6/21/22 - Recovery-Friendly Workplaces (U.S Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Workforce Investment) Target Audience: VR counselors, businesses, and service providers
Get Ready for Independent Living (CTI) Target Audience: individuals with disabilities and their family members, VR counselors, educators, and service providers
Of particular interest to VR leaders, managers, administrators, and counselors
GAN Change Announcement
On June 6, 2022, RSA informed grantees of potential changes to the grantee name and address included in Box 1, Recipient Name, of your Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) formula Grant Award Notification(s) (GAN). In accordance with 2 C.F.R. § 200.211(b), General Federal award information, GANs issued by a Federal awarding agency must ensure the recipient’s name matches the name associated with its Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) as defined at 2 C.F.R. § 25.415. In order to comply with this requirement, when necessary, RSA will be changing the recipient’s name and address listed in Box 1 of the GAN to the name and address listed in SAM.gov and associated with the grantee’s UEI in Box 8, Administrative Information, of the GAN. If your grantee name or address is changed, the Recipient State Director, listed in Box 3, and State Authorizing Official will receive a G5 email notification that an administrative action has been completed and a new GAN is available.
Future changes to a recipient’s name or address listed on a GAN will only be completed after the change has become effective in SAM.gov.
US Department of Labor issues guidance on law limiting subminimum wages for workers with disabilities, takes decisive action to enforce the law
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced new guidance published today by the department’s Wage and Hour Division on important limitations on the payment of subminimum wages under Section 511 of the Rehabilitation Act, which applies to certified employers otherwise authorized to pay subminimum wages to workers with disabilities under specific requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Employers, workers or other stakeholders with questions about Section 511 of the Rehabilitation Act, the FLSA Section 14(c) program, or other the laws enforced by the Wage and Hour Division are encouraged contact the division’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Calls are answered confidentially, in more than 200 languages, regardless of immigration status.
Of particular interest to individuals with disabilities and general audiences
The teams at the Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship and the Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology posted a podcast episode on “Creating a Truly Inclusive Workplace: A Conversation Between Colleagues with Disabilities” highlighting the importance of inclusive workplaces. In this episode, four colleagues discuss their personal experiences as employees with disabilities, including mental health disabilities, visual impairment and substance use disorder. Based on their lived experiences, they offer advice on what employers and fellow team members can do to create a truly inclusive and stigma free workplace.
Of particular interest to individuals with disabilities and VR counselors
When individuals with good eyesight begin to lose vision, they often struggle to understand what is happening to them. They may wonder if they will be able to do the activities they used to do. Through these 19 lessons, rehabilitation professionals share tips on how to safely and efficiently complete tasks. Topics range from understanding eye conditions to organizing the closet, from completing tasks in the kitchen to using a computer, and from effective use of low vision to participating in leisure pursuits. Resources, services, and advice provide guidance for making the most of life with limited vision. If you are not a member of the National Library Service, you can also access the lessons on the website: https://www.loc.gov/nls/about/services/braille-audio-reading-download-bard/.
Of particular interest to VR leaders, VR administrators, VR managers, and VR counselors
The National Center on Self-Employment, Business Ownership, and Telecommuting has issued a report identifying ways Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies can enhance business-ownership and self-employment opportunities for people with disabilities, especially those categorized as having the most significant disabilities.
The Center on Self-Employment partnered with The Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement to research and summarize self-employment policies for the 50 States plus the District of Columbia. In total, 73 State VR Agencies were included in this research: 29 Combined VR Agencies, 22 General VR Agencies, and 22 Blind VR Agencies. This paper represents the background and impetus behind the policy review, summarizes the findings, and offers initial considerations and recommendations for state VR policymakers.
The report identified four key opportunities that VR agencies can pursue to increase equitable access to self-employment services, including:
Implementing self-employment tools and guides that allow for more nuanced, individualized exploration of self-employment possibilities, realities and risks.
Ensuring access to technical assistance to identify business concepts, conduct market research and develop business plans as a component of the Individualized Plan for Employment.
Providing training and technical assistance for VR counselors overseeing self-employment cases.
Developing self-employment funding policies that meet federal regulations and better align with those for wage employment services.
Of particular interest to VR counselors, Business Engagement Specialists, and Service Providers
Labor Market Information and the VR Process On-Demand Training Series created by the Center for Innovative Training in Vocational Rehabilitation (CIT-VR). This training is intended for Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors and Business Engagement Specialists working in State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies. Get insights to increase your knowledge and skills using labor market information to assist individuals with disabilities with their career decisions and promote successful employment outcomes.
Training Series Modules:
Module 1: Labor Market Information: What is it and why is it important?
Module 2: Using LMI in the Rehabilitation Counseling Relationship
Module 3: LMI and Counseling Process – Informed Choice and Cultural Considerations
Module 4: Guided Tour of LMI Resources
CRC Credits Available: 2.5 CRC credits. Cost: Free but registration is required.
Of particular interest to individuals with disabilities, VR professionals, businesses, and general audiences
The VR Workforce Studio podcast focuses on individuals with disabilities and stories of employment including training and education and vocational rehabilitation. The podcast and blog celebrate the champions of employment who hire people with disabilities as well as vocational rehabilitation professionals and the work they do to create a path forward to employment for people with disabilities so they can work and lead better lives. VR Workforce Studios has more than 100 published episodes where you can hear the stories of individuals with disabilities, find new NCRTM resources, and learn from disability thought leaders. Catch up today!
Of particular interest to VR counselors, service providers, educators / trainers
Protactile Language Interpreting National Education Program (PLI) (PR Award Number H160D210002) is seeking to increase knowledge and educational opportunities for Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) professionals who work with DeafBlind consumers. PLI is working with a team of VR professionals to develop online education modules that will be available for CRC and CEU credit at no cost. These modules are asynchronous (at your own pace, on your own time), and will be fully accessible.
To ensure that modules meet the needs of VR professionals, PLI has launched a survey to determine the types of community resources that are provided to DeafBlind consumers by various service providers (e.g., vocational rehabilitation counselors, job developers, community advocates) across the United States. The survey gauges service providers’ level of comfort and expertise in providing services and resources to DeafBlind consumers. Participation in this survey will help inform the field about current practices and will indicate if there is a need for additional training for service providers who work with DeafBlind consumers.
Please feel free to share the survey with colleagues who work with DeafBlind consumers in Vocational Rehabilitation settings. Thank you for your time and support.
Of particular interest to individuals with disabilities, VR professionals, businesses, and general audiences
Joining Carol Pankow in the studio for this episode is Cheryl Fuller, VR Division Director with the Texas Workforce Commission and also incoming CSAVR President. They talk about Social Security's VR Cost Reimbursement program, which was authorized in 1981. The purpose of that program is to make State VR services more readily available to SSA beneficiaries with disabilities and to generate savings for the Social Security Trust Fund for SSDI beneficiaries and the General Revenue Fund for SSI recipients.
Learn how the Texas Workforce Commission uses technology and staff to maximize and track Social Security Reimbursements to help support their programs.
The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, which was signed into law in 2021, officially designates Juneteenth as a national holiday. Juneteenth celebrates the events of June 19, 1865, the day on which enslaved Americans in Texas finally received word they were freed from bondage. Due to the distance the message of freedom had to travel and resistance to the overall concept of the freedom of African Americans that was rooted in institutional practices and attitudes toward slavery, these enslaved Americans were unaware of President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which was issued in January 1863. Juneteenth was a pivotal moment in the history of this country and the history of African Americans. It is a day to celebrate the resilience, joy, and progress of those who were enslaved, as well as their descendants’ continued contributions to our nation.
A Proclamation on Juneteenth Day of Observance, 2021, President Joseph Biden, June 18, 2021:
"On Juneteenth, we recommit ourselves to the work of equity, equality, and justice. And, we celebrate the centuries of struggle, courage, and hope that have brought us to this time of progress and possibility. That work has been led throughout our history by abolitionists and educators, civil rights advocates and lawyers, courageous activists and trade unionists, public officials, and everyday Americans who have helped make real the ideals of our founding documents for all."
June is National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month. PTSD is a mental health condition that some people may develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, such as combat, an accident, a disaster, or an assault. Recent events like the COVID pandemic and episodes of violence in the community could trigger PTSD. PTSD can be a disabling mental health condition for some individuals and it can affect many areas of life. The resources below are listed to help overcome misconceptions about PTSD and to increase awareness of resources available.
The BreatheWell app for Android watches, designed with assistance from the NIDILRR-funded App Factory, assists people with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and PTSD in managing stress through diaphragmatic breathing.
The National Center for PTSD has curated a collection of apps for self-help, treatment companions, and other related issues.
The NARIC collection includes a factsheet, originally published by the AbleData project, describing even more apps for managing PTSD symptoms.
This newsletter includes some acronyms for RSA-funded Technical Assistance Centers and other grantee offerings. Links to these centers are included in the “RSA-Funded Assistance and Other Resources” section of the NCRTM.
The National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation Training Materials (NCRTM) is maintained by New Editions Consulting, Inc. and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), under Contract No.91990021C0033. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.