Employment Programs

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.

Explore lessons learned in this report on The Youth Transition Demonstration (YTD) Projects, part of a broad initiative to encourage disability beneficiaries to return to work. Included are an overview of each of the projects, which shared common goals of improved educational and employment outcomes and reduced reliance on disability benefits. The diversity between initiatives provided an opportunity to explore factors that lead to successful program implementation.

The first Ticket to Work Mental Health Summit was held in New Orleans, LA on November 15–17, 2009. Mental and behavioral health decision makers engaged in presentations, networking experiences, and the opportunity to learn how the Ticket to Work program can help people with a severe mental illness with recovery through work. The archived web site holds presentation materials, Power Point slides, speaker biographies, links to speaker webcasts, and other helpful resources.

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.

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.

When people with low income accumulate assets rather than simply increasing their income, they are more likely to escape the cycle of poverty permanently. Explore Alaska's Asset Building website. It is funded by a MIG grant, and provides links to information and resources devoted to activities related to the nature and amount of assets an individual with a disability can accumulate in their quest for financial independence and stability.