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Learning Opportunities: Montana and Online
Employment-Renewed Investments?
October 23, 2013
11:00 AM-12:00 PM MT
This webinar will share the renewed developments in supported employment and the threats that remain to further improvement and expansion that must also be addressed.
Ticket to Work: Free Support Services for People with a Disability Who Are Ready to Work
October 23, 2013
1:00-2:30 PM MT
Learn about the Social Security Administration's Ticket to Work program and support services for people who are ready to work. This session will also feature information about self-employment.
Build your Community Based Organization (CBO) Network for Employment Success
October 30, 2013
12:00-1:15 PM MT
Cost: $50 APSE members/$100 non-members
Learn from best practice examples how to leverage you and your network for successful and sustainable employment outcomes without losing funding for placements.
Technology Interventions for People with Cognitive Disabilities
October 30, 2013
1:30-3:00 PM MT
Cost: $49
Research about cognitive support technologies (CST) indicates that it can help people with a wide range of disabilities to increase their participation in everyday activities. This session will explore CST - how these technologies support independence and self-determination for people with cognitive disabilities.
A Collaborative Interagency, Interdisciplinary Approach to Transition from Adolescence to Adulthood
October 30, 2013
9:00-10:30 AM MT
This webinar will provide an overview of a paper written by AUCD members who seek to engage in conversations about improving interdisciplinary and interagency collaboration in supporting self-determined transition of youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities to adulthood and to community life.
Apples to Androids: Using Cool New Technology to Create Consumer Buy-In
November 4-December 19, 2013
Cost: $200
New popular technology gadgets such as the iPad/iTouch/iPhone, Kindle, and Droid present endless possibilities to positively impact people's lives. This course will provide an overview of each type of device and some of the applications most relevant to individuals with disabilities. Through real life scenarios, you'll learn how this technology applies to the field of rehabilitation.
Job Coaching and Workplace Supports
November 6-19, 2013
Cost: $159
This 2-week course will cover effective job design, instructional and behavioral support strategies, and the development of natural and co-worker supports.
Promoting Positive Development among Emerging Adults with Serious Mental Health Conditions
December 3, 2013
11:00 AM-12:00 PM MT
This webinar outlines the Pathways model, which describes how providers can work productively and effectively with young people who experience serious mental health conditions.
Function Matters! How to Determine Why a Student Demonstrates Problem Behavior [Video] is a webcast archived on YouTube that describes how to complete a Functional Behavior Assessment, a problem solving approach to help teams develop supports for individuals who exhibit challenging behavior.
ADA Live! is a free monthly internet radio show broadcast by the Southeast ADA Center. The live call-in show can be heard the first Wednesday of each month from 11:00-11:30 AM Mountain Time. Recordings of past episodes, including a transcript, resources and more information are available at adalive.org.
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Learning Opportunities: Other States
DCDT International Conference November 14-16, 2013 Williamsburg, Virginia The Division on Career Development and Transition will host its 17th International Conference. This year's theme will be "Leaders for Life, No Limits...No Boundaries." Inclusive Higher Education: Moving from Good Ideas to Great Outcomes November 16-17, 2013 Washington, DC Cost: $190 This event will feature both general and concurrent sessions on topics such as Current Strategies, Lessons Learned, Policy and Legislation, Funding, and more. Come, learn, share, and stay to network with colleagues from across the country at the Inclusive Higher Education Reception. Customized Self-Employment November 18, 2013 - January 27, 2014 Cost: $250 This online course is being offered by Virginia Commonwealth University's Rehabilitation Research and Training Center in collaboration with Griffin-Hammis & Associates. Discussion groups will be led by nationally known experts in self-employment from Griffin-Hammis & Associates. A Movement United - 2013 TASH Conference December 11-14, 2013 Chicago, Illinois For more than 37 years, the TASH Conference has impacted the disability field by connecting attendees to innovative information and resources, facilitating connections between stakeholders in the disability movement, and helping attendees reignite their passion for the full inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of community life. 2014 AMCHP Annual Conference
January 25-28, 2014
Washington, DC
The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs Annual Conference will feature more than 100 sessions led by researchers, federal officials, family and youth leaders, advocates, healthcare providers, and directors of state programs.
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Greetings!
Welcome to the latest edition of Transition Tidbits. We hope you find the news and resources in this issue useful as you support young Montanans with disabilities in their transition to adult lives.
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Montana News
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network's Pacific Alliance on Disability Self-Advocacy initiative will help self-advocacy groups in California, Montana, Oregon, and Washington gain more skills to lead their groups. ASAN is seeking applications for five state coordinator positions, two to serve California and one each for the other states. Coordinators will be responsible for helping ASAN coordinate technical assistance within their state. They will be compensated $5,000-8,000 per year depending on skill level and availability of funding. The coordinators must be people with disabilities. The deadline to apply is November 15, 2013.
There is still time to register for the 2013 Montana Youth in Transition Conference! This year's event will be held November 6-8 in Billings. A block of rooms is available at the convention center until October 23, 2013.
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Announcements
Remember that October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month! This year's theme is "Because We Are EQUAL to the Task." For more information about this national campaign to raise awareness about disability employment issues, visit the Office on Disability Employment Policy website.
The Summer 2013 issue of Connect!, the Helen Keller National Center's online newsletter, includes articles about the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program, apps used by people who are deaf-blind, Deaf-Blind Awareness Week activities, and much more.
PACER's National Parent Technical Assistance Center developed Your Child with a Disability Can Take Part in Extracurricular Activities [PDF], an overview of the importance of extracurricular activities and how to ensure that youth with disabilities are included.
The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Evidence-Based Practice in Vocational Rehabilitation (RRTC-EBP-VR) "is designed to generate knowledge and evidenced-based vocational rehabilitation practices that improve employment rates, and quality of employment for persons with disabilities."
Linda Hodgdon's online newsletter features 8 Things Support Staff Absolutely MUST Understand about Students with ASD. In this article, the author shares key concepts that are applicable in all environments and for people of all ages with an autism spectrum disorder.
Wisconsin Vocational Rehabilitation recently adopted policy [PDF] that they will not pay for VR services delivered in sheltered workshops, including vocational evaluations, work adjustment, etc. Also, VR will not pay for any vocational evaluation that concludes a person is unemployable or needs pre-vocational services.
Understanding Autism: A Guide for Secondary School Teachers offers research-based practices to enhance learning opportunities for ASD adolescents and improve the overall classroom environment.
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Employment
Disability Scoop recently reported on a study by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Minnesota that compared accuracy and speed of men with and without high-functioning autism screening baggage x-rays for weapons. The men with autism were as accurate and nearly as fast as the men without autism. Over time, the men with autism showed improved performance; performance of the men without autism declined.
ACN Connections - It's a match: Matching the Right People to the Right Job is an archived webcast describing the partnership between ACN Connections and Nebraska Vocational Rehabilitation. ACN Connections is the employment department at the Autism Center of Nebraska. It has a 76% successful placement rate of individuals with ASD into competitive work placements.
Customized Self-employment and the Use of Discovery for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities by K.L. Heath, K.M. Ward, and D.L. Reed (Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 39(1), 23-27) examined the relationship between Discovery (a method to identify a job seeker's interests, supports, connections and skills) and successful business launch. Findings from the four-year StartUp Alaska demonstration project suggest there is an association between the use of Discovery and business start-up success. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)
Each year, the Job Accommodation Network updates the Workplace Accommodations: Low Cost, High Impact publication. Consistent with previous years, the 2013 study findings show that the benefits employers receive from making workplace accommodations outweigh the costs.
Work at Home Requests: A Reasonable Accommodation? discusses telecommuting and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Quandary of Hidden Disabilities: Conceal or Reveal?, an article in The New York Times by Katherine Bouton, uses a number of real-life examples to illustrate the complexity of deciding if/when to disclose a hidden disability.
On October 3, 2013, Dr. Steve Hall, former provider, school teacher, State DD and Mental Health Director, expert in Medicaid and systems change joined Cary Griffin (Griffin-Hammis Associates) for an informative discussion about community employment, systems change and Medicaid. Listen to the archived recording on the GHA website and visit Dr. Hall's blog.
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Health
Are you on the autism spectrum? Be the first to try out a tool that may improve your healthcare. AASPIRE is a partnership between people on the autism spectrum, researchers, healthcare providers, and family members. They have created a healthcare toolkit to try to help people on the autism spectrum get better healthcare. They now want people to try it out in real life. You are invited to participate if you are an adult on the autism spectrum, live in the U.S., and have a primary care provider or regular doctor. (You may also participate if you are a support person for an adult on the autism spectrum who cannot participate him/herself.) To learn more, visit the AASPIRE website.
The Alliance for Health Reform has published The ABCs of the ACA [PDF]. This document answers frequently asked questions about the health insurance marketplaces created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. It also includes links to a variety of resources.
Two new Affordable Care Act fact sheets are now available: The Affordable Care Act and American Indian and Alaska Native People and The Affordable Care Act and the I/DD Community - An Overview of the Law and Advocacy Priorities Going Forward [PDF].
If you or someone you knows needs help applying for coverage in the Health Insurance Marketplace, visit LocalHelp.HealthCare.gov and search for available assistance by city, state or zip code. |
National News
High Expectations: Transforming the American Workforce as the ADA Generation Comes of Age [PDF], a report by Senator Tom Harkin, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions, examines young people's experiences with transition programs, disability benefit programs, and the workforce. The report recommends reform in the following areas:
- Increasing support for high school students transitioning into employment
- Improving the transition into post-secondary education and the labor market
- Changing the assumptions in disability benefit programs that discourage employment
- Building strong pipelines from school to the competitive workforce and promoting supportive workplaces.
On July 10, 2013, the U.S. Department of Education's Rehabilitation Services Administration submitted a Policy Directive [PDF] to revise its Vocational Rehabilitation Program Case Service Reports. Customized and self-employment services will be included in reporting data effective October 1, 2013.
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Post-Secondary Education
According to the program website, VCU ACE-IT in College is a "five-semester inclusive, on-campus college experience for young adults with intellectual disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, or autism. With the support of an education coach, ACE-IT in College students take VCU classes and participate in VCU activities. In addition to taking classes, students participate in internships, employment, service learning, and social experiences, as the goal of the program for each student is competitive employment in an area in which the student is interested and can excel in through taking VCU courses." Think College Stories introduce readers to Will [PDF] at the College of Charleston; Brent [PDF] from SITE at Indiana University - Purdue University, Indianapolis; Jose [PDF] from Project Stingray at the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg; and Rebecca [PDF] from Next Steps at Vanderbilt University, Nashville. Post-secondary Students with Disabilities Receiving Accommodations: A Survey of Satisfaction & Subjective Well-being by H.J. Reinschmiedt, M.E. Spring, B. Dallas, F.D. Buono, and T.D. Upton (Journal of Rehabilitation, 79(3), 3-10) reports the findings of a study that examined subjective well-being and student satisfaction with education accommodations for postsecondary students with disabilities. According to the report, "The 5 accommodations receiving the highest satisfaction scores were: (1) assistive reading technology, (2) testing with accommodation, (3) text conversion services, (4) reader/writer/interpreter, and (5) assistive listening technology. Six accommodations receiving the lowest satisfaction scores were: (1) academic advisement and counseling, (2) assignment extensions/modifications, (3) taped lectures, (4) academic accommodation planning, (5) tutorial support/one-on-one assistance, and (6) classroom accommodations." |
Social Security
Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program: Overview and Current Issues by William R. Morton provides an overview of the Ticket to Work program and other work incentive programs created by Ticket to Work legislation. The report also discusses issues surrounding Ticket to Work implementation.
My Social Security allows individuals to access their personal Social Security information, including benefit and payment details, earnings records, estimates of futures benefits, etc. The online service also allows people to change addresses, phone numbers and direct deposit information.
Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) programs offer in-depth information and individual counseling about Social Security disability benefits and the effect of work on these benefits. Funding for the WIPAs was reauthorized and projects resumed as of August 1, 2013.
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Transition
Achieving Meaningful Employment for Youth with ASD: High School Transition the Project SEARCH Way is an archived webcast examining the Project SEARCH Model. This model has been identified as an effective vocational rehabilitation program.
Navigating the Early Career Years: Barriers and Strategies for Young Adults with Disabilities by L. Lindstrom, L.G. Kahn, and H. Lindsey (Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 39(1), 1-12) examines career development, barriers, and career advancement strategies vocational rehabilitation counselors can use when assisting young adults with disabilities. Identified barriers include:
- "Lack of work experience and restricted aspirations
- Sporadic patterns of early employment
- Limited access to postsecondary education and training
- Discrimination and prejudice in the workforce."
Strategies VR counselors can employ include:
- "Developing individual attributes and skills
- Broadening the range of careers explored
- Creating initial work experience opportunities
- Obtaining postsecondary education/training
- Providing supports to facilitate advancement on the job
- Advocating for changes in the workplace."
(Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)
Three Huge Mistakes We Make Leading Kids...and How to Correct Them is a blog post suggesting adults need to encourage kids to take more strategic risks and personal responsibility for their actions.
Improving Post-High School Outcomes for Transition-Age Students with Disabilities: An Evidence Review [PDF] reports the findings of a research literature review of programs that help students with disabilities transition from high school. Researchers found that relatively few transition studies met the criteria to be included in this review, highlighting a need for additional study of effective transition practices. Findings also included:
- Community-based work programs appear to have mixed effects on employment and potentially positive effects on post-secondary education, and
- Functional life skills development programs had potentially positive effects on independent living.
Creating Change with Incremental Steps: Enhancing Opportunities for Early Work Experience examines challenges to providing youth with disabilities opportunities for early work experiences. It then provides an overview of the changes necessary to make the system work more effectively.
Rehabilitation Professionals' Expectations for Transition and Interagency Collaboration by K.M. Oertle, J.S. Trach, and A.J. Plotner (Journal of Rehabilitation, 79(3), 25-35) reports the findings of a study examining rehabilitation professionals' expectations of educators, youth with disabilities, parents/guardians, and themselves during the transition process. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.) |
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