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Free Online Learning Opportunity Creating Community Careers

On Tuesday, November 1, 2011 the Michigan Association of Rehabilitation Organizations announced a free online learning opportunity. The course will focus on Customized and Self Employment. You're Invited!

The Creating Community Careers courses are designed for those involved in employment development for people with disabilities, people recovering from mental illness or substance abuse and others who have challenges beyond just being unemployed.

Part 1: Intro to Customized Employment (approx 2.5 hrs)
Part 2: Discovering Personal Genius (approx. 4.5 hrs)
Part 3: Customized Job Development (approx. 4 hrs)

This opportunity is funded under the Michigan Medicaid Infrastructure Grant Award Number: 1QACMS030532/01 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services received by the Michigan Department of Community Health. To Enroll contact Todd Culver at dprice@maro.ccsend.com.

Read the Announcemen

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month

President Barack Obama has declared October 2011 to be National Disability Employment Awareness Month. In the text of the declaration the President noted; "To win the future, we must harness the power of our Nation's richest resource—our people. Americans with disabilities, like all Americans, are entitled to not only full participation in our society, but also full opportunity in our society. Their talents and contributions are vital to the strength of our Nation's workforce and our future prosperity."

Read the Complete Declaration

Employment – Bill to Phase Out Special Wage Certificates Introduced

Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) and Rep. Timothy Bishop (D-NY) introduced H.R. 3086, the Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act of 2011. The bill seeks to immediately end issuance of new special wage certificates for workers with disabilities under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, and to phase out existing certificates over a 3 year period. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, which has scheduled no action on the bill. There is no companion bill in the Senate.

Read H.R. 3086

"StateData" - A Key Resource for Administrators, Policy Makers and Practitioners of Supported Employment

StateData: The National Report on Employment Services and Outcomes is published by the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) and the University of Massachusetts Boston.

For the past 20 years, the ICI's Access to Integrated Employment Project, the national data-collection project on day and employment outcomes, has described the nature of day and employment services for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). The intent is to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the factors that influence employment outcomes at an individual, service provider, and state policy level.

The 2011 report (link below) provides information and analysis covering a 20-year period. It is based on information gathered from several existing national datasets that address the status of employment and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with IDD.

The report provides detailed analysis and commentary as well as a set of recommendations for effective employment options and services that support individual choice. "StateData" –is a key resource for administrators, policy makers and practitioners seeking to improve access to employment for persons with IDD.

Download the full PDF version here



Highlights from the 2011 APSE conference
"People and Possibilities–The Employment Summit" (Cadillac, May 19-20)


Thanks to all who attended. You helped make this a great event!

  • Al Condeluci: Wow! What a great speaker...and delightful guy! Here's his PowerPoint presentation on Social Capital and A New Paradigm
  • Enhancing Employment Outcomes: PowerPoint presentation by Bill Colombo and the MRS team. Many thanks to the MRS team. They're certainly an impressive bunch!
  • Deborah Nale, Certified Business Consultant and Micro-Business Specialist offered an exciting presentation on new resources to support Michigan Micro-enterprises. These were created through Michigan's Medicaid Infrastructure Grant. Check out these wonderful resources! (see below)

Deb provides the following note:

Hello!

Thank you for your interest in Micro Enterprise and the Momentum building in Michigan!

As you may know, we have our new statewide Micro Enterprise Website at www.micro2e.org, where your micro entrepreneurs can advertise their product or service businesses now and where you will find a myriad of support Resources!

We also have a companion Facebook Business Page, if you are able to, be sure to "LIKE" us at www.facebook.com/MicroEnterprise for information and educational articles. Good stuff!

Below are some vital Micro Enterprise links to save:

Feel free to email me with any other questions on micro business resources. Watch for More Micro-enterprise News as the Momentum grows!

Thank you!
Deborah Nale
deborah@allianceforeconomicsuccess.com



Michigan Updates: A Social Security Newsletter on Employment Support Updates


Download the Michigan Updates



Employers of the Year: Kalamazoo organization recognizes two companies for hiring people with disabilities

KALAMAZOO — Brian Merica believes that employing people who are mentally ill can help them be more active in the community and also prove that they can be good workers. More...

Read Article | Download PDF



New Brief Examines the Role of Job Developers During the Job Search

The Influential Role of the Job Developer: Increasing Self-Determination and Family Involvement During the Job Search

A new Research to Practice Brief analyzes how job developers influence decision-making during the job search and placement process. As part of a study exploring the employment decisions of people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD), researchers interviewed 16 individuals with IDD, their family members, and professionals involved in their job search.

Major findings showed that the job developer affects not only the actual job outcome, but also the individual' s job choices. The influence of the job developer also impacts the involvement of family and other supports in the job-placement process. This brief illustrates ways in which the job developer influences the placement process, and offers strategies for maximizing self-determination and family involvement.

Download the brief



January 2011 Disability Employment Statistics Released

In January 2011, the percentage of people with disabilities in the labor force was 20.1. By comparison, the percentage of persons with no disability in the labor force was 69.5.

Click here for ODEP News Brief



National Disability Rights Network Calls for Elimination of Sub-Minimum Wage

In the fall of 2009, the Executive Board of APSE issued a statement calling for the phase out of sub-minimum wage by 2014. We would like to applaud the National Disability Rights Network, for its support of this effort with its just released report calling for the end of sub-minimum wage.

This report, "Segregated and Exploited: The Failure of the Disability Service System to Provide Quality Work" calls for:

  • Ending segregated employment and the sub-minimum wage by restricting all federal and state money that is spent on employers who segregate employees with disabilities from the general workforce.
  • Strengthening current and create new tax incentives for employers to hire people with disabilities in integrated workplaces at comparable wages.
  • Increasing labor protections and enforcement of existing law.


APSE Statement on Employment First

The concept of "Employment First" is one that has gained attention over the past few years in terms of services and supports for individuals with disabilities. In an effort to ensure that this concept is utilized and applied in a consistent fashion, APSE's National Executive Board has approved a Statement on Employment First. This statement outlines both the underlying principles and characteristics of successful implementation of Employment First.

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