DiversityInc’s annual list of Top 10 Companies for People with Disabilities, and this year, for the first time, top scorers have the opportunity to earn an NOD Disability Employer Seal of Approval. To learn more about this free and confidential online assessment, visit http://nod.org/services/tracker.html.

 

3) Employment First Technical Briefs

 

The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the LEAD Center has released three Employment First Technical Briefs for anyone working to implement Employment First in their state, region or agency.

·         Technical Brief #1: Connecting the Dots: Using Federal Policy to Promote Employment First Systems-Change Efforts, provides a summary and overview of public policy, regulations, rules and informational bulletins that support employment outcomes and employment first for youth and adults with disabilities.

·         Technical Brief #2: Federal Legal Framework that Supports Competitive, Integrated Employment Outcomes of Youth and Adults with Significant Disabilities, “highlights various legal actions by Federal enforcement agencies that have significant implications for how states prioritize and deliver services for individuals with disabilities.”

·         Technical Brief #3: Criteria for Performance Excellence in Employment First State Systems Change & Provider Transformation, provides guidance to states that are involved in systems change efforts aimed at improving competitive, integrated employment outcomes of youth and adults with disabilities.

To download the briefs, visit the LEAD Resource Center http://www.leadcenter.org/resource-center/publication/employment-first-technical-briefs.

 

4) Customized Employment

 

Customized employment is a flexible process designed to personalize the employment relationship between a job candidate and an employer in a way that meets the needs of both. This information brief from the LEAD Center, in collaboration with the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and EconSys, provides the results of six focus groups conducted in 2015 under ODEP’s Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program (EFSLMP). The purpose of the focus groups was to garner the perspective of employers of various sizes, sectors, and locations who had hired individuals with disabilities into customized jobs within the past year. For a copy of the brief, visit http://www.leadcenter.org/resource-center/publication/employment-first-information-brief-perspective-employers-customized-employment.

 

5) Virtual Wheelchair Coaches

 

The Self-Management Assistance through Technology (SMART) – Virtual Coaches for Wheelchair Users project will be developing a suite of interactive coaching tools based on smart mobile devices (e.g., smartphones and wearable devices) that support wheelchair users to learn about safe and effective use of their wheelchair, to navigate the wheelchair service delivery process, and to lead a healthy lifestyle. This project is supported by the National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR): Disability and Rehabilitation Research Project (DRRP). For more information about the project, visit http://www.vwc.pitt.edu/index.html.

 

6) Business and Vocational Rehabilitation Can Build Employment Partnerships

 

Vocational rehabilitation (VR) is a series of programs and services designed to help a person with a disability find and keep a job or return to work after injury. These services are most often provided by counselors at a VR agency. VR counselors spend a lot of time getting to know the individuals with disabilities they work with, understanding their needs and abilities, and supporting them as find their place in the workforce. A new study conducted by Mississippi State University discovered VR counselors and agency personnel can improve outcomes for job seekers with visual disabilities by building strong relationships with employers and area business organizations. For more information about this study and a copy of the report, visit http://www.naric.com/?q=en/RIF/Business%20And%20Vocational%20Rehabilitation%20Can%20Build%20Partnerships%20For%20Employment%20Success.

 

 

***PLEASE NOTE: If you are unable to access any of the links in Live.WORK.Achieve, please make sure the entire link is highlighted.  If a link is not highlighted, please copy and paste the entire link into your web browser.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Live.WORK.Achieve~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Live.WORK.Achieve is sponsored by the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment (MSPE) for Youth and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities, Including Intellectual Disabilities project. MSPE is funded by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is managed by the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities (MS CDD), Disability Rights Mississippi (DRMS) and The University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies (IDS).   

 

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TO SUBSCRIBE

 

If this mailing was forwarded to you and you are not already subscribed to the Live.WORK.Achieve listserv, here’s how you can become a subscriber:

 

Sign up online at https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/mspe.  

 

TO UNSUBSCRIBE

 

Unsubscribe online at https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/mspe  and login with your email address and your password. If you do not have a password (they are emailed to members at the beginning of every month), contact one of the administrators listed below.

 

****************************************

 

Please visit the IDS Calendar of Events at http://www.usm.edu/ids/calevents/.

 

Questions may be addressed to

Alma.Ellis@usm.edu

OR

Jerry.Alliston@usm.edu

_______________________________________________

MSPE Live.WORK.Acheive mailing list

mspe@usm.edu

https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/mspe  

 

Thursday, January 7, 2016

[Mspe] MSPE Live.WORK.Achieve Listserv - January 2016

Live.WORK.Achieve

A Listserv for the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment

for Youth and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities

Including Intellectual Disabilities Project

 

January 2016

 

Welcome to Live.WORK.Achieve, a monthly e-newsletter targeting anyone interested in and supportive of employment for youth and young adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Live.WORK.Achieve is offered through the Institute for Disability Studies in collaboration with the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities and Disability Rights Mississippi and includes resources and information on employment and career development.

 

Inside this edition:

 

1) Call for Presentations for 2016 Mississippi disAbility MegaConference (Deadline: January 15, 2016)

2) What Is Discovery?

3) Steps to Success Toolkit

4) At Your Service Video Provides Tips for Business Owners
5) 2016 Workforce Recruitment Database

6) New Service Helps Hearing Impaired Learn About Employment Discrimination

__________________________________________________________________

 

1) Call for Presentations for 2016 Mississippi disAbility MegaConference (Deadline: January 15, 2016)

 

The Mississippi disAbility MegaConference is soliciting presentations on all topics important to people with disabilities and their families. Presentations on the following topics are needed:  advocacy, assistive technology, direct support services, education/early intervention, employment, housing, health care, recreation, or transportation. Other topics will be considered. Proposals from presenters with disabilities are encouraged. To submit a presentation idea, please email Charles Hughes for a form at Charles.Hughes@dmh.state.ms.us.

 

2) What Is Discovery?

 

“What Is Discovery?,” is a new research brief published by the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Employment of Individuals with Physical Disabilities (VCU-RRTC). The brief uses a question-and-answer format to present preliminary findings from a project that defines the components of customized employment (CE). Specifically, the brief describes discovery, a key component of customized employment, and core discovery practices identified in focus groups with nationally recognized experts in the field. For more information or to print a copy of the brief, visit http://vcurrtc.org/resources/content.cfm/1159.  

 

3) Steps to Success Toolkit

 

The Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has created, Small Business & Disability Employment: Steps to Success, an online toolkit with practical guidance for small businesses on how to recruit and retain qualified people with disabilities. The kit also describes approaches business associations, such as local chambers of commerce and business leadership networks, can use to educate their members on disability employment issues and raise awareness in their communities. To use the toolkit, visit http://www.askearn.org/StepsToSuccess/.

 

4) At Your Service Video Provides Tips for Business Owners

 

The video, At Your Service, developed by the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center, was featured recently in the in the Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy's (ODEP) Business Sense newsletter. The 20-minute video provides tips and recommendations to small-business owners and their employees to engage, connect, and interact with customers with disabilities in a variety of service settings. Free of charge, it offers a simple way to incorporate disability etiquette into employee orientation or training programs. To view the video, visit http://www.adahospitality.org/at-your-service.  

 

5) 2016 Workforce Recruitment Database

 

The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) has launched the 2016 database of college students and recent graduates with disabilities seeking summer or permanent employment. The U.S. Departments of Labor (DOL) and Defense jointly operate the WRP for qualified candidates with disabilities. More than 300 college and university campuses are participating in 2016. The WRP database is searchable so employers can locate job candidates who have the specific skill sets they need. Federal hiring officials with a “.gov” or “.mil” email address can access the database of Schedule A eligible candidates by registering at wrp.gov. Employers from the for-profit and non-profit sectors can access WRP through the Employment Assistance and Resource Network (EARN). For more information on WRP, read the blog post Diversify Your Workforce written by DOL Deputy Secretary Chris Lu at https://blog.dol.gov/2015/12/15/diversify-your-workforce/.

 

6) New Service Helps Hearing Impaired Learn About Employment Discrimination

 

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is offering a new service for people who use American Sign Language (ASL). The Direct Video Access program helps people who are deaf or hard of hearing get information in ASL about employment discrimination issues, including filing discrimination complaints. Call 1.844.234.5122 from 7 a.m.- 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, to be connected to an EEOC representative who is fluent in ASL. For additional information about the program, visit http://www1.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/12-11-15.cfm.

 

 

***PLEASE NOTE: If you are unable to access any of the links in Live.WORK.Achieve, please make sure the entire link is highlighted.  If a link is not highlighted, please copy and paste the entire link into your web browser.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Live.WORK.Achieve~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Live.WORK.Achieve is sponsored by the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment (MSPE) for Youth and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities, Including Intellectual Disabilities project. MSPE is funded by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is managed by the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities (MS CDD), Disability Rights Mississippi (DRMS) and The University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies (IDS).   

 

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SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE

***********************************

 

TO SUBSCRIBE

 

If this mailing was forwarded to you and you are not already subscribed to the Live.WORK.Achieve listserv, here’s how you can become a subscriber:

 

Sign up online at https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/mspe.  

 

TO UNSUBSCRIBE

 

Unsubscribe online at https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/mspe  and login with your email address and your password. If you do not have a password (they are emailed to members at the beginning of every month), contact one of the administrators listed below.

 

****************************************

 

Please visit the IDS Calendar of Events at http://www.usm.edu/ids/calevents/.

 

Questions may be addressed to

Alma.Ellis@usm.edu

OR

Jerry.Alliston@usm.edu

_______________________________________________

MSPE Live.WORK.Acheive mailing list

mspe@usm.edu

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Tuesday, December 1, 2015

[Mspe] MSPE Live.WORK.Achieve Listserv - December 2015

Live.WORK.Achieve

A Listserv for the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment

for Youth and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities

Including Intellectual Disabilities Project

 

December 2015

 

Welcome to Live.WORK.Achieve, a monthly e-newsletter targeting anyone interested in and supportive of employment for youth and young adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Live.WORK.Achieve is offered through the Institute for Disability Studies in collaboration with the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities and Disability Rights Mississippi and includes resources and information on employment and career development.

 

Inside this edition:

 

1) Free Employment First Webinar Series – Dec. 14, 2 p.m. CST

2) Young Mississippian Antonio Norwood Featured in AUCD Annual Report

3) Beyond NDEAM: Employment and People with Disabilities as a National Priority

4) Bridging the Gap Across Transition 

__________________________________________________________________

 

1) Free Employment First Webinar Series – Dec. 14, 2 p.m. CST

 

This first session in a series of webinars focusing on Employment First policies and practices will cover the history and context of the Employment First initiative and how it fits into the goals of people with disabilities and their families. Future sessions will cover how Employment First is being implemented around the country; legislation, regulations, and executive orders that are enabling Employment First policies; addressing the challenges of successful Employment First implementation; advocating for Employment First; and how an Employment First initiative fits into the full spectrum of services and supports for people with disabilities. This webinar series is sponsored by APSE (Association of People Supporting Employment), AUCD (Association of University Centers on Disabilities) and NACDD (National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities). For more information or to register, visit http://www.aucd.org/template/event.cfm?event_id=7800&id=16.

 

2) Young Mississippian Antonio Norwood Featured in AUCD Annual Report

 

AUCD (Association of University Centers on Disabilities) is a network of people, with and without disabilities, who are passionate about growing the next generation of leaders and driving positive change for people with disabilities and their families. In the AUCD 2015 annual report, six people who exemplify what it means to be an AUCD member are highlighted. Their stories of leadership, scholarship, teaching, research, family, and personal achievement are but a small sampling of the activities that happen at AUCD member centers and programs across the country every day. Antonio Norwood, a TRIAD Service AmeriCorps member at the Institute for Disability Studies, Mississippi’s University Center for Excellence, is one of the six individuals featured. To view Tony’s story then link to the 2015 AUCD Annual Report, visit https://aucdannualreport.wordpress.com/our-stories/financials/. 

 

3) Beyond NDEAM: Employment and People with Disabilities as a National Priority

 

Dr. Lisa Mills is a 26-year disability advocate, employment subject matter expert, a former public policy chair for TASH and a former Ruderman Fellow and senior technical advisor for the Coalition to Promote Self-Determination (CPSD). To mark National Disability Employment Awareness Month (October 2015), the National Advisory Board (NAB) on Improving Health Care Services for Older Adults and People with Disabilities asked Dr. Mills to discuss integrated employment as the "next great Civil Rights challenge" to address, and how the public will know when this milestone has been reached (spoiler: when commemoration of disability employment is no longer limited to one month, or one day, of the year). To read the interview with Dr. Mills, visit http://www.mydfi.org/blog/20151021-beyond-ndeam-pt1?utm_source=P+and+P+November+2015&utm_campaign=Policy+%26+Practice+-+November&utm_medium=email.

 

4) Bridging the Gap Across Transition

 

Bridging the Gap Across Transition is a training module from the Job Accommodation Network that provides information on the rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to help young adults navigate their way through the transition process from the school system to the world of work, or to post-secondary education or training. Topics discussed include self-advocacy, disability disclosure, sufficient medical documentation, and types of accommodations that might be needed. To view the 18-minute module, visit http://webcast.askjan.org/transition. A transcript is available at http://askjan.org/modules/transition/Transition%20Webcast%20Script.doc. Additional resources include:

·         The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities

http://www.ncwd-youth.info/411-on-disability-disclosure

·         Soft Skills to Pay the Bills—Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success

http://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/youth/softskills/

·         Work Early, Work Often Video Campaign

http://www.thenytc.org/workearly

 

 

***PLEASE NOTE: If you are unable to access any of the links in Live.WORK.Achieve, please make sure the entire link is highlighted.  If a link is not highlighted, please copy and paste the entire link into your web browser.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Live.WORK.Achieve~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Live.WORK.Achieve is sponsored by the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment (MSPE) for Youth and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities, Including Intellectual Disabilities project. MSPE is funded by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is managed by the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities (MS CDD), Disability Rights Mississippi (DRMS) and The University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies (IDS).   

 

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Please visit the IDS Calendar of Events at http://www.usm.edu/ids/calevents/.

 

Questions may be addressed to

Alma.Ellis@usm.edu

OR

Jerry.Alliston@usm.edu

_______________________________________________

MSPE Live.WORK.Acheive mailing list

mspe@usm.edu

https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/mspe  

 

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

[Mspe] MSPE Live.WORK.Achieve Listserv - November 2015

Live.WORK.Achieve

A Listserv for the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment

for Youth and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities

Including Intellectual Disabilities Project

 

November 2015

 

Welcome to Live.WORK.Achieve, a monthly e-newsletter targeting anyone interested in and supportive of employment for youth and young adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Live.WORK.Achieve is offered through the Institute for Disability Studies in collaboration with the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities and Disability Rights Mississippi and includes resources and information on employment and career development.

 

Inside this edition:

 

1) Embracing a Culture of Accessibility in the Workplace

2) Disability Inclusion Starts with You

3) Making My Way Through College

4) Social Media and Accessibility: Resources to Know

5) Internet of Things: New Promises for Persons with Disabilities

6) Official Launch of the National Employment First Website

__________________________________________________________________

 

1) Embracing a Culture of Accessibility in the Workplace

 

There’s more to workplace accessibility than installing a ramp. Learn how much more in this post for the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) by Emily Ladau, author of the Words I Wheel By blog. http://www.aucd.org/template/news.cfm?news_id=11510&parent=16&parent_title=Home&url=/template/index.cfm?

 

2) Disability Inclusion Starts with You

 

The Labor Department's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has released a short online video titled "Disability Inclusion Starts with You." Employers who do business with the federal government—including small business contractors—can download and post this video on their intranet or company websites, and share it with employees and job applicants who may be reluctant to self-identify. The simple tool encourages employees with disabilities to "be counted." It reinforces the notion that increasing the representation of people with disabilities in the workplace is the goal—and that achieving it starts with them. To view the video, visit http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/SelfIdVideo.html.

 

3) Making My Way Through College

 

Making My Way Through College is a guide for any student pursuing a degree or other type of credential (certification, license) at a two-year or four-year community college, college, or university. You will find information on a variety of topics relevant to preparing for and succeeding in college and transitioning from college into the world of work. Much of the information provided is relevant to all students, but the primary focus of the guide is on navigating the college experience for students with disabilities or those who think they may have a disability. To download a copy of the guide, visit http://www.ncwd-youth.info/PostsecondaryGuide.

 

4) Social Media and Accessibility: Resources to Know

 

When the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990, there was no Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Since then, the number of social media channels, and their use for communication among all demographics, has grown exponentially. Unfortunately, despite newer ways to reach individuals living with disabilities, many individuals in this community face challenges in gaining full access to the content and conversation on social media platforms. This article on DigitalGov provides some of the federal resources that can enhance social media access for people with disabilities. To read the article, visit http://www.digitalgov.gov/2015/01/02/social-media-and-accessibility-resources-to-know/. 

5) Internet of Things: New Promises for Persons with Disabilities

 

The Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies (G3ict), in collaboration with AT&T, has published Internet of Things: New Promises for Persons with Disabilities. This white paper explores the impact of smart connected objects and devices on people with disabilities, and the potential of connected technology to improve independence and quality of life from home automation to applications in health care, transportation, education, and employment. To download a copy of the report, visit http://g3ict.org/resource_center/publications_and_reports/p/productCategory_books/subCat_2/id_335.

6) Official Launch of the National Employment First Website

 

Interested in learning more about what is going on in other states around Employment First, but do not know where to access the information? Or, do you want access to a one-stop resource of data sets, policies, initiatives and more related to Employment First? You'll find answers and much, much more on the new national Employment First website. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the platform provides a unique comprehensive resource for policymakers, researchers and external stakeholders to learn about national trends and activities in Employment First: 

  • Viewing outcome data across respective federally-funded systems (education, I/DD adult services, mental health, vocational rehabilitation, workforce investment, and others) at an individual state level as well as the ability to compare data from up to three states at a time
  • Reviewing comprehensive profiles for each individual state with respect to relevant legislation, policies, gubernatorial actions, funding initiatives, pilots, and strategic partnerships going on in each state as it relates to increasing competitive, integrated employment options for individuals with disabilities
  • Conducting queries to ascertain all policies/actions around a specific topic based on a customized search process

Visit the interactive website at http://employmentfirst.leadcenter.org/.

 

 

***PLEASE NOTE: If you are unable to access any of the links in Live.WORK.Achieve, please make sure the entire link is highlighted.  If a link is not highlighted, please copy and paste the entire link into your web browser.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Live.WORK.Achieve~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Live.WORK.Achieve is sponsored by the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment (MSPE) for Youth and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities, Including Intellectual Disabilities project. MSPE is funded by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is managed by the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities (MS CDD), Disability Rights Mississippi (DRMS) and The University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies (IDS).   

 

***********************************

 

SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE

***********************************

 

TO SUBSCRIBE

 

If this mailing was forwarded to you and you are not already subscribed to the Live.WORK.Achieve listserv, here’s how you can become a subscriber:

 

Sign up online at https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/mspe.  

 

TO UNSUBSCRIBE

 

Unsubscribe online at https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/mspe  and login with your email address and your password. If you do not have a password (they are emailed to members at the beginning of every month), contact one of the administrators listed below.

 

****************************************

 

Please visit the IDS Calendar of Events at http://www.usm.edu/ids/calevents/.

 

Questions may be addressed to

Alma.Ellis@usm.edu

OR

Jerry.Alliston@usm.edu

_______________________________________________

MSPE Live.WORK.Acheive mailing list

mspe@usm.edu

https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/mspe