Wednesday, July 31, 2013; 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. ET

Register for this webinar.

This webinar will provide information on how to use Discovery – an alternative assessment tool proven to identify the strengths of job seekers with and without disabilities – to discover your personal employment goals. Participants will gain an understanding of components of Discovery, how to use these components individually or in preparation for Group Discovery, and the potential outcomes.

Target Audience:

• individuals with disabilities,
• workforce professionals, and
• related stakeholders.

Please note: This webinar will be captioned and a link to download the presentation will be sent to registrants prior to the webinar. To request any other reasonable accommodations, please contact Brittany Taylor at [email protected] within 48 hours of the webinar.

Kathleen Martinez, serving the Department of Labor and President Barack Obama as the third Assistant Secretary for the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), will provide the opening remarks at NCIL’s Employment Preconference, which will kick off this year’s Annual Conference on Independent Living.

Ms. Martinez is the perfect person to commence the NCIL Conference in a meaningful way for advocates in Washington ready to make a difference.

She was appointed Executive Director of the World Institute on Disability (WID), based in Oakland, California, in 2005. In 2002, she was appointed by President Bush as one of 15 members of the National Council on Disability, an independent federal agency advising the President and Congress on disability policy. Blind since birth, Ms. Martinez comes to ODEP with a background as an internationally recognized disability rights leader specializing in employment, asset building, independent living, international development, diversity, and gender issues.

NCIL’s Pre-Conference, Youth Perspectives on Employment Policy and Practice: The Challenge for NCIL’s Next Generation, consists of a detailed public policy presentation on the current state of unemployment, followed by dynamic presentations on the challenges and success factors in the transition and employment process. The Pre-Conference gives participants opportunity for timely dialog, and reactions to current Social Security disability policy reform options and directions, as well as an opportunity to learn about innovative “pockets of excellence” in the field of employment support services today.

We need you in Washington this summer. The future of Independent Living is at stake; we need to get employment right for people with disabilities, and cannot afford to miss this opportunity. We need our members to make the commitment to participate in the NCIL Conference, and sincerely encourage you to take a look at the Conference details and find a way to be here this year. There are valuable workshops and resources that Conference participants will bring home to their Centers, in addition to the meaningful contribution to the nation they will leave behind in Washington.  [Read more…]

The LEAD Center took its dedication to conversation and collaboration to the next level with the recent launch of its new blog and other website features.

The new LEAD Center blog is a centerpiece of the website, featuring guest blogs from national thought leaders spotlighting innovations in the LEAD Center’s core focus areas of employment, policy and economic advancement for all people with disabilities.  Kathy Martinez, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy kicked off the conversation with an inaugural blog about her thoughts on work, disability employment policy and the importance of forums like the LEAD Center blog to share creative ideas and strategies.

Users can subscribe to the LEAD Center blog, post comments and submit requests to be guest bloggers. The LEAD Center looks forward to this new blog being a forum to share knowledge and innovation, spur conversation and help propel systems change.

In addition to the blog, the LEAD Center also launched a tool to submit calendar items for consideration. A newsfeed was also added to the news section, featuring the latest articles from the media focusing on employment, economic advancement and policy issues for people with disabilities. Users can also subscribe to the LEAD Center newsfeed to receive up-to-the-minute updates.

Please visit the LEAD Center website to see these new features for yourself. Any questions or feedback? Please contact the LEAD Center at [email protected].

The Center on Economic Growth (CEG) at the World Institute on Disability (WID), in partnership with PolicyWorks, respectfully invite all NCIL members to come to the July 23^rd NCIL Employment Preconference Event:

Employment Policy and Practice: The Challenge for NCIL’s Next Generation

Many disability policy thought-leaders across the country agree that the Social Security disability programs remain the single most powerful deterrent to the productivity and economic well being of Americans with disabilities.

The Preconference will focus on the challenges and success factors in the transition and employment process, including current SSA policy reform options and “pockets of excellence” field practices that are currently successful. Three Preconference 90-minute sessions on July 23rd begin at 10:30am and conclude at 4:15pm.

Most of the session presenters, facilitators, and reporters are NCIL youth members. In addition, key legislative analysts from the House and Senate will be present to dialog with NCIL participants.  [Read more…]

EmployAble is now seeking pilot study participants for “EmployAble: A World without Barriers,” a model virtual employment center for people with disabilities.

EmployAble uses the virtual world platform Second Life to provide training, networking, mentoring, and employment resources for people with disabilities and employers.

EmployAble is recruiting Americans with disabilities over the age of 18 to participate in a three month pilot study to evaluate the EmployAble Virtual Employment Orientation, Resource, Support, and Training Center site content, features, and use. They are especially interested in reaching out to veterans and those with Traumatic Brain Injuries. However, other individuals with disabilities may also participate.

EmployAble is committed to mentoring matches that will assist both mentees and employers in learning about available resources. During the pilot study, EmployAble will set up group and individual mentor matches.  [Read more…]

This webinar will provide information on Group Discovery – an alternative assessment tool proven to identify the strengths of job seekers with and without disabilities; particularly those with multiple barriers to employment. Participants will gain an understanding of the Group Discovery process and potential outcomes. 

Wednesday, June 26, 2013; 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Eastern  [Read more…]

Promoting the Readiness of Minors in Supplemental Security Income (PROMISE) is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of Education (ED), the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

Under PROMISE, the Department of Education will fund States to develop and implement model demonstration projects (MDPs) that promote positive outcomes for children who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and their families. Specifically, PROMISE is intended to improve the provision and coordination of services and supports for child SSI recipients and their families to enable them to achieve improved outcomes. These outcomes include graduating from high school ready for college and a career, completing postsecondary education and job training, and obtaining competitive employment in an integrated setting and, as a result, achieving long-term reductions in the child recipients’ reliance on SSI.

• Federal Register: Notice Inviting Applications for the Promoting the Readiness of Minors in Supplemental Security Income (PROMISE) (CFDA No. 84.418P) (PDF).
• Application package

Eligible applicants are the 50 States and the District of Columbia. A consortium of States may also apply. A grantee, subgrantee, or partner under this program is not eligible to receive funding for the SSA national evaluation contract.  [Read more…]

Yesterday, May 16, 2013, the Senate HELP Committee held an executive session regarding the nomination of Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez to be the next Secretary of Labor (DOL). The Committee, on a strict party-line vote of 12-10, approved Mr. Perez’s nomination, which will now likely be sent to the Senate floor for a final vote. Despite Mr. Perez’s outstanding leadership at the Department of Justice and his impressive history of leadership as a civil servant, no Republicans voted in favor of his confirmation. There are also now indications that if Democrats attempt a floor vote on the issue, Republicans will more than likely filibuster.

The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) has been a strong supporter of Mr. Perez’s nomination to lead DOL, primarily due to his steadfast commitment to civil rights and Americans with disabilities. NCIL members have a hard time understanding how playing politics with such a critical position within the federal government is in the interest of the United States. Committee Chairman Senator Tom Harkin has championed Mr. Perez’s nomination, and is also growing frustrated with attempts to block the confirmation, calling Republican efforts “pointless obstructionism” for twice delaying the Committee vote.

NCIL is urging our members to call their senators to voice support for the confirmation of Tom Perez. We are especially encouraging contacting Republican senators to urge them to not play political games by filibustering this important nomination.

• Contact Your Senator

This webinar will provide information on Customized Employment, including Customized Self-Employment, as a best practice. Participants will gain an understanding of how Customized Employment can support job placement efforts for a variety of job seekers both with and without disabilities.

• Target Audience: Workforce professionals and related stakeholders
• When: Wednesday May 29, 2013; 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Eastern
• Register online

Please note: This webinar will be captioned and a link to download the presentation will be sent to registrants prior to the webinar. To request any other reasonable accommodations, please contact Brittany Taylor at [email protected] within 48 hours of the webinar.

A hearing in the Senate HELP Committee on the confirmation of Tom Perez as Secretary of Labor was scheduled for today, Wednesday, May 8. The hearing has been rescheduled for May 16, 2013 at 9:15 a.m. Eastern.

The confirmation process is far from over and could face a filibuster threat in the near future. NCIL encourages all advocates to familiarize themselves with the issue and to be prepared to act on NCIL Action Alerts regarding this confirmation.