ABILITIES
Promoting the employment of Vermont citizens of all abilities
November 2008 - Vol 2, Issue 5
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Dear Friends ~ Annual Meeting with Governor Douglas
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We are
pleased to share that on October 14th, 2008 the GCEPD once again met
with Governor Douglas. The purpose of
our meeting - per our mission statement - was to advise the Governor on current
issues affecting the employment of people with disabilities, and to discuss
current and future activities of the GCEPD to encourage and increase such
employment. We also solicited the
Governor's support for our project activities in the upcoming year.
The meeting
concluded with the presentation by Governor Douglas of a proclamation declaring
October as Disability Employment Awareness Month.
We are
grateful for the Governor's continued support of the GCEPD, and are pleased to
provide you with an overview of the projects discussed with the Governor that
showcase our work on behalf of Vermont's citizens and employment community.
(Governor Jim Douglas and Fred Jones, GCEPD Chair, with Disability Employment Awareness Month proclamation)
Best regards,
Fred Jones, Chair,
Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities
Susan Chicoine, on behalf of the Vermont Business Leadership Network | |
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The GCEPD and the federal Medicaid Infrastructure Grant
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The Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG) is a federal grant
from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to the states to
increase work incentives and employment options for people with
disabilities. In Vermont, this grant is housed within the
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Vermont has received
this grant since 2001 to support a variety of projects. There are no match requirements, and we have
tremendous flexibility on how the funds can be used.
Each MIG
grant requires a leadership council to oversee the grant. The Governor's Committee on Employment of
People with Disabilities (GCEPD) was reinvigorated to serve this function and
has taken a strong action-oriented role in developing increased employment
options for people with disabilities. Vermont's GCEPD is one
of the stronger MIG leadership councils in the country because it has
- active
membership that crosses business, providers, advocates, State leadership and
consumers
- strong
commitment of members in advancing employment for people with disabilities
- a
commitment that extends beyond the MIG and will be self-sustaining long after
MIG funding ends
- activities
that are closely aligned with MIG priorities and projects.
All of the
projects discussed with Governor Douglas were funded in part or in whole by the
MIG. They represent the ways that the GCEPD and State government have been working
to support employers and job seekers. These
projects support employers to hire and retain qualified workers, save energy,
and support youth in internships and employment opportunities.
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GCEPD Members Meeting with Governor Douglas
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GCEPD member Betty Nuovo, and Jim Dorsey of the Vermont Department of Labor
GCEPD members Linda Carbino, Harriet Hall, and Julie Noel
GCEPD member George Nostrand, Kelli Gould, and member Jim Vyhnak
GCEPD members Rene Pellerin, Susan Wells, Deborah Lisi-Baker, and Fred Jones
GCEPD member Reg Wakeham
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The Resource Coordinator Project |
The Medicaid Infrastructure Grant was
used in 2008 to fund a caseworker hired by United Way to work on-site at several
businesses to assist their low-income employees, including people with
disabilities. This Resource Coordinator
position is a direct result of a statewide initiative involving Vocational
Rehabilitation (VR), the Vermont Department of Labor, the Vermont Department for
Children and Families, The United Way, and others to improve employee
attendance, retention, and advancement, based on the Bridges out of Poverty
principles promoted by Dr. Ruby Payne.
This pilot program is intended to provide intensive support to
vulnerable employees who are at risk for leaving their jobs or for who
attendance has been a problem.
The Resource Coordinator is
currently shared between Rhino Foods, Engleberth Construction, and Fletcher
Allen Healthcare and it is expected that two more employers will be added to
this pilot. Mr. Ted Castle, President
and CEO of Rhino Foods, and Ms. Beth Kuhn of The United Way shared with
Governor Douglas their successful experience with this program.
(Photo left: Ted Castle, President and CEO of Rhino Foods)
These employers involved with this
pilot have initiated a number of activities to support their low wage workers
and have already seen a positive effect on their retention rates. There have been a number of very positive
stories of individuals who have been helped by the Resource Coordinator to
solve problems that could have threatened their employment and several
instances of referrals to the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation for
disability services. The employers
recognize that in order to sustain the model they will take over the funding of
this position over the next two years.
A group of project stakeholders,
such as Benefits Counselors and Employee Assistance Counselors in VR, and
eligibility staff in Economic Services will provide information and support for
the Resource Coordinator on disability and other issues. VR will also evaluate
the Resource Coordinator's impact on retention rates and other outcomes to
determine how cost-effective the "embedded" coordinator is in helping employees
overcome poverty-related barriers that affect their employment.
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The Study of Telecommuting and Telecommuting Opportunities
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Telecommuting
increases employment options for individuals with disabilities by eliminating many
barriers. For example, transportation
options are very limited in rural areas, especially if a person has significant
mobility impairments. Some individuals
experience disabilities that require a more flexible work schedule such as
frequent rest breaks or reducing stress, or have a disability that fluctuates,
leaving periods of time when the person is not able to work. In addition, with
the cost of gas and environmental concerns, telecommuting makes practical
sense.
During the
past year, in an effort to learn more about the potential for telecommuting
within state government, the GCEPD met with the following Commissioners to
discuss telecommuting opportunities.
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Commissioner Tom Murray, Department of Information and
Innovation
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Commissioner Bonnie Rutledge, Department of Motor Vehicles
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Commissioner Pat Moulton Powden, Department of Labor
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Deputy Commissioner Ellen Tofferi, Department of Taxes
The
outcomes from these meetings were discussed with the Governor. In addition, GCEPD member Barbara Doherty, representing Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR), shared the positive experience GMCR is having with
(GCEPD members Liz Kafer of Middlebury College and Barbara Doherty of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters; Hugh Bradshaw of Vocational Rehabilitation)
its telecommuting program. We are heartened that the Department of Information
and Innovation (DII) is initiating a pilot to explore the possibility of
adopting policies that enable some of the workforce to work at home one or two
days per week. DII is working with the
Department of Human Resources to work out the details to try this on a limited
basis to determine what issues, if any, might arise regarding management of the work.
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The Creation of Job Developer Coalitions
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The Agency of Human Services Employment Task Force utilized funding from the Medicaid Infrastructure
Grant to support five Job Developer
Coalition pilot projects in Vermont. These pilot projects supported local efforts
to better coordinate communication and collaboration between the various
agencies and staff providing job placement and support services for individuals
with a variety of barriers to employment.
The goal of
these pilots was to support the formation of local Job Developer Coalitions in
order to streamline services to the "employer customer". By fostering an environment of cooperation,
information sharing and collaboration, these Coalitions have offered employers
a seamless avenue for recruitment, while at the same time offering community
placement staff the benefits of networking and enhanced agency coordination.
Benefits to Employers:
By offering
a single point of contact for employers seeking candidates, the Job Developer
Coalitions have streamlined the referral process while at the same time
offering a wider, more diverse candidate pool as represented by the various
programs and partners. Employers have also benefited from the shared expertise
and resources of the various Coalition members.
Coalition
Locations:
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Addison County
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Rutland
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Lamoille County
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Springfield
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St.
Johnsbury
Coalitions
Under Development:
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Burlington
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St. Albans
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Brattleboro
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Newport
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Bennington
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Workforce
Preparation and the State of Vermont
Internship Program
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During 2008, the GCEPD met with Tracy Gallo from the
Workforce Development and Wellness Division of the Vermont Department of Human
Resources. During that meeting we
discussed the possibilities for supporting the exposure of persons with
disabilities to employment opportunities within state government through the
development of an internship program.
Following our meeting, an internship program was developed, capped by
the hiring of a program coordinator during the same week as our presentation to
the Governor. Tracy Gallo attended the
October 14th meeting with the Governor to discuss this program with
Governor Douglas.
Preparation of our workforce
is an important part of sustaining a strong Vermont economy and is important to
employers to remain competitive. The
State of Vermont Internship Program is a
collaborative effort with the Community College of Vermont (CCV), the Division of Workforce Development and Wellness within the Department of Human Resources, and the Division
of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) todevelop internship and work experience
opportunities within state government for college students, including youth and adult students with disabilities. Interns will be recruited through the State college system and through Vocational Rehabilitation.
(Jennie Masterson of the Division of Disability and Aging Services, and Tracy Gallo of the Division of Workforce Development and Wellness)
Procedures will be developed
and training provided to managers and supervisors on how to successfully use an
intern. Initially, a couple of
departments will be used while developing the program, with additional departments
added after the first phase of development.
Additionally, departments will receive support through VR's Assistive
Technology Program and VR staff about how to accommodate and support
individuals with disabilities. This will
dovetail with plans for Assistive Technology courses through the Summit on how to retain
older workers and basic disability information and accommodation options.
Each intern will have an
education plan to develop skills that fit with the person's chosen career
path. This program provides
opportunities to experience working within state government, offers job
try-outs within a field of study, and assists department mangers to assess
potential job candidates for future openings.
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