1 Disability Program Navigator (DPN) Initiative October 2009 Creating Innovation and Transformation

2 DPN Initiative Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) administers the DPN Initiative. It partners with many Federal, state, local agencies, and private organizations to leverage funding to expand the public workforce investment system’s capacity to serve customers with disabilities.

3 DPN Initiative continued… Training and Technical Assistance is provided under contract with NDI Consulting, Inc. and the National Disability Institute (NDI) forming the NDI TA Team to help build system capacity.

4 DPN Initiative continued… A new position, the Disability Program Navigator, was established in One-Stop Career Centers throughout the country to better inform people with disabilities about the work support programs available at DOL’s One-Stop Career Centers.

5 DPN Initiative continued... The goals of the DPN Initiative are to: –develop new/sustain ongoing partnerships to achieve seamless, comprehensive, and integrated services; –blend/braid resources to leverage funding for individual job seekers; –create systemic change; –expand the capacity of the workforce investment system to meet the employment needs of customers with disabilities and employers; and –meet the demands of the 21 st century workforce.

6 DPN Initiative continued… There are currently approximately 425 Navigators across forty-two states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The map on the next slide represents the current DPN projects nationwide.

7

8 Current DPN Projects

9 DPN Initiative A Disability Program Navigator: –Guides One-Stop Career Center staff in helping people with disabilities access and navigate the various programs that impact their ability to gain/retain jobs; –Facilitates integrated, seamless, and comprehensive services in One-Stop Career Centers to persons with disabilities; –Improves linkages to the employer community and develops demand-responsive strategies to meet their recruitment and retention needs; and –Brings together multiple partners to foster a collaborative effort by building Interagency Action Committees to address systems level barriers and Integrated Resource Teams to address individual level barriers to employment job seekers with disabilities experience.

10 Evolution of the DPN Initiative The DPN Initiative was designed to be flexible so that it could fit into the many different One-Stop Career Center environments. Constantly evolving as we learn from the experiences of the local level Navigators and the state level DPN Projects.

11 DPNs Evolving Roles Navigators deploy and coordinate integrated resource team approaches across workforce and disability systems to address multiple employment needs. –Navigators are facilitating these integrated resource teams (IRT) in the One-Stop Career Centers to include members from various community and partner agencies and One-Stop programs that serve the needs of the individual job seekers. Navigators establish a seamless One-Stop Career Center through an individualized team service design to assure a full spectrum of program options for job seekers with disabilities.

12 DPNs Evolving Roles continued… Navigators are promoting the active participation of the One-Stop Career Centers in the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work Program, including becoming Employment Network (ENs). Navigators are facilitating the involvement of the One- Stop Career Centers in promoting asset development strategies through financial literacy, increased use of the IRS Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and providing free tax preparation through Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites to people with disabilities.

13 DPNs Evolving Roles, continued… Navigators are helping to coordinate transportation and/or mobility management activities through United We Ride and other transportation employment initiatives. Navigators are facilitating the transition of in- or out- school youth with disabilities to obtain employment and economic self-sufficiency. And supporting other Federal Initiatives including ex- offenders, people who are homeless, recipients of TANF, older workers, and disabled veterans.

14 DPN Roles-Seamless and Comprehensive One-Stop Services Address physical, program and/or communication access barriers Increase staff knowledge on serving job seekers with disabilities Foster collaboration and streamline referral process Facilitate blended funding and leveraged resources Guide One-Stop Career Center staff to improve access to programs that impact the ability to gain/retain employment

15 DPN Roles-Improve Access to Programs and Services Facilitate solutions to physical, communication, and/or program access Ensure adaptive equipment/assistive technology is available and staff and are trained in its use Assist the development of an accommodations policy and procedures Identify talent development dollars and connect job seekers with these resources Coordinate cross-program teams to address barriers and increase options for job seekers with disabilities

16 DPN Roles-Facilitate Linkages to the Business Community Connect with LWIB and Business Services staff Conduct outreach and networking with the business community (Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Clubs, HR Councils, BLNs) Host job fairs and facilitate linkages with disability employment and training service providers Provide information about hiring/retaining individuals to business Provide employer “toolkits” with information about tax incentives and benefits (business case) of hiring individuals with disabilities Promote employment opportunities with career lattices in a variety of jobs, including STEM, High growth, and green jobs

17 DPN Role-Increase Employment Outcomes and Self-Sufficiency Increase registrant levels of job seekers with disabilities Improve job development services Encourage Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) and Career Advancement Accounts (CAAs) Foster SSA Ticket to Work Program Increase on-the job training, apprenticeship, internship opportunities

18 DPN Role – What a Navigator is: Systems Change Agent Problem Solver Relationship Builder Resource Facilitator

19 DPN Role: What a Navigator is Not A case manager A front-line staff person in a One-Stop Career Center A Community Work Incentives Coordinator A Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist

20 Navigator Anticipated Outcomes Access to WIA Services: –Core, Intensive, or Training Services –Individual Training Accounts (ITAs) or Career Advancement Accounts (CAAs) Increased Employment: –Wages –Hours Worked Per Week –Retention

21 Navigator Anticipated Outcomes Increased customer satisfaction with workforce system for persons with disabilities. Expanded partner relationships (public/private) Mental Health programs Mental Retardation/ Developmental Disability programs Independent Living Centers Medicaid CWIC Housing Transportation Vocational Rehabilitation Other Mandated One-Stop Partners

22 Navigator Anticipated Outcomes Expanded access to: –Internships –On-the-Job Training –Customized Job Development –Employment Opportunities –Accommodation Assistance Increased use of the Ticket by Social Security beneficiaries. Increase One-Stop Career Centers/LWIBs becoming & linking with Employment Networks (ENs).

23 Navigator Anticipated Outcomes Improved service, system and funder collaboration. Blended funding support Utilization of Work Incentives. Utilization of Benefits Counselors. Utilization of Medicaid Buy-In/Coordination with MIGs. Asset Development. Individual Development and Career Advancement Accounts. Access to Technology. Self-Employment.

24 DPN Initiative Goal The rubber really meets the road with the Navigators. The DPN Initiative is a Team effort- –National DPN Program Office –Regional Federal Officers, and –The NDI TA Team We are all here to work with you and to support you to make the DPN Initiative a success so that we can reach our ultimate goal-competitive, quality employment of people with disabilities.

25 DPN Resources For more information, please: –Refer to the Disability Online website for a list of state contacts: –Refer to the DPN Technical Assistance Center’s Web site at: –For effective practices/ products, refer to the One- Stop Toolkit website at: –For promising practices, resources and products on disability and employment, refer to the Workforce3 One Disability and Employment website at: