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Transition Tidbits
Transition News and ResourcesDecember 2011
In This Issue
Training: MT, Online
Training: Other States
MT News
Announcements
Employment
National News
Post-Secondary
Social Security
Technology
Transition
Web Sites
Learning Opportunities: Montana and Online

Wildwood Programs: Increasing Independence by Providing Effective Employment Services to People with ASD Webinar
 
December 14, 2011

1:00-2:00 PM MT

SEDL and partners on the National Advisory Panel of the Vocational Rehabilitation Service Models for Individuals with ASD project have implemented a rigorous process for identifying programs that help increase competitive, long-term employment for people with ASD. Wildwood Programs was designated as an effective program in the summer of 2011. Located in Latham, New York, this program serves people with ASD needing employment-related supports. Wildwood Programs works collaboratively with individuals, families and businesses to increase individuals' independence and integration into the community.

 

JAN Webcast: Understanding and Accommodating Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Workplace

December 15, 2011

12:00-1:00 PM MT

Presenters will discuss situations and practical solutions for challenging workplace issues related to autism spectrum disorders.

 

Effective Public Policy Advocacy for Advancing Employment

December 15, 2011

10:00-11:00 PM MT

Cost: $50 APSE Members/$100 Non-Members

Participants at this webinar will learn about strategies for effective public policy advocacy - and how to do it on a shoestring.

 

WRAP� for Kids Webinar

December 19, 2011

12:00-1:30 PM MT

The Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP�) for Kids is based on a system developed by Mary Ellen Copeland and a group of people who have faced mental health challenges. WRAP� is a tool that encourages people to discover or rediscover their skills and strengths while staying as well as possible on a daily basis.

 

Support Services for People Who Have a Disability & Are Ready to Work Webinar

December 21, 2011

1:00-2:30 PM MT

This free Work Incentives Seminar Event will present information about the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Planning and Assistance projects and where to find the help you need to return to work.

 

Got Transition Radio Show Episode 4: Before a Dr's Visit - From Panic to Prepared!

December 28, 2011

1:00-1:30 MT

Learn strategies and steps that can be taken ahead of time to make the most of your doctor visit, and how to begin some important transition dialogue and skill building for youth.

 

For the spring 2012 semester, the University of Montana is launching a new online course, Public Health and Disability (PUBH 595; CRN 35404). This three-credit course addresses public health issues relevant to people with disabilities.

 

AAIDD Webinar Archive: Inclusion and Employment

Listen to the insights of Dr. William Kiernan, Director of the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston, and Dr. David Mank, Director of the Indiana Institute on Disability at Indiana University, on the movement to competitive, integrated employment.

 

In October, the Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN) hosted four 30-minute webinars in celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The webinars, including The Workforce Recruitment Program: Tapping the Talent of Students and Graduates with Disabilities, are archived and available for viewing.

Learning Opportunities: Other States

Autism Works National Conference

March 6-7, 2012

St. Louis, Missouri

 

Council for Exceptional Children Conference

April 11-14, 2012

Denver, Colorado

Registration is now open for the 2012 Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Convention & Expo. The conference will feature a number of strands, including "Transition as an Evolving Field: Our Continuing Successes" and "New Developments in Interventions for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders."

 
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Greetings!

Happy holidays to all our Montana Transition Listserv members! We hope you find the following news and resources helpful as you look ahead to 2012. 

Montana News

 

The Montana Youth Leadership Forum (MYLF) is recruiting delegates, staff and presenters for their 2012 session to be held in Helena July 16-20. MYLF is a unique career and leadership training program for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors with disabilities. By serving as delegates from their communities at a 5-day intensive training, youth with disabilities will cultivate leadership, citizenship, and social skills.

 

The Montana Autism Education Project maintains a resource-packed blog for parents, educators, and other professionals working with individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.  

Announcements

 

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released an Informational Bulletin [PDF] regarding Updates to the Section 1915(c) Waiver Instructions and Technical Guide regarding employment and employment related services. The bulletin highlights the importance of competitive work, acknowledges best and promising practices, emphasizes person-centered planning, clarifies the time-limited nature of pre-vocational services (without giving specific limits), and more.

 

In celebration of the 90th Anniversary of the public VR program, a special edition of American Rehabilitation was produced through the collaborative efforts of CSAVR, NIDRR, ICDR, NRA, and the ADA Network.

 

Mathematica's June 2011 Issue Brief Effective Case Management: Key Elements and Practices from the Field [PDF] shares examples of key components of effective case management. Although the focus is on the Workforce system, a number of the concepts are applicable to Vocational Rehabilitation and other systems. Some of the topics addressed include: social media such as Facebook as a tool to connect and follow up on youth; posting employment workshops, job search tips and other employment-related information on social media platforms; effective interviewing strategies; developing rapport; ensuring confidentiality; active listening; and motivating, supporting, and empowering the people we serve.

 

The 2011 Disability Statistics Compendium [PDF] is now available. The report, produced by The Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire, in collaboration with the Rehabilitation, Research, and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics at Hunter College, New York, funded by the U.S. National Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research, includes statistics related to Population and Prevalence, Employment, Poverty, Earnings, Health Insurance Coverage, Social Security Administration Programs, Medicaid and Medicare, Special Education, Vocational Rehabilitation and more.

 

In her October Disability is Natural Newsletter [PDF], Kathie Snow explains "What is Inclusion? What's Not?"

 
Employment

 

How DBTAC can help VR improve Employment Outcomes is a toolkit to assist Vocational Rehabilitation professionals who work with employers and business to advance employment for people with disabilities. It includes training materials on the Americans with Disabilities Act.

 

The Employment First manual covers 40 key elements needed to support Employment First. It includes a self-assessment tool and an appendix of sample policies from around the U.S. The paperback version is available for $30; the online version (a download) is $25.

 

The Power of Digital Inclusion: Technology's Impact on Employment and Opportunities for People with Disabilities released by the National Council on Disability examines the importance of social media and other information technologies in connecting people to job opportunities. The report includes a review of six digital technologies that have "the potential to enhance social engagement; increase opportunities for workplace participation; heighten employment prospects; and/or create new employment opportunities for people with disabilities."

 

The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) recently launched its Integrated Employment Toolkit. The Toolkit offers a collection of resources, reports, papers, policies, fact sheets, case studies, and discussion guides to increase capacity and understanding about the value and potential of integrated employment. Specific sections target Employers, Community Employment Agencies, Individuals & Family Members, Policymakers and Researchers.

 

The Riot! has issued Part 2 of their two-part series on employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In this issue, they talk about what state leaders, policy makers, advocates and others all over the country are doing to promote real jobs.

 

In October, NCWD/Youth completed a three-part blog series on Youth and Registered Apprenticeships. In November, the blog featured Engaging Employers: Moving From a Handshake to Hands-On Opportunities for Youth. This post stresses the importance of building relationships with employers, especially in fiscally challenging times.

 

Dale DiLeo's "Ending Disability Segregation" blog continues with Engineered Employment: An Inadequate Solution for Adult Joblessness and Student Transition. The post describes how some schools and disability agencies have lost focus of their mission of helping people with disabilities find good jobs.

 

Keeping the Promise: Self Advocates Defining the Meaning of Community Living [PDF] is a white paper produced from a March, 2011 Summit by leaders from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, the National Youth Leadership Network, Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered, and allies. "Whether we work in sheltered workshops, enclaves, or day habilitation centers, vocational segregation of us from people without disabilities does not count as community living. It is not gainful employment if we do not have the opportunity to make money at the same levels as other people who work in our community. We lose an important aspect of community life if we spend our time only around people with disabilities, in day habilitation centers, and are not able to be included in our broader communities." "Anything that segregates us from our communities is not community."

 

The Time Is Now: Embracing Employment First [PDF] is a report from the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities that examines the opportunities and challenges of Employment First, the "...mindset that says that integrated competitive employment should be the expected outcome for people with developmental and other disabilities." 

National News

 

President Obama issued a Presidential Proclamation on October 3, 2011, to recognize National Disability Employment Awareness Month. In the proclamation, the President stated, "I urge all Americans to embrace the talents and skills that individuals with disabilities bring to our workplaces and communities and to promote the right to equal employment opportunity for all people."

 

On October 4, 2011, Congressman Cliff Stearns (R-FL) and Congressman Tim Bishop (D-NY) introduced the Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act of 2011 (H.R. 3086). The bill would phase out Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which allows employers holding special wage certificates to pay their workers with disabilities less than the federal minimum wage.

 

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is proposing a new rule that would require federal contractors and subcontractors to set a hiring goal of having 7 percent of their workforces be people with disabilities, among other requirements. Public comments on the proposal must be received by February 7, 2012.

 
Post-Secondary Education

 

The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) has released Navigating College: A Handbook on Self-Advocacy Written for Autistic Students from Autistic Adults [PDF]. This guide covers accommodations, independent living, health and safety, self-advocacy, and social issues. 

Social Security

 

The Social Security Administration has announced a 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. The increase will begin with the January 2012 benefit payments. Increased payments for people on SSI will begin on December 30, 2011.

 

Social Security's Office of Employment Support Programs (OESP) is hosting two listening sessions to gain input about a proposed revision of the Ticket to Work EN Report Card. The webinar will be held on December 16, 2011, from 11:00 AM-12:30 PM MT. The call-in number is 1-800-480-6924 and the participant code is EN Report Card. The teleconference call will be on December 19, 2011, from 1:00-2:30 PM MT. The call-in number is 1-877-407-0183 and the participant code is 930584.

 
Technology

 

The Job Accommodation Network ENews features a sampling of apps for mobile devices. Several that may benefit individuals with autism include:

Proloquo2Go, iTunes, $189.99: This is a full service augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) app. It enables users to select from thousands of symbols to serve as a text-to-speech communication device.

iConverse, iTunes, $9.99: A simpler AAC app that comes with six basic everyday needs: Drink, Food, Bathroom, Sick, Break, and Help. In addition to the basics, you can program your own symbolism.

iCommunicate, iTunes, $49.99: This app has features that enable individuals with speech impairments to communicate through the database's symbols or from photos on the user's camera roll. You can create story boards or visual cues that turn the text/symbols into audio output.

Locabulary, iTunes, Free!: An AAC-type app with a database of moods, foods, and assistance symbols. It also has built-in GPS-enabled categories that are specific to the user's current location.

iSign, iTunes, $4.99: This is a reference, tutorial program that has over 800 American Sign Language gestures.

Community Sidekick, iTunes, $0.99: The app tracks a person's location by sending out an email every so often to assigned contacts, letting them know exact coordinates of the individual. Once the individual is safe at home, he/she ends the app, which sends out a final email alerting the contacts that he/she has made it home.

 

Transition

 

The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) is requesting feedback on the Guideposts for Success, a national framework that identifies what all youth need for successful transition to adulthood. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey before December 22, 2011.

 

In September 2011, the U.S. Dept. of Education provided revised guidance on secondary transition. Key clarifications include that because employment is a distinct activity from the areas related to training and education, each student's IEP must include a separate postsecondary goal in the area of employment.
 

NCWD/Youth's Practice Brief Engaging Youth in Work Experiences is now available online. This brief describes the strategies and resources used by several successful youth programs to engage youth, including youth with disabilities, in work experiences. The work experiences described in this brief include internships, summer jobs, youth-run businesses/entrepreneurship, service projects and volunteer work, and part-time jobs.

 

The Mathematica Policy Research Center for Studying Disability Policy recently released The Youth Transition Demonstration: Interim Findings and Lessons on Program Implementation [PDF], an Issue Brief on the Social Security Administration's Youth Transition Demonstration. These six demonstration projects are designed to help youth with disabilities find jobs and reduce their dependency on federal disability benefits. Intervention components include individualized work-based experiences, youth empowerment, family involvement, system linkages, SSA waivers and benefits, and counseling.

 

Cornell's Employment and Disability Institute produced a documentary film titled What Works?, which addresses how young adults with disabilities can successfully compete for jobs. Job skills training, work experience and administrative support were found to be important for transitioning to employment.

 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently awarded the University of Rochester's Institute for Innovative Transition a $2.35 million grant to enhance collaboration among the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC), New York State Education Department and its Office of Special Education, Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR), and the Institute for Innovative Transition at the University of Rochester. The project aims to dramatically increase the percentage of young people with developmental and intellectual disabilities who obtain competitive employment that earns them at least minimum wage.

 

Emerging Leaders Northwest (ELNW) is a youth-led resource center for young people with disabilities ages 13 - 30. The center provides training and resources on leadership, independence, graduating from high school and going on to college, self-advocacy, employment skills and living a healthy lifestyle.

 

Setting Higher Employment Expectations for Youth with Intellectual Disabilities, an Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston "Data Note," examined data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 and concluded that setting higher expectations in high school and providing adequate support services are critical steps to improving employment and social inclusion goals for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

 

The September National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth blog features Learning to Manage Your Money - Advice for Youth and Registered Apprenticeship: A Postsecondary Option for All Youth.

 
Web Sites

 

Disability.gov offers a variety of resources for individuals with disabilities who are interested in starting a small business.

 

The Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) has launched Medicaid.gov to offer information on Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) policies.

 

ODEP's Website provides links to resources on accessible and assistive technology in the workplace.

 

Look Back, Plan Forward from the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability, serves as an online person-centered planning tool for individuals with disabilities and people who are aging. It provides a place where individuals can capture their life stories to help others understand their history, values, preferences and support needs.

 

The U.S. Small Business Administration web site offers tips and resources for starting a business, including making the decision; writing a business plan; obtaining financing; learning about applicable business laws and regulations; and determining what forms will most likely be needed.

 

On their web site, the Epilepsy Foundation addresses employment-related topics including finding employment, safety sensitive jobs, disclosing epilepsy and frequently asked questions.

 

PEPNet's Getting a Job! Tools, Techniques, and Trainings website was developed and designed for students who are deaf or hard of hearing transitioning to work and the professionals who work with them. The website offers a series of topical videos accompanied by supporting documents and related materials, educator's guides and role model videos.

 
 

Please note: the Transition and Employment Projects at the University of Montana Rural Institute shares information and resources our listserv members may find of interest. We do not endorse the web sites or workshop contents or their providers, and we assume no responsibility for the validity of information provided on sites or in sessions not hosted by our agency.