More than $20 million is headed to states to expand a program designed to help people with disabilities gain a foothold in the workplace.
Officials at the U.S. Department of Labor said the new funding announced this week will establish the so-called “Disability Employment Initiative” in seven new states — Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Rhode Island.
The federal program — which is already in place in 16 states — offers grants to enhance training and educational opportunities for youth and adults with disabilities who are unemployed, underemployed or receiving Social Security benefits.
With the funding, states are encouraged to increase collaboration among multiple programs including vocational rehabilitation, developmental disability agencies and independent living centers in order to help ensure the best outcomes for those with disabilities seeking employment.
“Everyone should have the opportunity to contribute to today’s workforce,” said Kathy Martinez, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy. “Enhancing the workforce system’s ability to provide effective coordinated and collaborative service delivery will help to ensure that people with disabilities have access to the employment training and supports they need to achieve self-sufficiency.”
Each of the seven states added to the program will receive between $1.8 million and $4.8 million.
I think it is great that the state of Florida will be one of the states to get additional funding. However, as an individual who uses a wheelchair and have been through Vocational Rehabilitation in two states; Florida and North Carolina. My concerns are that the monies going to these public and private organizations may end up again being used inappropriately. I am not a huge fan of VR’s as the Counselor in NC told me that I needed to go and volunteer first; this after knowing I had a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Miami, starting a Master’s Degree in Special Education with a focus on individuals with Learning Disabilities and the corolation between them and the incaration rate of these individuals in US Prisons; and lastly after graduation spent four and a half years working for the University of Miami in their support services for people with and without disabilities before moving with family to NC. Now, I did not write all this to toot my own horn but to give an example of individuals with disabilities and the lack of respect from individuals who are supposedly there to help, i.e Vocational Rehab. My experiences with the Vocational Rehabilitation in my area has also not produced much at this point either. Was informed that individuals who were receiving SSDI would automatically be elligible for services. However, I still had to wait the 60 days for the supervisor of VR to inform me that i had a disability and I was elligible for services. Wow, my request was to help me finish my Master’s Degree so that I would be on a competitive level with individuals without disabilities. Counselor was not willing to write that in my plan. Told her from the first time I set foot in her office. Her response was that I had “Transferable” skills??? Okay……Whatever that means in helping me to succeed……..I left VR in Florida and have not been back since. I will finish my Master’s Degree even if it requires me to take one class each semester do to lack of money!!! These are my interactions with VR. I hope to see other comments where VR has been helpful in putting people back to work. :)