Hawaii

What leads you to want to go back to work? This is just one of many questions asked at Consumer, Family & Youth Conference, where Hawaii introduced its Benefits Information Network in 2009. Designed for the panelist discussion, this series of questions and introduction to the Benefits Information Network, emphasizes the importance of work incentives information available to the public. This document could be used by other states interested in starting a MIG grant program.

What are the benefits of being part of the Employment Networks Program in Hawaii? The Ticket to Work program and the Employment Network are explained in this presentation to Developmental Disabilities Division case managers, administrators and waiver providers. The information includes defining what can be part of the employment network, how it works and how it benefits the consumer and the agency, which can be helpful for agencies and other states with MIG grants.

How is Hawaii teaching its consumers, agencies and case managers about benefits information in Maui? In the attached slide presentations, Maui Benefits Information Outreach covers, disability programs, SSI, SSDI, medicaid, medicare & work incentives and Ticket to Work. These presentations for Hawaii’ s MIG program could be useful to other states with a similar program, or thinking about implementing one.

How is Hawaii marketing its Hire Abilities MIG grant program? One way is by posting sponsored events on their YouTube channel. The following link is for their video which highlights Artists Mean Business, promoting the work of artists with disabilities. This event, posted on the Hireabilities's Channel, is an innovative way of marketing the program and could be useful to other MIG grantees.

View an evaluation and grantee-written descriptions of Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) and New Freedom services for 2007 and 2008. JARC was established to address transportation challenges that welfare recipients and low-income individuals face in finding and keeping jobs. The New Freedom program was established to provide new public transportation services and alternatives to public transportation for people with disabilities.

How can states better engage the public and the disabled about employment issues for the disabled in their communities? A unique approach Hawaii has taken is to host a monthly Disability Perspective TV show on public television. Meant to educate the public on employment barriers for people with disabilities and the work incentives available for them, this program covers different topics and personal experiences relating to MIG grant programs. Online streaming of the show is available.

Explore the website for an initiative designed to make the business case for employers to hire people with disabilities by providing them with information, tools to integrate people with disabilities into the workforce, and local resources to help them access this segment of the labor pool. The site includes individual state pages to connect interested businesses to each state’s resources for recruiting and hiring people with disabilities, and tools such as a Tax Incentives Tip Sheet.

Are you an advocate, program administrator, service provider or caregiver fighting for your state and local caregiver support programs? This report includes background information, statistics, talking points and a list of additional resources to help make the case for maintaining public funding for crucial caregiver support services. Additional resources are listed, as well as a chart detailing prevalence and economic value of family caregiving by state.

AARP has produced a set of state-by-state briefs that highlight the most up-to-date long-term care data for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Information is provided about each state's older population, long-term care funding, the cost and ranking of nursing homes, and long-term care insurance. The data utilized in these reports is the most recent publicly available data collected for all states.

How is Hawaii providing its disabled population with benefits information? In the attached slide presentations, Hilo Benefits Information Outreach covers disability programs, work incentives and self employment work incentives for self-employed clients and case managers. These presentations for Hawaii’ s MIG program could be useful to other states implementing similar programs.