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Learning Opportunities: Montana and Online
Slides and materials are now available from the Job Accommodation Network's webcast Best Practices - Employment and Service Dogs: Perspectives from Assistance Dog Experts.
The archived webinar Customized Employment: Moving beyond the Basics is now available. Webinar presenters share valuable information and strategies to support your job placement efforts for a variety of job seekers.
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act: What's in it for People with Disabilities and the AUCD Network
August 20, 2014
1:00-2:00 PM MT
Join this webinar for an overview of the disability-related provisions in the new WIOA of 2014. This law reauthorizes, updates, and strengthens the Workforce Investment Act, including the creation of new supports and services for individuals with disabilities.
What Barrier? Minimizing Challenges and Obstacles to Coordinated Transportation Planning to Improve the Participation of People with Disabilities and Older Adults
August 20, 2014
12:00-1:00 PM MT
This session will address how to ensure the continued active engagement of people with disabilities and older adults in coordinated transportation planning.
Bridging Service Gaps: System Integration Strategies for Service Providers Working with Young Adults with Mental Health Issues
August 26, 2014
11:00 AM-12:00 PM MT
This webinar addresses strategies for meeting the cross-system needs of young people with mental health conditions in the transition years.
Ticket to Work: Finding and Keeping the Job That's Right for You
August 27, 2014
1:00-2:30 PM MT
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors' Use of Evidenced-Based Practices Involving Motivational Interviewing
September 4, 2014
1:00-2:00 PM MT
MI is a counseling approach that facilitates and engages the intrinsic motivation of the client to change behaviors. Evolved from experience in the treatment of problem drinking, MI has been applied in many sectors including VR. The webcast organizers do not mean to endorse MI as an appropriate approach for VR, but rather to explore how research has been conducted and applied, through training, to inform VR practices.
Supported Employment Web-Based Certificate Series (ACRE Certified)
Sept. 8-Dec. 1, 2014
Cost: $325
Transition to Work for Individuals with Autism
Sept. 22-Nov. 3, 2014
Cost: $300.05
This course will provide the participant with an in-depth understanding of the concepts related to positive transition planning for youth with autism.
2014 Chronic Illness and Disability Conference: Transition from Pediatric to Adult-based Care
October 2-3, 2014
Online Broadcast Live & in Houston, Texas
The Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital 15th Annual "Transition Conference" delivers practical, insightful, and relevant information for physicians, social workers, counselors, faculty, staff, students, youth and young adults with chronic illness and their parents and guardians.
Self-Employment
Oct. 13-Nov. 17, 2014
Cost: $250
Discovering the Possibilities with Visual Strategies: Meeting the Communication, Behavior & Social Skill Challenges in Autism Spectrum Disorders
October 15th - Great Falls
October 16th - Bozeman
October 17th - Billings
The OPI Montana Autism Education Project will provide three days of free training from Linda Hodgdon. Registration will open in September and will be advertised on the Montana Autism Education Project blog and the MAEP Newsletter. The program will demonstrate effective ideas for using a range of low tech to high tech visual tools, including video and tablets like iPads and Apps, to help students organize their lives, significantly reduce behavior problems, and improve student successful participation.
2014 Think College Wisconsin Conference: Raising Expectations
October 17, 2014
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
This conference is for everyone interested in post-secondary education for students with intellectual disabilities. Participants will hear from one of the founders of the national Think College movement and network with other colleges and school districts in various stages of planning and implementation of college initiatives.
Apples to Androids: Using Cool New Technology to Create Consumer Buy-In
Oct. 30 - Dec. 11, 2014
Cost: $200.00
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.
Real Work for Real Pay for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Nov. 3-Dec. 1, 2014
Cost: $150
This course will highlight the best practices that facilitate employment outcomes for individuals with ASD.
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Learning Opportunities: Other States
The Arc's Annual National Convention Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2014 New Orleans, Louisiana Absorb the energy of committed volunteer leaders, chapter professionals, family members and advocates. And keep your skills fresh by learning from the best in the field and sharing experiences with colleagues from across the country. 14th Annual Autism Conference: Autism - Advances in Research and Services October 16-17, 2014 Baltimore, Maryland Join the premier educational autism event in the area for educators, clinicians, families, researchers and healthcare professionals. Transition Rocks November 6- 8, 2014 Cleveland, Ohio Attend the 18th annual Division on Career Development and Transition International Conference and participate in strands such as transition assessment, cultural diversity, postsecondary education, employment, and community partnerships.
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Welcome to 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 Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services is recruiting applicants for the position of Independent Living Program Manager (listing number 13380-14BE). Applications must be received by midnight on August 22, 2014. For more information, contact:
Public Health and Human Services Human Resources
P.O. Box 4210
Helena, MT 59604
Phone:(406)444-3136
Fax:(406)444-0262
TTY:(406)444-2590
E-mail: hhsea@mt.gov
- OR -
Local Montana Job Service
ID Number: 69110030
Disability Rights Montana invites people with disabilities, family members of people with disabilities, and the public to tell DRM what disability issues are most important. Please answer the questions in the DRM planning survey by August 29, 2014.
Volunteers needed to help develop a mobile app!
The RTC: Rural at the University of Montana is asking people with disabilities to tell project staff how to create the most "likable, accessible and usable" information for an app. The app will help people make healthy living choices based on their specific needs and interests. Volunteers will be asked to review health information on a website; review short videos, audio files, and text documents; and then fill out a survey saying what they like and don't like about the ways they had to review the information.
To qualify, volunteers must:
* Be very comfortable using technology including email, surfing the web, and using more than one tab within a browser
* Have access to a computer on a regular basis
* Be an adult over age 18
* Have a physical limitation or mobility impairment
The first 40 people to respond are eligible for a $10 stipend!
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Announcements
The 2014 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation is now available. The report ranks states on child well-being in four domains: (1) economic well-being, (2) education, (3) health, and (4) family and community.
How to Speak Up and Be Heard - Self-Advocacy [PDF] provides practical guidance about how to advocate for oneself at home, in the community, at school or work, and at the doctor's office.
The October 2014 National Disability Employment Awareness Month poster and toolkit are now available online and to order in hard copy format. This year's theme is "Expect. Employ. Empower."
Registration is now open for the 2014 TASH Conference, Be the Future. The event will be held December 3-5, 2014, in Washington, DC. For more than 38 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.
United Cerebral Palsy recently issued Ten Commandments of Etiquette for Communicating with People with Disabilities. The guidelines offer a quick introduction for those who might not be familiar with disability etiquette.
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Employment
Bringing Fidelity to Customized Employment Processes [PDF] by Cary Griffin of Griffin-Hammis Associates introduces and describes a process flow chart, or logic model, that "represents an attempt at bringing some fidelity to the CE process as it evolves as an Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)."
Ready to Work: Job-Driven Training and American Opportunity [PDF] is a report that details findings from a review of federal job training programs and highlights successful job-driven strategies.
The South Dakota Disability Employment Initiative produced Disability Disclosure [Video], a video featuring personal testimonies from South Dakotans with disabilities on their choices about whether or not to disclose their disabilities in employment, education and social settings.
Cyber Disclosure for Youth with Disabilities, a supplement to The 411 on Disability Disclosure, offers suggestions to youth about how to make decisions about and manage disability disclosure online.
The slides from Personal and Environmental Factors that Support and Encourage Innovation and Best Practices that Lead to Employment Outcomes in Public Rehabilitation [PDF], presented at the RRTC-EBP VR State-of-the Science Conference in April, are now available to download and review.
The archived webinar Rising to the Occasion: ADA, Olmstead & State Efforts to Promote Integrated Employment of Individuals with Significant Disabilities [Video] is now available for download and review.
Opening the Doors of Small Business to Employees with Disabilities: Critical Concerns and Strategies for Success [PDF], a new EARN report, strives to address the concerns of small business leaders about hiring people with disabilities.
The latest Job Accommodation Network (JAN) ENews includes articles about online application systems, personal assistive devices at work, accommodating social anxiety disorder, and more.
Employment Supports for Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Two Case Studies by W. Ham, McDonough, A. Molinelli, C. Schall, and P. Wehman (Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 40(2), 117-124) describes the successful transition to employment of two young people with ASD. "Their supports included consultation with a positive behavior support facilitator, the implementation of a multi-component behavior intervention plan, and the implementation of supervisor and co-worker training in the implementation of the plan." (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)
In Utilizing Assistive Dogs in Integrated Employment Settings: Multidisciplinary Elements to Consider for Individuals with ASD by D.A.G. Groomes, A. Clemons, S. Hulme, K. Kort, and G. Mesibov (Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 40(2), 165-173), the authors discuss the value that assistive dogs deliver in terms of employment supports for individuals with ASD. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)
TransCen, Inc.'s WorkLink Program: A New Day for Day Services by S. Murphy, E. Easterbrook, S. Bendetson, and S. Lieberman (Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 40(2), 125-130) describes an innovative approach to braid services to promote employment and support customized job placement for people with more significant intellectual disabilities. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)
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Health
Standards for Systems of Care for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs, produced by the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, outlines what is necessary for a high-quality, coordinated system of care for children with special needs. The report includes standards relating to the transition to adulthood.
Transition to Adulthood: A Health Care Guide for Youth and Families [PDF] from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) includes information about health care coverage, health care support networks, health care transition, and more.
Model Supported Health Care Decision-Making Legislation [PDF] and the accompanying Questions and Answers resource [PDF] can be used by advocates and self-advocates when talking to their state legislators about ways to support people to make independent health care decisions.
The Transition to Adulthood for Youth with ID/DD: A review of research, policy, and next steps [PDF], an ASAN policy brief, discusses health care transition challenges such as potential loss of health care coverage, barriers to obtaining adult-oriented care, and lack of support in making health care decisions.
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National News
On July 22, 2014, President Obama signed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act into law. The bipartisan bill makes sweeping changes to disability programs authorized under the Rehabilitation Act and the Assistive Technology Act. Examples of changes include:
- Strengthened policies governing the transition from school to work for students with disabilities, including limiting sheltered workshop eligibility and directing 15% of Vocational Rehabilitation funding toward assisting youth transitioning into the workforce;
- The transfer of the Independent Living programs, the National Institute on Disability and Independent Living Rehabilitation Research, and the Assistive Technology Act programs from the Department of Education to the Administration for Community Living; and
- Creation of an Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities.
The Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support Act of 2014 or the Autism CARES Act (S. 2449) has been sent to the President for his signature. The bill reauthorizes the Combating Autism Act of 2006 (as amended by the Combating Autism Reauthorization Act of 2011) for five years.
On July 23, the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight held a hearing on the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act (S. 313/H.R. 647). The Act would create tax preferred savings accounts for people with disabilities that would not affect their eligibility for the Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid programs.
The Institute for Community Inclusion's National Report on Employment Services and Outcomes 2013 [PDF] provides statistics over a 25-year period from several national datasets. The report is divided into three major sections:
- A comprehensive overview that describes national trends in employment for people with IDD.
- A topical chapter that presents a state-by-state description of employment and non-work service participation of people with IDD as reported by community rehabilitation providers.
- An appendix with individual state profiles and a national profile.
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Post-Secondary Education
More Colleges Expanding Programs for Students on Autism Spectrum briefly highlights the differences between several postsecondary education programs serving students with ASD. In Their Own Words: The Career Planning Experiences of College Students with ASD by L.W. Briel and E.E. Getzel (Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 40(3), 195-202) reports that the students with ASD interviewed for the study said they needed more experiential learning opportunities such as informational interviews, job shadowing or mentoring opportunities, internships, and/or work experience. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.) Learning and Assistive Technologies for College Transition by S.B. Asselin (Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 40(3), 223-230) examines the impact of assistive technology for students with disabilities who transition from high school to postsecondary education. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)
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Technology
The AT Act Data Brief [PDF] provides a national summary of State Assistive Technology Programs' fiscal year 2013 data, including five-year trend data for core activities and AT program success stories.
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Transition
Does Providing Transition Services by Age 14 Produce Better Vocational Outcomes for Students With Intellectual Disability? by R. E. Cimera, S. Burgess, and P.L. Bedesem (Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 39(1), 47-54) reports study findings that youth from states where transition is required to be addressed in the IEP by age 14 were more likely to be employed by the time their cases were closed than their peers from states requiring transition services to be addressed by age 16. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)
Work-Based Learning Experiences Help Students with Disabilities Transition to Careers: A Case Study of University of Washington Projects by S. Bellman, S. Burgstahler, and R. Ladner (Work, 48(3), 399�-405) reports study findings that students who participate in work-based learning opportunities show "increased employment success, motivation to work toward a career, knowledge about careers and the workplace, job-related skills, ability to work with supervisors and coworkers, skills in self-advocating for accommodations, and perceived career options." (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)
The REAL Real World: Helping Young People on Their Journey to Adulthood [Video], a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration KSOC-TV (The Knowledge Network for Systems of Care) archived webcast, explores transition issues such as employment, housing, education, and peer support.
Transition of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Youth with Disabilities: Challenges and Opportunities
by G. Greene (Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 40(3), 239-245) "reviews the literature on transition outcomes of youth with disabilities who are White, Hispanic, and African American and provides information about how to provide quality transition services to youth with disabilities who are from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds."
(Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)
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Web Sites
The OPI Montana Autism Education Project has a new blog! Visit the blog for a wealth of autism-related information and resources.
DelAWARE DisABILITIES HUB provides resources for youth and young adults with special needs and disabilities, as well as those who support them, during the transition years to help them reach their full potential. Although the website is geared toward those living in Delaware, much of the information is applicable nationwide.
The Transitions RTC website offers a number of tip sheets and briefs on employment, education, living skills and more.
The Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center at UMass Medical School redesigned their website to offer easier navigation. The site includes information about the center's current areas of IDD research, disability technology solutions, education and training programs, and more.
Mathematica redesigned their website to allow for more efficient locating of research, publications and other resources.
TASH has launched a new website, which will soon include a resource library. TASH works to advance inclusive communities through advocacy, research, professional development, policy, and information and resources for parents, families and self-advocates.
ADA.gov features information and technical assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The National Institute for Children's Health Quality (NICHQ) website offers resources promoting the health of children and their families.
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