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Wisconsin Disability Benefits Network Newsletter For Your Benefits

Issue 1, Vol 1, July 23, 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:

July Conference Call:
More info coming soon! If you cannot attend this meeting please contact Theresa Kulow (kulow@eri-wi.org or 608-246-3444 x224).

August Quarterly Meeting Details:
Meeting Location:
The meeting will be held at the new Brown County Job Center.

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.


Boost Your Benefits Knowledge

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:

If you are interested in attending, please sign up by contacting kulow@eri-wi.org. An agenda and directions to the meeting location will be emailed to all attendees before the meeting.

Job Center Access Surveys Training

During our last conference call, Glenn announced that the ILCs had done some accessibility surveys in the job centers, and reported their findings to the ADA. Unfortunately, this happened 3-4 years ago, and some of the job centers have gone through significant changes during that time.

Although these accessibility surveys are required for job centers and not necessarily for Navigators, they are a useful tool for everyone to use. ERI is coordinating with Robin Jones of the DBTAC to train a cadre of staff to do a WIA188 checklist of what needs to be done at the job centers to make them fully accessible. The final reports will then go to the EO. This will become an annual occurrence once the cadre is trained.

The cadre will consist of at least 3 people, who will be chosen by the Board, DVR and Job Service, and then trained by Robin to evaluate the job centers.

The timeline for the training of the Cadre is by August or September, depending on Robin's availability, and hopefully to have the accessibility surveys done by November and December. Once the surveys have been sent to the EO, it will be no longer the cadre's responsibility to ensure that the recommendations are being met.

DWD will be monitoring the job centers to be sure that the centers are made accessible. ERI will get back to the Navigators about Robin's availability for this training. A memo will be going out to explain this process more in detail as soon as possible.

Online DPN Video Training

Last week , the new DPN training happened in Kansas City. The training seemed overly expensive and not very in depth. Another option for new DPNs in Wisconsin would be to view the videos of some sessions from the original training, which was put out by the University of Iowa. On-line videos, including live training sessions or conference presentations, are available below. Videos are offered in captioned and non-captioned formats. Transcripts and supplemental materials are also available for download. More Information: http://disability.law.uiowa.edu/dpn/video.

Great Lakes In Focus

Employers strive to recruit and hire the most qualified individuals to meet their workforce needs. As the overall eligible workforce shrinks, due in part to members of the baby-boom generation retiring employers will need to seek out new pools from which to recruit qualified employees. One group that employers have not traditionally considered as part of their recruitment target is the disability community.

While some employers have proactively sought opportunities to recruit and hire individuals with disabilities others remain hesitant due to stereotypes and myths regarding hiring someone with a disability. Some of the hesitancy is rooted in the misperceptions employers have about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the requirements it places on employers. Others have not tapped into the pool of potential employees with disabilities due to a lack of knowledge about how or where they can recruit applicants with disabilities or find reliable information about the ADA.

One myth about hiring individuals with disabilities is that the ADA requires employers to hire unqualified individuals. The fact is that the ADA is not an affirmative action law and employers have a right to hire the most qualified applicant. That person may or may not be the individual with a disability. The ADA prohibits an employer from making a hiring decision solely on the basis of whether or not the individual has a disability or will require a reasonable accommodation. In order for an applicant with a disability to be covered by the ADA they must be able to perform the essential functions of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation. If an individual with a disability is unable to do the job tasks with or without a reasonable accommodation then that individual is not qualified.

Another myth about employing someone with a disability is that accommodations for an employee with a disability are costly. In fact, the majority of employees with disabilities don't need accommodations in order to do their jobs'. According to findings from the Job Accommodation Network, a federally funded resource for employers, nearly two-thirds of accommodations cost less than $500 and many accommodations requiring a change in policy or a change in the way in which things are done in the workplace don't have a cost associated with them. In addition, many small employers are eligible for federal tax incentives that can offset the cost of accommodations including making architectural changes and purchasing assistive technologies.

The myth that accommodations are "special privileges" for employees with disabilities persists in many employers minds. In fact, accommodations are only required to provide equal access to the application process, to allow an individual to perform the essential functions of the job or to provide equal access to any benefits associated with the job. The ADA requires equal access to the employment process. It does not require preferential treatment or additional benefits.

There are several federally funded projects and state agencies that provide information on the ADA and can assist employers in recruiting individuals with disabilities. The DBTAC-Great Lakes ADA Center, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, provides free, confidential technical assistance, training and material dissemination on employer responsibilities under the ADA. The Employer Assistance Recruitment Network (EARN,) funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, assists employers in distributing job postings, screening applicants and consultation on hiring individuals with disabilities. The Job Accommodation Network (JAN), funded by the US Department of Labor provides a variety of resources related to hiring and accommodating people with disabilities. Finally, state rehabilitation services provide vocational training to individuals with disabilities and can assist employers in locating qualified individuals and/or assist in identifying accommodations for employees with disabilities.

Recruiting and hiring individuals with disabilities can assist employers in filling job openings with qualified employees that have the skills needed to get the job done. As the nation's largest minority, almost 50 million individuals, people with disabilities contribute to diversity and businesses can benefit by taking steps to ensure individuals with disabilities are part of their workforce and customer base.

Resources:

SELF EMPLOYMENT: Entrepreneur Leadership Network

Start-up USA is a joint program of Virginia Commonwealth University and Griffin-Hammis and Associates, LLC. A primary focus of the project will be to provide technical assistance and disseminate resources nationally to individuals interested in pursuing self-employment. Part of their website, the Entrepreneur Leadership Network, profiles a number of entrepreneurs with disabilities and their businesses. For more information visit www.start-up-usa.biz/eln/eln.cfm.

Meet Our Newest Navigator

In Racine, Meet Laura Terry...

Laura Terry graduated from the University of Wisconsin Parkside with a B.S. degree in Psychology and a certificate in mental health in 2006. As an individual with a disability, she has aspired to work with and be a role model to individuals who have disabilities. She has competed and coached wheelchair sports. She also mentors people with disabilities through volunteer work. As a Disability Program Navigator, Laura's main focuses are helping individuals with disabilities find employment and informing fellow staff members about various disability related issues.

Laura Terry
Workforce Development Center
1717 Taylor Avenue
Racine, WI 53403
262.638.6499
Laura.terry@goracine.org

Download a copy of all of the Navigator Contact Information (WORD).

Resources & Idea Sharing


TextNet

Reported by D.J. Blum (djblum@wctc.edu)
TextNet is a replacement for a TTY machine, and is an internet-based phone system, operating with existing technology. Even people who don't have a TTY can use it – it's inexpensive and comes with training, which is based out of Chicago, and is available for support 24-7. D.J. said that their director would be happy to talk to the DPNs about this equipment. The cost is $100 for one port, plus installation and training fees. The ongoing cost is $120-130 per month for 4 centers. Go to www.textnet.net for more information.

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Share your resources information, and ideas about the October Disability Mentoring Day. Send your thoughts or materials to Theresa at kulow@eri-wi.org. The information will be compiled and shared in the next Navigator Newsletter.
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Training & Education Events


Hispanic/Mexican Culture Workshop for Health Care, Education, Community, & Social Service Providers 2007
presented by Melina Kolbeck
Tuesday, August 14, 2007 8:30 a.m. — 3:30 p.m.
Jefferson Street Inn
201 Jefferson Street
Wausau, WI
Download a copy of the brochure (pdf).

Employer Education Seminar: Worker's Compensation — Understand the Law and Control Costs
Learn to effectively manage Worker's Compensation claims and control costs in partnership with your insurance carrier. Jodie Connor, WC Claim Manager for Wausau Insurance Companies, will present Claims Management, A Working Partnership.

Obtain up-to-date information on Wisconsin's Worker's Compensation law and practical ideas for handling WC claims and presenting evidence at hearings. Jim O'Malley, Director of the Worker's Compensation Bureau of Legal Services, will present Understanding the Principles of the Worker's Compensation Law.

Thursday, August 23, 2007
8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Western Technical College
Academic Resource Center — Room 200A
400 N.7th Street, La Crosse
Continental Breakfast begins at 8:00 a.m.
Seminar begins at 8:30 a.m.

National Council on Disability Quarterly Meeting 2007
The NCD's summer quarterly board meeting will be held July 24-26 at the Crowne Plaza Chicago. During the meeting the NCD is expected to release its ADA Implementation and Impact Study.
July 24-26
Chicago, IL
Crowne Plaza
www.ncd.gov

2007 National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) Annual Conference
The annual conference features a variety of workshops and events focused on ensuring that people with disabilities live independently. This year's Conference will also serve as the 25th Anniversary Celebration for the organization.
July 30-August 2
GRAND HYATT, D.C.
www.ncil.org

Job Accommodation Network (JAN) 2007 Conference
The 2007 JAN conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Alexandria, VA. The annual JAN Conference will cover employment law, innovative employment practices, and disability issues. Visit the JAN web site for information about conference registration and program descriptions.
August 6-7, 2007
Arlington, VA
http://conference.jan.wvu.edu

The Kennedy Center Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability: 2007 Conference and Training
Drawing on national and local resources, the conference will provide an array of opportunities to discuss: issues ranging from physical and programmatic access to ticketing policies and marketing strategies; ideas and learn what has been successful at other arts organizations and cultural institutions; with representatives from the Disability Rights Section of the Department of Justice; best practices and how to develop sound policies.
August 16-19,2007
Minneapolis, MN
www.kennedy-center.org/accessibility/lead/conference.html

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