Grantee produced

How is the District of Columbia marketing their disabled population to employers? The DC Metro Business Leadership Network (DC Metro BLN) promotes the best practices in hiring retaining, and marketing to people with disabilities in the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia, and Suburban Maryland. Their website and newsletter highlight the program and offers resources aimed at employers, including survey questions. It‘s a marketing approach that could be useful to other states.

How can states address the employment of youth with disabilities? One approach Connecticut is taking is through workshops that provide mentor program professionals with an overview of the ways in which consciously including youth with disabilities positively impacts programming. Parts one and two of the training curriculum are available for download, and are a good resource for other states planning programs such as these.

The City of New Haven’s Department of Services for Persons with Disabilities along with Metro Taxi, the state’s largest, full-service taxi company, jointly launched Connecticut’s first wheelchair-accessible cab, MetroAccess. To find out more see the attached Press Release.

Providing regular and current information about the various programs funded by the MIG program is essential to keeping this community informed, up to date and active. Connecticut’s "connect-ability" newsletter spotlights new programs, events and legislation in a bright and engaging way. A sample of their Fall 2009 issue, covering employment for youth with disabilities workshops, transportation funding and more, is available for download here and a good example for other states.

Connect-Ability is searching for a group of Connecticut employers of all types, all across the state, to join their Employer Designation Pilot. This Pilot is a collaborative effort that will provide employers in the public and private sector an opportunity to share ideas and learn how they can increase their organization’s recruitment effectiveness by reaching a virtually untapped employment pool – people with disabilities. Review information, including participant resources.

How can states facilitate business and disabled employee connections? In Connecticut, AAPD and Connect-Ability sponsored Disability Mentoring Day: Career Development for the 21st Century. Designed to assist employers and job seekers in finding the “perfect match” in employment, it’s part of a commitment to making mentoring a year-round effort to raise awareness and promote the training and hiring workers with disabilities. A sample of the employers guide that was distributed is attached below.

Personal stories of successful employment speaks volumes of a MIG program’s success and is a great marketing tool. Arkansas created a YouTube channel called ArkWrkDisabilities where it showcases inspiring video clips of Arkansans with disabilities who are successfully employed. This approach could be useful to other states trying to find ways to get the word out about their MIG programs.

How can states create employment choices for individuals with disabilities? Arkansas Career Training Institute is a Vocational Rehabilitation Center whose mission is to provide vocational training and employment opportunities to adult clients with disabilities. This presentation on work incentives was given to staff at the ACTI. It gives an overview of the state programs available and explains how they work. This could be a useful resource to other states with MIG programs.

Can physicians help prevent needless work disability? Evidence-based clinical decision-making that helps patients start, stay at, or return to work, is the topic of this presentation. Given to the medical community, it outlines work related issues that may not seen to be a medical issue, but should be, and how to assess this. This presentation is focused on preventing needless work disability, providing resources and takeaway tools, and includes a survey.

Looking for a clear and concise summary of an existing MIG grant program? Attached is the Arizona Employment and Disability Partnership MIG Grant Fact Sheet which outlines, among other things, the programs’ goal, its approach, 2010 planned initiatives, and its AHCCCS Freedom to Work evaluation and member survey. This document could serve as a helpful guide to other states contemplating a MIG program or accessing an existing program.