Skip Navigation

Wisconsin Disability Benefits Network Newsletter For Your Benefits

Issue 1, Vol 1, August, 2007

This newsletter highlights navigator news and happenings as well as offering tools, information and resources on navigating employment programs and services for people with disabilities. Contact Theresa Kulow at kulow@eri-wi.org with your ideas, articles, comments or suggestions.


DPN Calendar:

August Quarterly Meeting Details:
Meeting Location:
The meeting will be held at the new Brown County Job Center from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Download an agenda.

Brown County Job Center
701 Cherry Street
Green Bay, WI 54301
920-448-6760
TTY 920-448-6468
www.browncountyjobcenter.org

Hotel:
Following is a hotel near the meeting location. They do offer the state rate $62 single and $82 double. Please call to make your reservations today.

Regency Suites
Green Bay-City Centre
333 Main St.
Green Bay, WI, 54301
Phone: (920) 432-4555
Toll-Free: (800) 236-3330

For more information or to get directions, visit them online at www.regencygb.com.


Glenn's Update: Brain Droppings from the Overlord

OK, I am the original Navigator Overlord and even the Feds get a kick out of it; as for Brain Droppings – I stole that from George Carlin – Theresa was kind enough to give me section of the newsletter. I thought I would use the moment for a stream of consciousness to share with you. Thoughts and other points. I thought I would start with the story we started with 4 years ago at the kick off meeting for Navs and with all of the confusion is very appropriate today:

A story comes to mind about arguably one of the greatest geniuses of our time, Albert Einstein. One day Albert was riding on a Pennsylvania Railroad train. The conductor had just entered his car to punch tickets. The sight of the conductor cued Albert to reach in his pocket for his ticket, but his ticket was not there. Albert reached for his overcoat, searching all of the pockets and still no sign of his ticket.

He stood up in the aisle and began patting his pockets like he was doing the Macarena but to no avail. He frantically reached for his luggage and began tossing his clothing all around the train.

Finally the conductor reached him and attempted to rectify the situation by soothing the stressed genius and stated "Mr. Einstein please don't worry about your ticket. I am sure the administrators of the Pennsylvania Railroad will trust a man of your stature to pay for your ticket at the first opportunity."

Albert looked at the conductor with a frantic look and replied, "You don't understand my good man, and I need to locate my ticket because I don't know where I am going." So, if you don't know where you're going at times, take comfort that you are in the company of a genius.

For those who like a shorter version on "where things are going" we have from baseball great Yogi Berra, "If you don't know where you are going, you will surely end up someplace else."

Other thoughts:

National Update:

On our last conference call and as Glenn mentioned above, on the Federal level, the role of the Navigator is to include "Integrated Resource Teams". We plan to discuss this evolving idea at our quarterly meeting; but if you are interested in reading about it from the source, you can find a copy of the powerpoint shared about the navigators on a recent national conference call: http://www.onestoptoolkit.org/dpn.cfm.

Navigator Demonstration: The DOL and SSA Vision
Power Point Presentation outlining the US Department of Labor (DOL) and the Social Security Administration's (SSA) vision of the jointly funded Disability Program Navigator Initiative. The Disability Program Navigator helps people with disabilities "navigate" through the enormous challenges of seeking work. DOL and SSA have established the Disability Program Navigator initiative to better inform beneficiaries and other individuals with disabilities about the work support programs now available at DOL-funded One-Stop Career Centers.

Role of the DPN and the WIRED Framework
Power Point Presentation outlining the role of the Disability Program Navigator in the support of the US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration's Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) Initiative. WIRED integrates economic and workforce development activities and demonstrates that talent development can drive economic transformation in regional economies across the country.

What Do You Think...Exclusive Navigator Poll

Part 1:

Are you perceived as the "go-to" person in the job centers for questions regarding social security and other public benefits?

Part 2:

If yes, which issues come up most often?



ODEP Releases Video on Employment Solutions for Small Business

More than 18 million people with disabilities are currently employed in America's workforce. In a video titled How to Improve ROI: Employment Solutions for Small Business, three small business owners discuss how they tapped into this valuable employment resource pool and increased their return on investment. The video features a round table discussion with employers discussing how they have saved time and money by including employees with disabilities in their companies. You can access this ten minute video on the ODEP website at: http://www.dol.gov/odep/newfreedom/coc2007/videos.htm

Report: Neglected or Hidden: Connecting Employers and People with Disabilities

Check out this interesting Canadian Abilities Foundation (CAF) report on a nation-wide Neglected or Hidden research project to determine why employment continues to be an elusive dream for tens of thousands of Canadians with disabilities. The Foundation felt that a better understanding of the overall employment-related challenges facing people with disabilities, and how to overcome them, would positively influence their employment levels. Employers would be able to tap into a new wealth of human capital, while increased employment would reduce the strain on the limited financial resources available to the community organizations that provide employment-related services to people with disabilities. As a side benefit, governments would experience a reduced dependence on various "safety net" programs used by unemployed people with disabilities. Should savings in this are be passed along to taxpayers, they too would benefit from this increased employment.

The Foundation identified four key questions that if felt needed answers before employment levels amongst job seekers with disabilities would move in a positive direction:

  1. How can employers more readily find the tens of thousands of people with disabilities who are presently seeking employment?
  2. Why are people with disabilities not responding to employment solicitations, or even to offers of skills upgrading that would lead to virtually guaranteed employment?
  3. Why are employers unable to attract qualified workers with disabilities?
  4. Are solicitations targeting workers with disabilities reaching their mark, and if not, what needs to change?

Download a copy of the entire report: Connecting Employers and People with Disabilities (pdf)

October: National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Image of poster entitled: Workers with disabilities: Talent for a Winning Team.Congress designated each October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). The Office of Disability Employment Policy has the lead in planning NDEAM activities and materials to increase the public's awareness of the contributions and skills of American workers with disabilities. Various programs carried out throughout the month also highlight the specific employment barriers that still need to be addressed and removed.

This effort to educate the American public about issues related to disability and employment actually began in 1945, when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." In 1962, the word "physically" was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to "National Disability Employment Awareness Month."

Websites:

Disability Mentoring Day: October 17, 2007

Disability Mentoring Day is a nationwide effort to promote career development for students with disabilities through hands-on career exploration.

What is Disability Mentoring Day? Students with disabilities (mentees) are matched with workplace mentors according to expressed career interests. Mentees experience a typical day on the job and learn how to prepare to enter the world of work. Employers gain an increased awareness that people with disabilities represent an overlooked talent pool. Disability Mentoring Day is a program of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD).

Background
Disability Mentoring Day began in 1999 with fewer than three-dozen student participants as part of a White House effort to increase the profile of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), celebrated every October. In 2005, 9,000 youth with disabilities participated nationally and in 20 international locations. They were mentored by more than 2,000 private, non-profit, governmental, and educational organizations.

What are the goals of Disability Mentoring Day?

Who participates?
Employers (private, non-profit, government, educational), students with disabilities, and educators participate in Disability Mentoring Day.

Websites:

Ideas: Include a Blurb in local Newsletters: Disability Mentoring Day, October 17, 2007

This is a nationwide event, promoting career development for students and young adult job seekers with disabilities through shadowing and hands on career exploration. Young people will be matched with a business that suits their interests and career goals to spend a portion of the day in a mentoring relationship. For more information about this event, please contact [insert your contact information].

How Do I... Comply with Disability Law (Part 1)

Source: Washingtonpost.com

Many owners of very small businesses erroneously believe that they are exempt from complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Part of the confusion stems from the law's requirements that a firm with 15 or more employees must take special measures to accommodate its disabled employees, but a business of any size must provide good public accessibility for disabled customers.

"The important thing for small businesses to understand is that there is no 'safe harbor' provision when it comes to public accommodation for the disabled," said Elizabeth Gaudio, senior executive counsel with the National Federation of Independent Business Legal Foundation.

The law is more flexible if a firm is housed in a building built before January 1993. "Those facilities don't have to necessarily match up with every requirement in the ADA, but they do have to remove architectural barriers to allow access to the disabled," said Gaudio. For post-1993 buildings, the ADA requirements are stricter.

An ice cream shop with five employees that sits next door to a large department store with hundreds of employees each must follow the same requirements to widen a doorway, offer "curb cuts" into a sidewalk allowing easy maneuverability for wheels or offer a handicapped-accessible public restroom, for example.

The law's requirements to make accessing public buildings easier for the disabled are a bit nebulous, Gaudio notes. "It says that barrier removal should be 'easily accomplishable without much difficulty or expense' and that's open to interpretation. It's not clear what is 'too expensive.'"

Gaudio also suggests that small business owners include language in their lease that would require their landlord, building owner or property manager to assume responsibility, where feasible, for ensuring that space obligations had been met under the ADA.

"The law holds the business owner and the building owner equally responsible [for ADA compliance]," said Gaudio. "There's no 'I'm-the-tenant defense'."

A small shop in a strip mall, for example, generally has no control over whether there are handicap spots available, where there are curb cuts and if there's sufficient lighting in the parking lot. "It's important that an exterior of a shop is up to code because someone could come along and sue every tenant in that strip mall," said Gaudio. A business owner should make sure that the landlord or property manager has the exterior covered because the business owner is probably only allowed to make modifications to the interior of a store.

"If you do any sort of modifications, make sure you cover ADA compliance with your architect or contractor," said Gaudio. She notes that while most city or municipal codes incorporate ADA requirements, a business owner shouldn't assume that. It should be a red flag to a proprietor if their contractor or architect isn't familiar with ADA building code.

For general information on compliance, Gaudio recommends this brochure published by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Small Business Administration: The ADA Guide for Small Businesses (pdf).

The Justice Department also offers a 13-minute video designed to identify common mistakes that small businesses make when trying to comply with the ADA and a host of information on its ADA Web site, including a list of contact numbers for federal agencies and other groups offering information about ADA understanding and compliance.

How Do I ... Comply With Disability Law (Part II)

There are two tax incentives to help businesses comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act -- a credit and a deduction.

The tax credit can only be used by small businesses, which the Internal Revenue Service says is one that has fewer than 30 employees or has grossed less than $1 million over the past year. Even if a business grows to $3 million but has only 20 employees, it will still qualify, according to attorney Elizabeth Gaudio who specializes in disability issues. If a firm grossed less than $1 million but has 40 employees, it also would meet the standards.

The IRS allows a small firm to get a credit for 50 percent of its costs related to ADA compliance for any total over $250. For every $1 over $250 a small firm spends on disability compliance, it gets a return of 50 cents. For example, if a clothing store had a wheelchair-accessible ramp installed for $2,000, it would get a credit of $1,000 from the IRS. If a restaurant spends $6,000 on Braille menus, it would get a credit of $3,000. The maximum amount a business can get back for tax year 2007 is $5,000.

The deduction can be used by a business of any size, said Gaudio, who serves as senior executive counsel to the National Federation of Independent Business Legal Foundation.

Any firm can take a deduction of up to $15,000 on all costs related to removing physical obstacles to the disabled. For example, widening doors, installing handrails or putting wheelchair lifts on delivery vans are all improvements that would be considered deductible under this provision.

A company can expense up to $15,000 related to ADA compliance in lieu of putting these costs in the depreciated or capitalized tax filing column, she said.

The U.S. Justice Department offers a tax packet outlining incentives designed to help small businesses comply with the ADA. Many states also offer additional incentives like tax deductions for helping disabled individuals. Check with an accountant for more specifics on exactly which renovations fall under the IRS deduction or for details on state incentives.

Gaudio said that there's no guarantee that any renovations or modifications to a business will guard it against an "unscrupulous plaintiff." However, concerted efforts to be ADA compliant will only aid a small business in its defense and in its reception by the community, she said. Unfortunately, the law does not require that somebody provide notice to the firm before filing a lawsuit.

 

Navigator Recommendations

The following resources have been recommended by other Navigators...check them out! Thanks everyone for forwarding these resources.

Vocational Information Center • http://www.khake.com/page3.html

Explore links to workplace skills, personal skills, life skills, math skills and study skills. Communication skills including resume writing, report writing, grammar, interviewing, speaking and presenting are found on the Communication Skills page. Online learning and free tutorial resources are found on Online Tutorial Resources.

The Abilities Fund • http://www.abilitiesfund.org/

The Abilities Fund, together with a national lending partner, will launch a nationwide direct loan program for entrepreneurs with disabilities. In 45 states, loan guarantees will also be available to as a means to secure loans for entrepreneurs. Flexible terms and competitive interest rates for microloans ranging from $500 - $25,000 will be offered.

In support of new microlending services, The Abilities Fund will be expanding its online presence to include training and technical assistance. Soon, people with disabilities nationwide will have 24-hour access to features such as Feasibility First ©, business plan development, and financial planning for business startup -- all of which are resources designed to prepare entrepreneurs with disabilities for self-employment.

Microsoft Accessibility Newsletter •http://www.microsoft.com/enable/news/newsletter/aug07.aspx

Check out the latest Microsoft software accessibility news by reading or subscribing to their email newsletter.

AARP FOUNDATION WOMEN'S SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Helping Women 40+ Discover New Lives and New Futures • www.aarp.org/womensscholarship

Mature workers are important and largely untapped resources who have much to offer – not only to businesses, but to the nation. The AARP Foundation is dedicated to creating new opportunities for individuals to re-enter the workforce or obtain better employment so that they will be more financially secure in the second half of life. New job opportunities, however, often require additional skills, time and money. The right education and training can sometimes be out-of-reach, especially for individuals with limited financial resources. While many individuals benefit from the work of the AARP Foundation, research shows that women are disproportionately at risk of having insufficient resources in the second half of their lives due to lower earnings and different work patterns. The AARP Foundation has established the Women's Scholarship Program to help women 40+ overcome financial and employment barriers by allowing them to participate in education and training opportunities they could not otherwise afford.

Federal Register Updates on SSI Payments • Download the notice (pdf)

Federal Register included an announcement that may be of interest to you or you may want to share with others who may be interested. SSA has issued interim final regulations that provide: "a temporary modification to the procedures we follow in the administrative law judge (ALJ) hearings process in claims for Social Security disability benefits or SSI payments." Basically, it would reduce the number of disputed claims going to hearing by allowing attorney advisors, under managerial oversight, to conduct certain pre-hearing proceedings to help develop claims, and issue fully favorable decisions in appropriate claims before a hearing is conducted. So people could be found eligible for benefits faster.

Training & Education Events


Boost Your Benefits Knowledge

No cost for Navigators.

Are you the go to person in your area for questions about employment or health benefits? If you are interested in bolstering your knowledge about social security, employment and other benefit knowledge, plan to attend the upcoming Disability Benefit Specialist Quarterly Meeting on September 19 in Madison. The meeting will take place at the State Bar of Wisconsin Center. The Quarterly meeting is a full day event from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The following topics are on the agenda:

Get more information or register to attend.

WDBN Benefit Specialist Initial Training

No cost for Navigators.

If you work with or are planning to work with people with disabilities regarding their social security, health care or other benefit related questions, the WDBN Benefits Specialist training program is for you.

Covering Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday over a three-week period. Single day registration options are available.

Full Training: Includes nine all-inclusive training days. Talk about getting it all in one-stop, this full training is the best option to fill your toolbox with all the resources and information you need to provide comprehensive benefit knowledge. The full training makes you eligible to attend future and follow-up trainings at no cost; eligible to receive continuing onsite consultation and technical assistance from ERI benefit experts; and eligible for future distance learning opportunities.

5-Day Training: Get a crash course in Title II Benefits, SSI State Supplements, Work Incentives, and other Social Security topics by attending the first 5 days.

Individual Day Training:

This comprehensive introductory training will cover a variety of benefit related topics including an overview of the Social Security Administration, Title II Benefits, SSI State Supplements, Work Incentives, Medicare, Medicaid, MA Purchase Plan (MAPP), HIPAA/COBRA, Subsidized Housing, Plan for Achieving Self Support (PASS), and many other essentials to benefit planning and analysis.

Get more information or register to attend.

New Navigator Training

As part of ongoing technical assistance activities, the Law, Health Policy, and Disability Center (LHPDC) of the University of Iowa's College of Law, the national TA and Evaluation Provider to the Disability Program Navigator Initiative, will be hosting audio-conference calls to provide orientation and training assistance: The material covered in the audio-conference calls complements and builds upon each other.

At the end of August, LHPDC will offer two audio-conferences directed towards NEW Navigators. The first audio-conference will cover information on the Disability Program Navigator Checklist; a strategic guide developed to assist new Navigators in learning their role and guiding their systems change activities within the One-Stop System. The second audio-conference will be on "The Navigator Experience" which will be moderated by Michael Morris, Director of LHPDC TA, and will feature three previous Navigators (now part of the LHPDC team), who will respond to questions of the moderator and audience regarding their experience as a Navigator: Challenges and Opportunities.

Dates:

If you are interested in attending, please contact Theresa Kulow (kulow@eri-wi.org or 608-246-3444 x224)

Wisconsin Assistive Technology (AT) Transition Workgroup

The Wisconsin Assistive Technology (AT) Transition Workgroup announces three, regional workshops on Assistive Technology & Transition Planning for High School to Post-secondary to Employment. Workshops will be held at Northcentral Technical College in Wausau on Tuesday, September 25th; Madison Area Technical College (Truax Campus) on Friday, October 5th; and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Friday, November 9th. The workshops are free and lunch will be provided. Funding for this program is being provided by Wisconsin's Medicaid Infrastructure Grant.

The target audience for this program is special educators, transition specialists, counselors working in disability services offices, rehabilitation counselors, and others who work with students who have disabilities and are making a transition in their lives. The workshops will include sessions on how to use AT for testing accommodations, work experience and workplace accommodations, the latest in digital technology and successful transition stories from students who use AT. Please see the attached agenda for more details. Also attached is information on the locations for each workshop and the registration form. Registration will be limited to the first 50 people at each site.

Each site has a contact person for registration. Please direct registration questions to the appropriate contact person on the attached registration form. If you have questions about the content of the workshops, please contact Samantha Ninnemann at ninnesl@dhfs.state.wi.us or by phone at 608-266-5209. Registration forms and information can also be downloaded from the WisTech website at http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/disabilities/wistech/ATevents.htm. We are not able to accept online registration, but links to the registration form, agenda and site information are available on the site.

Friday Fundamentals

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development will present another series of educational audio conferences. Sessions are open to the public and held at WisLine sites in all Wisconsin counties. These interactive sessions in 2007-2008 provide basic information about these laws

Information about this program can be found at: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/frifund.htm

Wisconsin Association of Persons in Supported Employment (APSE) Annual Conference

If you are a supporter of integrated community employment for people with disabilities and you want to learn cutting edge information on best practices, don't miss the Wisconsin Association of Persons in Supported Employment (APSE) Annual Conference. The conference is being held October 3-5 at the beautiful Osthoff Resort in Elkart Lake.

Register by Sept 21st and book your hotel room by Sept 2nd to avoid disappointment. Don't miss hearing two internationally acclaimed speakers: Michael Callahan and Elisabeth Harney. Brochure, registration form and awards nomination forms are also available at www.wiapse.org.

Seminars on Behavioral Disorders Commonly Encountered in Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities: ADD/ADHD and Autism

EP LiveOnline & a joint venture of Exceptional Parent Magazine and Vemics, Inc. is proud to announce a new series of interactive online seminars specifically for Military Medical Personnel, Civilian Health Care Professionals, Families and Caregivers.

This FREE 4 part series, entitled "Behavioral Disorders Commonly Encountered in Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities:ADD/ADHD and Autism" begins on September 12th, 2007 at 7pm.

CME Category 1 Accreditation for physicians only: Provided at no cost To participants who qualify. Click here for to register: http://www.epliveonline.org/military-prglist.html

WorkSource Wisconsin "The Employers Guide to Disability and Employment"

Topics:

Date & Time: September 27th, 8:00 a. m. – 12:00 p. m.
Location: Holiday Inn-Campus Area
Northwoods Room
2703 Craig Road
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Cost: No fee. This training is sponsored by WorkSource Wisconsin, UW-Stout, and Department of Health and Family Services Pathways to Independence.
Contact: Charlie George
WorkSource Wisconsin
1-866-460-9602 or email: employment-specialist@worksourcewi.com
Link: http://worksourcewi.com/index.html

10th Annual US Business Leadership Network (BLN) Conference: Building the New Workforce Inclusion and Innovation

Buena Vista Palace and Spa
Orlando, Florida
September 24-26, 2007
http://www.newworkforceconference.org

The 2007 conference, "Building the New Workforce - Inclusion and Innovation" is the preeminent national event for business, community leaders and BLN chapters that have an interest in hiring, retention and marketing to people with disabilities. This year's event promises to provide informational and educational opportunities of the highest quality.

2007 National Equal Opportunity Professional Development Forum—Equal Opportunity: Reflecting on the Past, Focusing on the Present, Preparing for the Future

U.S. Department of Labor Civil Rights Center,
Hyatt Regency, Capitol Hill
Washington, DC
September 12-14, 2007
www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/crc

USBLN Annual Conference

The USBLN (Business Leadership Network) is conducting its Annual Conference in Orlando on September 23-26, 2007. This year's conference is being held at the Hotel Buena Vista Resort located at 1900 Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830. We have secured discounted hotel rooms for you, but our block will expire soon! Please call reservations at 1-866-397-6516 today to reserve your room for the conference. In addition, we've conveniently established an online reservations link. Find out more about the conference agenda by visiting their website at http://www.newworkforceconference.org/registration.html

| Back to Top |