DETAC Monthly Newsletter
Issue 4 | 2021
In this Issue:
Check out our New Blog: Looking Inward ◆ New Resource: Using Discovery as a Tool to Increase Employment and Decrease Poverty in Partnership with Centers for Independent Living ◆ Additional TA Resources ◆ Three-Part Provider Transformation Workshop Series ◆ Take Advantage of DETAC TA-on-Demand ◆ DETAC’s National Monthly CoP Webinars ◆ Coming Soon: DETAC Learning Management System
New Blog:
Looking Inward: Assessment of Your Organization’s Current Culture for Promoting a Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive (DEI) Workforce)
Check out the new blog on “Looking Inward: Assessment of Your Organization’s Current Culture for Promoting a Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive (DEI) workforce.” Is your organization ready for making a dramatic shift both internally and at the programmatic level but not sure how to initiate the process? This blog provides some brief tips about how to get started!
New Resources:
The DETAC Subject Matter Experts have been busy producing Technical Assistance products that grantees can use to advance competitive, integrated employment. Here are some new resources with more to come:
- Technical Resource: Using Discovery as a Tool to Increase Employment and Decrease Poverty in Partnership with Centers for Independent Living (DETAC 2021-GENERAL-1)
Description: This model is based upon the guiding principle of Zero Exclusion, which means that not one person is excluded from working. Although this resource is tailored to support CILs that are interested in incorporating discovery in their work, there are actually some great take-aways for all AoD grantees.
Description: UCEDDs represent a significant vehicle for accelerating the importance of increasing the competitive integrated employment rates of youth and adults with disabilities. This sphere of influence is generated through several UCEDD-specific factors, which, if purposely examined, can lead to a methodical, and judicious use of the resources UCEDDs can deploy within their Developmental Disability (DD) Networks as well as to other Administration on Disability (AoD) grantees within the state and beyond.
- Technical Brief:Guiding Principles for Embedding Employment into Center for Independent Living (CIL) Core Services(DETAC 2021-CIL-1)
Description: This Technical Brief highlights the guiding principles that CILs are expected to adhere to through the context of the law and how to incorporate an employment focus in every Core Service.
- Technical Brief: How Centers for Independent Living (CIL) can Promote Competitive, Integrated Employment: Developing Successful Strategic Partnerships (DETAC 2021-CIL-2)
Description: This brief is designed to give you an overview of strategies to build partnerships with local and state agencies. While the strategies are not comprehensive, our goal is to provide you with a few key takeaways on how you can take the first step to build your employment program by collaborating with others.
- Technical Resource: Ways Centers for Independent Living (CILs) can Engage with the Workforce System to Support Jobseekers with Disabilities Attain Employment (DETAC-2021-CIL-3)
Description: This resource can be used as a tool for educating AJCs on ways CILs can support their work and promote the hiring and retention of workers with disabilities in local communities.
- Technical Resource: Center for Independent Living (CIL) Employment Program Readiness Assessment Tool (DETAC 2021-CIL-4)
Description: This assessment tool provides you with the opportunity to identify current areas of existing capacity and to prioritize areas of need and desired capacity building regarding employment services.
Three-Part Provider Transformation Workshop Series
This three-part provider transformation series is intended for Centers for Independent Living (CIL) and Councils on Developmental Disabilities in supporting them in how they can engage with and support the transformation of disability service providers to offer new, integrated person-centered services such as (but not limited to) customized employment/discovery, supported employment and financial capability into their programs for individuals with significant disabilities. Guest speakers (grantees, providers, and subject matter experts) in the field will share their experiences with transformation by outlining high-impact strategies, evidence-based practices, and real-life examples, including lessons learned. Episode one aired on September 8, but you can still register for the remaining two episodes.
Taking Advantage of AoD TA-on-Demand
Need advice from an Expert? Do you and your stakeholders have a need to support and further progress in your work to advance competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities? Reach out! Send your requests directly to the AoD Disability Employment TA center at AoDEmploymentTA@gmail.com or fill out the form here.
DETAC’s National Monthly Webinars & “Office Hours with the Experts”
The Center hosts monthly national webinars on the second Tuesday of every month from 3:00-4:30 p.m. ET. “Office Hours with the Experts” are held on the 2nd Friday of every month from 12:00 noon-1:30 p.m. ET. The Office Hours are an opportunity for AoD grantees to further engage directly with subject-matter experts who participated in the last monthly national webinar to seek advice on specific projects, troubleshoot challenges that have arisen with employment systems-change work, and brainstorm or get feedback on new ideas that you are contemplating. We encourage all of AoD’s grantee network and DETAC’s national Community of Practice to take advantage of our monthly webinars and the subsequent office hours to help inform your ongoing work to improve CIE outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
Monthly CoP Webinars: Coming up in October:
Celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month by Reflecting Upon the Importance of Including and Supporting Individuals with Disabilities in America’s Workforce
Webinar: Date: October 12, 2021 | Time: 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm EST
Office Hours: Date: October 15, 2021 | Time: 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm EST
Come join the DETAC as we celebrate the importance of including individuals with disabilities in the Nation’s workforce. This webinar will highlight the contributions of individuals with disabilities through demonstrating how Centers for Independent Living have supported individuals with disabilities to obtain and maintain competitive, integrated employment through the application of evidence-based practices and other innovative strategies.
Registration at: https://bit.ly/DETAC-CoP-Oct-12-2021
In Case You Missed Them Live
Partnership Works! A story about the successful collaboration between a Center for Independent Living, Vocational Rehabilitation, and Workforce Development through Pre-ETS in Missouri.
September 14, 2021
Here is the link to the recording: https://youtu.be/hc1OsrUfM50
Based on a successful state-level collaborative model between Missouri’s workforce development and rehabilitation systems as well as a Center for Independent Living, this webinar showcased the key ingredients necessary to develop a partnership that focuses on supporting youth with disabilities that are being served through Pre-Employment Transition Services under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Participants learned how to create partnerships, identify areas of collaboration to help youth excel in preparation for and during employment, and maintain relationships during uncertain times when youth with disabilities need the strongest support to achieve their potential in competitive, integrated employment and economic self-sufficiency.
Overcoming Systemic Racism in the Education System to Build Equity for Students of Color with Disabilities
August 10, 2021
Here is the link to the recording: https://youtu.be/t7mP2Fgxig4
For centuries, students with disabilities, particularly those who identify with underserved or marginalizedpopulations have been faced with extraordinary challenges as they navigate the school system as a young person with a disability of color. Educators are presented with challenges in connecting with individuals of different backgrounds in addition to providing quality integrated special education services that lead to competitive, integrated employment outcomes. Providers of services for youth with disabilities are hungry for resources to support their colleagues in the education system to enable and empower them to raise the bar in providing equal services to youth with disabilities of color. During this webinar, participants will learn how to apply assessment tools and unique strategies that help in breaking barriers and identifying realistic solutions to supporting students with disabilities of color that are struggling to navigate the complexities of being an underserved or marginalized population in the local education system.
Coming Soon: DETAC Learning Management System
The AoD Disability TA Center’s Learning Management System (LMS) will be a state-of-the-art, interactive platform where AoD grantees can complete courses on a variety of topics, receive professional development, participate in peer-learning communities and topical discussions, and download AoD-grantee specific curriculum and trainings. Be on the lookout: we are busy developing the system and the LMS will be available within the next couple of months!
