1. 1 Disability Program Navigator Initiative AGING AND DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTERS (ADRCs) GRANTEE PRESENTATION April 2008 Presented by Randee Chafkin, ETA, U.S. DOL

2. 2 Disability Program Navigator (DPN) Initiative The DPN Initiative is jointly sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (DOL/ETA) and the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Office of Program Development and Research. The Disability Team, Older Workers/Disability Unit, Division of Adult Services, Office of Workforce Investment, ETA, administers the DPN Initiative Training, Technical Assistance and Evaluation is provided under contract with the Law, Health Policy and Disability Center (LHPDC) at the University of Iowa College of Law to help build system capacity.

3. ONE-STOP CAREER CENTER SYSTEM There are 3,256 One-Stop Career Centers-1,854 are comprehensive and 1,402 are affiliate centers. There are 600 Workforce Investment Areas throughout the country. DPNs are located in One-Stop Career Centers.

4. One-Stop Career Centers One-Stop Career Centers Total: 3,256 Comprehensive: 1,854 mapped Affiliate: 1,402 unmapped States with Large Number of Affiliates: Kentucky (141) Arizona (119) Texas (105) California (96)

5. One-Stop Career Centers-Employer Services and Resources  Recruitment: Job Posting; Resume Searches; Candidate Screening; Assessment and Testing; Job Fairs; Specialized Recruiting.  Training: Job Readiness Skills; On-the-Job Training; Training for Current Employees; Skills Upgrading; Apprenticeship; Specialized Technical Skills Training.

6. One-Stop Career Centers-Employer Services and Resources Retention: Referral to transportation, child care, housing, emergency health care services. Information Services: Labor Market Information-Wage and Employment Trends, Occupational Forecasts, Demographic Data, Economic Data, Local Labor Market Analyses.

7. One-Stop Career Centers-Job Seeker Services and Resources Core Services for all: determination of eligibility for services; outreach; intake, orientation; initial; assessment; job search; placement assistance; career counseling; providing information on eligible training providers, One-Stop activities, filing UI claims, supportive services, follow-up services, etc. Intensive Services for adults and dislocated workers who are unemployed and unable to obtain work through core services and/or to people who are employed, if determined eligible by the One-Stop: comprehensive and specialized assessment of skill levels (e.g., diagnostic testing); pre-vocational services.

8. One-Stop Career Centers-Job Seeker Services and Resources Training for persons who have met the eligibility requirements and are unable to obtain or retain employment through intensive services: training is usually provided through Individual Training Accounts via eligible training providers. Youth Programs for youth between 14-21 years of age, low-income, and meet at least one of six barriers to employment:

9. One-Stop Career Centers-Job Seeker Services and Resources basic skills deficient; high school dropout; homeless; run-away or foster child; pregnant or a parent; an offender; or a person who requires additional assistance to complete an educational, program, or to secure employment.  Finding your nearest One-Stop Career Center: www.servicelocator.org (by zip code), or call 1-877-US2-JOBS.www.servicelocator.org

10. 10 Public Policy Challenges 2005 Census Data –About 33 million people ages 16-64 with disabilities, 18.6% of working age population. –Only 56% of working age people with disabilities are employed, and only 30% people with severe disabilities are employed. –More than 70% report they want to work. –Between 47.6%-76.6% of people ages 25-64 with disabilities had an income less than $20,000, compared to 39.3% of the population without disabilities. –Between 11.2-25.9% of people with disabilities were in poverty, compared to 7.7% of people without disabilities.

11. 11 Public Policy Challenges Approximately 10 million recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). SSI/SSDI costs approaching $100 billion. Related health costs approaching $100 billion. The numbers and costs keep increasing. Only ½ of 1% enter or return to work. People with disabilities continue to be disproportionately underemployed, unemployed, and living in poverty.

12. 12 New Freedom Initiative (NFI) Announced by President Bush on February 1, 2001. Comprehensive program to promote employment and community participation of people with disabilities in all areas of society. Requires Federal agencies to collaborate to make their programs more effective and provide integrated services to people with disabilities. The DPN effort has been implemented in the spirit of the New Freedom Initiative.

13. 13 Work Incentive Grants (WIGs) Work Incentive Grants (WIGs)-4 rounds of 2-year grants, totaling $65 million to 113 grantees from October 2000- June 2006. WIGs were awarded to states, non-profit organizations, and/or local workforce investment areas. Improved One-Stop Career Center’s physical and programmatic access for customers with disabilities. WIG funding has been re-directed to establish a new position, Disability Program Navigator (Navigator), within One-Stop Career Centers throughout the country to focus on creating systemic change.

14. 14 Disability Program Navigator (DPN) Initiative Since PY 2002, the DPN Initiative was funded for approximately $80 million from ETA and $12 million from SSA. In PY 2008, approximately $18.5 million will be awarded to 31 Round I and II states to extend funding until June 30, 2009. Currently 45 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have DPNs. There are approximately 500 Navigator positions.

15. 15 DOL-SSA DPN Projects Kansas (new) Louisiana (new) Maine (new) Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana (new) Nebraska New Hampshire (new) New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina (new) Alabama (new) Alaska Arizona California Colorado Connecticut (new) Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia (new) Hawaii Idaho (new) Illinois Indiana Iowa Ohio (new) Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania (new) Puerto Rico (new) Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota (new) Tennessee Texas Utah (new) Vermont Virginia Washington (new) West Virginia Wisconsin

17. 17 DPN Initiative Goals Facilitate integrated, seamless, and comprehensive services to persons with disabilities in One-Stop Career Centers. Improve access to programs and services. Facilitate linkages to the employer community and develop demand responsive strategies to meet their recruitment/retention needs. Increase employment and self-sufficiency for Social Security beneficiaries and other people with disabilities.

18. 18 DPN Initiative Goals Develop new and ongoing partnerships to leverage resources. Inform SSA beneficiaries and other people with disabilities about work support programs available at One-Stop Career Centers. Create systemic change.

19. 19 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.

20. 20 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.

21. 21 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.

22. 22 DPN Role-Increase Employment Outcomes and Self-Sufficiency Increase registrant levels of job seekers with disabilities. Improve job development services. Encourage individual development accounts. Foster Ticket to Work Program. Increase on-the job training, apprenticeship, internship opportunities.

23. 23 What a Navigator is… A systems change agent A problem solver A relationship builder A resource A facilitator A team coordinator

24. 24 What a Navigator is not… A case manager A front-line staff person in a workforce center A Community Work Incentives Coordinator A Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist

25. 25 Systems Change Agent Examples include: –Expand blended/braided funding opportunities. –Improve access to One-Stop Career Center services. –Increase access to training funds. –Increase co-enrollment. –Leverage resources for job seekers. –Improve coordination and integration with Vocational Rehabilitation agencies. –Partner with SSA Community Work Incentives Coordinator (CWIC) under the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program. –Facilitate co-location in One-Stop Career Centers. –Increase EN status of WIBs/One-Stop Career Centers.

26. 26 Problem Solver Examples include: –Remove barriers to employment (transportation, housing, etc.). –Connect job seekers to community resources. –Foster use of work incentives to reach employment goals in coordination with CWICs. –Address One-Stop Career Center staff questions on the ADA or other disability-related topics. –Consult with employers to establish reasonable accommodations.

27. 27 Relationship Builder Examples include: –Coordinate One-Stop Career Center orientation tours and open house events targeting the disability community. –Participate regularly in community events, resource fairs, and business roundtables. –Consult with mandated and non-mandated partners about accessibility, accommodations, and other disability- related topics. –Establish or join inter-agency collaborations to improve employment outcomes for job seekers with disabilities.

28. 28 Resource Examples include: –Respond to questions and offer guidance to staff on serving a wide range of job seekers with disabilities. –Provide orientations on One-Stop Career Center services to a wide range of community service providers. –Coordinate workshops in One-Stop Career Centers on disclosure, reasonable accommodations, work incentives, the ADA. –Offer information to the business community on hiring and retaining job seekers with disabilities.

29. 29 Facilitator Examples include: –Bring together multiple partners who are working with one individual to foster a collaborative effort by building Integrated Resource Teams (IRTs). –Coordinate staff training on a variety of disability-related topics. –Improve communication between One-Stop Career Centers and partners by educating both about their systems. –Bridge the gaps between the business and human services committees by organizing forums for discussion.

30. 30 ETA Priorities Career Advancement Accounts Demand-Driven Transitioning Youth Prisoner Reentry High Growth Job Training Initiative Community-Based Job Training Grants to Community Colleges Regional Economic Development Talent Development Life-Long Learning Opportunities/Multiple Education Pathways Partnerships/Collaboration with other agencies

31. Partnerships Developing linkages with other programs, agencies, and organizations is critical to leveraging resources to maximize services for our customers. We want to link the DPN grants with the ADRCs. The best way to do that is by contacting the State DPN Leads (provided as an attachment).

32. Collaboration Strategies Link on the local levels. Conduct joint grantee teleconferences. Share resources, rather than duplicate efforts. Attend each other’s conferences, trainings. Participate on inter-agency work groups Disseminate Effective Practices.

33. Resources One-Stop Toolkit Web site (http://www.onestoptoolkit.org)- Includes training materials, products, and strategies developed by WIG and DPN grants. DisAbility Online (http://www.doleta.gov/disability/)-ETA’s Disabilities Program’s home page. LHPDC’s Web site on DPNs and WIGs (http://disability.law.uiowa.edu/dpn)

34. Additional Information Contact: Randee Chafkin, –(202) 693-2723 –chafkin.randee@dol.govchafkin.randee@dol.gov State DPN Leads-Refer to Attached chart.

35. Together We Can Do It!

36. WISCONSIN DPN Glenn Olsen, the Wisconsin State DPN Lead, will be sharing several local effective practices for linking with ADRCs. Contact Information: Glenn Olsen, (608) 264-8164, glenn.olsen@dwd.state.wi.us glenn.olsen@dwd.state.wi.us