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NEWSLETTER: DECEMBER 2007
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"A
Systemic Approach to Arming Students and Job Seekers with Disabilities and
their Advocates in Securing Meaningful Employment"
by Olegario D. Cantos
VII, Esq.
Footnotes to the feature Article (link above)
[1] See
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/disability/sipp/disable02.html. More
recent data on the characteristics of those with a disability are available
from the American Community Survey, though these statistics are based on a
less detailed set of questions. For more information on the American
Community Survey, see
http://factfinder.census.gov.
[2] See the National Association of Governors' Committees on People with
Disabilities:
http://www.nagcpd.com/.
[3] The U.S. Department of Justice does not necessarily endorse the views
expressed or the facts presented on any website or other resource mentioned
in this article that fall outside the federal government. Further, the
Department does not endorse any commercial products that may be advertised
or otherwise available on such sites or through such cited resources.
[4] See "A Brief History of the Disability Movement,"
http://www.vsarts.org/x537.xml.
[5] For a general timeline of pivotal events that led to the rise of the
disability rights movement which itself includes those with physical,
developmental, and psychiatric disabilities, see
http://www.sfsu.edu/%7Ehrdpu/chron.htm.
[6] The U.S. Office of Personal Management has put together a piece entitled
"Working with People with Different Types of Disabilities." See
http://www.opm.gov/disability/appempl_4-09.asp#people_with_invisible.
[7] Throughout the country in communities of every size, organizations known
as "independent living centers" have been formed to serve people with all
types of disabilities and are often most noted for their work in serving
people with physical disabilities. To view a complete list of these
organizations, along with their contact information, visit the website of
the Independent Living Resource Utilization Project at
http://www.ilru.org,
which also lists the Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs) whose
members are appointed by the governor of each state.
[8] A detailed list of local organizations serving those with psychiatric
disabilities may be found at the website of the National Alliance on Mental
Illness (formerly, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) at
http://www.nami.org.
[9] To reach the State Developmental Disabilities Council (or "DD Council")
for each state, visit the website of the National Association of State
Developmental Disabilities Councils at
http://www.nacdd.org.
[10] For information about the nature of learning disabilities, along with
local, state, and national resources that may assist people with learning
disabilities and their families, see
http://www.ldonline.org.
[11] 29 C.F.R. Parts 1630, 1602.
[12] An individual with a disability is defined by the Act as a person who
has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more
major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an
impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an
impairment. The Act does not specifically name all of the impairments that
are covered.
[13]
http://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm#anchor62335.
[14] See
http://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm#anchor65610.
[15] See
http://www.dbtac.vcu.edu/.
[16] See
http://www.rileyguide.com/assess.html.
[17] See
http://www.quintcareers.com/career_assessment.html.
[18] See
http://www.geocities.com/lifexplore/mbcareer.htm. Also see
http://www.personalitypage.com/careers.html.
[19] For a youth-oriented discussion on removal of attitudinal barriers to
equal treatment, which would also be of interest to job placement
professionals, visit
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/resources_&_Publications/disability_Basics/attitudinal_barriers.html.
[20] Students with disabilities in high school may gain invaluable insight
by learning the ways of leadership through direct exposure to role models
with different types of disabilities via a three- to five-day event called a
Youth Leadership Forum. These are organized in many states. For the
Association of Youth Leadership Forums, see
http://www.montanaylf.org/?p=aylf. Youth in post-secondary settings may
become involved in the National Youth Leadership Network. See
http://www.nyln.org.
[21] See
http://www.washington.edu/doit/Resources/role_model.html.
[22] With support from the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the
U.S. Department of Labor, InfoUse.com produced an interactive CD-ROM
entitled "Open Futures: Role Models for Youth with Disabilities" which
profiles everyday people with different types of disabilities, pursuing
different types of careers. See
http://www.infouse.com/openfutures/cd_overview.html.
[23] The American Bar Association Commission on Mental and Physical
Disability Rights Law offers a mentoring program for law students and has
also produced a report, detailing the present status of employment of people
with disabilities in the legal profession. See
http://www.abanet.org/disability/.
[24] The National Association for the Advancement of Science has established
"Entry Point," a program designed to recruit people with disabilities into
science and related fields. See
http://ehrweb.aaas.org/entrypoint/. The
National Federation of the Blind has engaged in efforts most particularly
for students who are blind or visually impaired. See
http://www.BlindScience.org.
[25] Advocates should note that, at the federal level, under Executive Order
13330 which established the Interagency Coordinating Council on
Transportation and Mobility in February 2004, leadership continues to take
place at a national level to provide coordinated human service
transportation for constituencies including senior citizens, low-income
individuals, and persons with disabilities. See
http://www.UnitedWeRide.gov. Also see the National Resource Center on
Human
Service Transportation Coordination at
http://www.canar.org/map/default.asp.
This is important because, as service providers seek to help people with
disabilities to receive the supports they need for gainful employment,
access to transportation is critical.
[26] See
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/resources_&_Publications/guideposts/.
[27] See
http://www.dropoutprevention.org/effstrat/default.htm.
[28] Non-profit organizations that operate career-oriented mentoring
programs may benefit substantially from ensuring that these programs also
serve individuals with disabilities. See
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/resources_&_Publications/mentoring.html.
[29] See
http://www.dmd-aapd.org.
[30] As an illustration, see the 2006 Proclamation by the President at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/10/20061003-7.html.
[31] See
http://www.dol.gov/odep/categories/youth/career.htm.
[32] See the National Service Inclusion Project of the Institute for
Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts, Boston:
http://nationalserviceresources.org/resources/tta/university_mass.php.
[33] See
http://www.ssa.gov.
[34] See
http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/edi/disabilitystatistics/StatusReports/2005-html/2005-StatusReports_US.html?CFID=22539169&CFTOKEN=64997919#employment.
[35] See
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityresearch/workincentives.htm.
[36] See
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityresearch/wi/detailedinfo.htm.
[37] Id.
[38] See
http://www.medicare.gov/.
[39] Id. at Note 31.
[40] In July 2005, along with the Office on Disability of the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, the Surgeon General for the first
time in history issued a Call to Action to Improve the Health and Wellness
of People with Disabilities. The following year, a "People's Piece" was
issued to assist in knowing how to make this more of a reality. See
http://www.hhs.gov/od.
[41] See
http://www.doleta.gov/. This page also discusses the awarding of
millions of dollars in grants to expand the Disability Program Navigator
effort to serve job seekers with disabilities.
[42] See the One-Stop Toolkit for Serving People with Disabilities:
http://www.onestoptoolkit.org/.
[43] See
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/work/ServiceProviders/WIPADirectory.html#service.
[44] See
http://www.disabilitybenefits101.org/planning/(S(m4egvevwocgutmqoq3g1sbav))/index.aspx.
[45] See
http://www.USAJobs.gov. Each federal agency also has internal
websites posting current job vacancies.
[46] See
http://www.opm.gov/disability/appointment_disabilities.asp.
[47] See
http://www.opm.gov/disability.
[48] See 5 C.F.R. Part 213.3102(u):
http://www.opm.gov/fedregis/2006/71-072606-42246-a.htm.
[49] The term "mental retardation" is used instead of "cognitive
disability," "developmental disability," or "intellectual disability,"
because it is the official terminology used in the authorized Executive
Order 12215, dated March 15, 1979. See Id. at Note 48.
[50] To view a national directory of state vocational rehabilitation
agencies, see
http://www.jan.wvu.edu/SBSES/VOCREHAB.htm.
[51] Id. at Note 49.
[52] See
http://www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vetsinfo.asp#Special.
[53] See
http://www.va.gov.
[54] See
http://www.vetsuccess.gov/.
[55] See
http://www.vetbiz.gov.
[56] For a useful Question and Answer document for hiring managers within
the federal government, see
http://www.opm.gov/disability/appointment_disabilities.asp.
[57] An online directory of Selective Placement Program Coordinators in
every state as submitted by agencies to the U.S. Office of Personnel
Management may be found at
http://apps.opm.gov/sppc_directory/. Any
information found either to be inaccurate or out of date should be brought
to the attention of Kitty Kobert at
Kitty.Kobert@opm.gov.
[58] See
http://www.eeoc.gov/press/10-4-06.html.
[59] The Consortium is led by a steering committee, currently comprised of
four co-equal agencies: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Jennifer Croft -
JCroft@doc.gov), U.S. Department of Labor (Akinyemi Banjo -
Banjo.Akinyemi@dol.gov), U.S. Department of Transportation (Alison Levy
-
Alison.Levy@dot.gov), and U.S. Department of the Treasury (Jay Young -
Jay.Young@occ.treas.gov).
[60] See
http://www.Guidestar.org.
[61] See
http://salaries.com.33496.fb.dbbsrv.com/.
[62] To locate a national registry of certified sign language interpreters,
located in communities around the country, see
http://www.rid.org.
[63] See
http://www.ada.gov/taxpack.htm.
[64] See
http://www.boozallen.com/about/article/16575149.
[65] See
http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/ek00/small.htm. Also see
http://www.smallbusinessnotes.com/interests/disabled.html.
[66] See
http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/ODEP2003858.htm.
[67] See the homepage of the U.S. Business Leadership Network, a national
organization of for-profit businesses that is committed to doing its part to
remove physical, programmatic, and attitudinal barriers to full
participation by people with disabilities based on the business case for
marketing to and serving the disability community:
http://www.usbln.org.
[68] See
http://www.start-up-usa.biz.
[69] Material contained in this paragraph was based on a brief entitled
"Increasing Placement through Professional Networking - Institute Brief
Issue No. 23," put together by the Institute for Community Inclusion at the
University of Massachusetts, Boston. See
http://communityinclusion.org/article.php?article_id=209&staff_id=123.
[70] The Network on Employment, formerly the Association for Persons in
Supported Employment, was established to improve and expand integrated
employment opportunities, services, and outcomes for people with
disabilities. See
http://www.apse.org.
[71] See
http://aidtac.ruralinstitute.umt.edu. Also, for a directory of
Native American vocational rehabilitation programs nationwide, see
http://www.canar.org/map/default.asp.
[72] See
http://www.proyectovision.net.
[73] See
http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/frc_afrc.htm.
[74] See
http://www.ntac.hawaii.edu.
[75] See
http://www.jan.wvu.edu/media/JANFacts.html.
[76] See
http://www.jan.wvu.edu.
[77] See
http://www.vetsuccess.gov/.
[78] The U.S. Department of Defense, in addition to its extensive work in
supporting its own employees with disabilities, has formed
Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP) partnerships with the
following agencies from the executive branch of the federal government
seeking to maximize opportunities for their own employees with disabilities
to compete effectively in the workplace. These agencies include components
within the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, the Interior, Energy,
Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Justice, Labor, State,
Transportation, the Treasury, and Veterans Affairs. The partnership also
includes many non-cabinet level agencies which include but are not limited
to the Access Board (Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance
Board), African Development Foundation, Agency for International
Development, American Battle Monuments Commission, Committee For Purchase
From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, Commodity Futures Trading
Commission, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Corporation for National and
Community Service, Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the
District of Columbia, Environmental Protection Agency, Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission, Executive Office of the President, Export- Import
Bank of the United States, Farm Credit Administration, Federal
Communications Commission, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, Federal Housing Finance Board, Federal Labor
Relations Authority, Federal Maritime Commission, Federal Mine Safety and
Health Review Commission, Federal Trade Commission, General Services
Administration, Holocaust Memorial Museum, Institute of Museum and Library
Sciences, International Broadcasting Bureau, International Trade Commission,
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, National Aeronautics and
Space Administration, National Archives and Records Administration, National
Council on Disability, National Credit Union Administration, National
Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Labor
Relations Board, National Indian Gaming Commission, National Science
Foundation, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Occupational Safety and Health
Review Commission, Office of Government Ethics, Office of Personnel
Management, Office of Special Counsel, Overseas Private Investment
Corporation, Peace Corps, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, Railroad
Retirement Board, Securities and Exchange Commission, Selective Service
System, Small Business Administration, Smithsonian Institution, Surface
Transportation Board, and Trade and Development Agency.
[79] In order to facilitate greater coordination between offices for
students with disabilities and career services offices, Career Opportunities
for Students with Disabilities was founded to centralize best practices,
exchange information and ideas, and spawn greater opportunity for people
with disabilities to participate in the economic lives of their communities.
See
http://www.cosdonline.org.
[80] As an illustration, on October 28, 2007, The Washington Post
highlighted the fact that students with autism and other disabilities may
succeed in a college setting. To view the article entitled "Providing the
Structure the Autistic Need for College Life," which spotlights College
Living Experience, see
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/28/AR2007102801501.html.
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