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Currently displaying 1 - 15 of 986 records.
October 12, 2017 | Blog
I want a job, or two, or three… Can you answer the following question? On a load chart, values above the bold line mean:
October 4, 2017 | Event
Join the Ticket to Work Program on October 25 from 3-4:30 p.m.
October 3, 2017 | Blog
The Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE) shares information on their national effort aimed at shaping attitudes and improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities, and how their work intersects with October being National...
September 27, 2017 | Story
Employment, Health Care, and Policy Update: August 2017
September 27, 2017 | Story
Nancy Boutot is the Manager of Integrated Systems and Cross System Integration for the LEAD Center and Project Manager for Ticket to Work Outreach Support through National Disability Institute (NDI) Consulting.
September 27, 2017 | Story
Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is embracing the new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) legislation to deepen partnerships with education and workforce partners throughout the state.
September 27, 2017 | Story
LEAD Center staff presented and/or exhibited at a number of conferences during the past quarter on strategies and practices to promote employment and economic advancement of youth and adults with disabilities.
September 27, 2017 | Story
This summer, the ABLE National Resource Center (ANRC) launched a month-long public awareness campaign called “#ABLEtoSave.” The national grassroots camp
September 27, 2017 | Story
The official theme of the U.S.
September 27, 2017 | Story
The LEAD Center continues to support the expanding work of the Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADD
September 27, 2017 | Story
The LEAD Center has been providing training nationwide on how all programs and activities that are part of the One-Stop delivery system, including workforce partners, must comply with Section 188, Workforce I
September 27, 2017 | Story
Guided Group Discovery (GGD) curriculum materials, developed by the LEAD Center, offe
September 27, 2017 | Story
LEAD Center is just finishing its fifth year and is proud of its many accomplishments. LEAD Center’s activities are all designed to improve competitive integrated employment and economic self-sufficiency for youth and adults with disabilities.
September 8, 2017 | Event
If you are age 18-64, receive Social Security disability benefits (SSI or SSDI), and want to make more money through work, Ticket to Work can provide the support you need!
August 31, 2017 | Story
Truyven Health Analytics, a division of IBM Watson Health Business, produces annual reports each year of Medicaid long-term services and supports expenditures and how they change over time.
August 31, 2017 | Story
Mathematica Policy Research (MPR) recently released its 2015 Annual Evaluation Report for CMS’s national Money Follows the Person (M
August 31, 2017 | Story
On July 3, 2017, Kentucky submitted an amendment to its Section 1115 waiver proposal,
August 31, 2017 | Story
Kentucky Receives Final Approval for Its HCBS Transition Plan
August 31, 2017 | Story
July 26, 2017 of this year marked the 27th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the nation’s foremost civil rights law for people with disabilities.
August 31, 2017 | Story
The U.S.
August 31, 2017 | Story
The A.J.
August 7, 2017 | Event
Join Social Security's Ticket to Work program on August 23, 3-4:30 p.m. ET, for their next free WISE webinar!
August 3, 2017 | Event
ABLE National Resource Center would like to invite potential ABLE participants, their families, the financial community and all other ABLE stakeholders, to attend a free webinar on Wednesday August 9, from 2:00 – 3:00 EST, focusing on eligibility...
July 26, 2017 | Blog
Rebecca Salon, Project Director for LEAD, shares her perspective on the transformative power of work and reflects on the Americans with Disabilities Act, 27 years after it was signed into law.
July 14, 2017 | Event
If you are age 18-64, receive Social Security disability benefits (SSI or SSDI) and want to make more money through work, Ticket to Work can provide the support that you need!
July 10, 2017 | Resource
Customized employment (CE) refers to competitive integrated employment, for an individual with a significant disability, that is based on an individualized determination of the strengths, needs, and interests of the individual with a significant d
June 29, 2017 | Story
Matthew Shapiro,a young and motivated entrepreneur, established 6 Wheels Consulting in 2014.
June 29, 2017 | Story
The ABLE National Resource Center (ANRC) is a collaborative that brings together the investment, support, and resources of some of the country's most influential national disability organizations to accelerate the design and availability of ABLE a
June 29, 2017 | Story
Last year, the LEAD Center was invited to join a Virginia Statewide WIOA cross-agency partner meeting to address accessibility of the one-stop service delivery system.
June 29, 2017 | Story
Following the 2017 WIOA National Convenings, the WorkforceGPS team compiled additional technical assistance materials and resources, including relev
June 29, 2017 | Story
This spring, the U.S. Department of Labor (US DOL), in collaboration with its Education and Health and Human Services partners, hosted three Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) National Convenings.
June 29, 2017 | Story
This past quarter, the LEAD Center conducted substantial work to educate disability-related stakeholders about how having an ABLE account can assist a person with obtaining and maintaining competitive integ
June 29, 2017 | Story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the LEAD Center recently released materials and resources for use by workforce professionals to implement Guided Group Discovery (GGD), most effectively used through cross-system partnerships.
June 29, 2017 | Story
If you haven’t recently visited the Employment First website, you may have missed three important new resources; this user-friendly website offers comprehensive information on state policies, pu
June 21, 2017 | Resource
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and the LEAD Center are pleased to release resources for Guided Group Discovery which lays the foundation for competitive integrated employment as a Universal...
May 31, 2017 | Story
The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion of Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities (“The Collaborative”) recently released its County Mental Health Administrators’
May 31, 2017 | Story
The Council on Quality and Leadership, an organization dedicated to measuring the quality of community life for people with disabilities, released the results of a
May 31, 2017 | Story
On March 23, 2017, the Henry J.
May 31, 2017 | Story
On April 30, 2017, Congress agreed to a Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 omnibus spending bill that will fund the government through September 2017
May 31, 2017 | Story
On May 9, 2017, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released an Informational Bulletin that extends the compliance deadline for all settings su
May 30, 2017 | Blog
As a way of commemorating Mental Health Awareness Month, the LEAD Center asked Dr. Debra Kissen to outline strategies people with psychiatric and other disabilities can use to maintain or improve their mental health while looking for work.
May 18, 2017 | Event
With over 20 state ABLE programs now open across the country, the ABLE National Resource Center (ANRC) would like to invite potential ABLE participants, their families, and all other ABLE stakeholders, to attend a free webinar on May 24, from 2:00-3...
May 16, 2017 | Event
If you are age 18 through 64, receive Social Security disability benefits (SSI or SSDI), and want to make more money through work, Ticket to Work can provide the support that you need!
May 9, 2017 | Resource
Read the LEAD Center's latest brief: “The ABLE Act and Employment: Strategies for Maximizing the Effectiveness of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act as a Tool for Financial Stability and Employment Outcomes of People with Disabilities...
May 4, 2017 | Event
DEADLINE: MAY 19, 2017 | This online dialogue aims to explore multiple ways that ABLE accounts can be used to advance employment and financial self-sufficiency for youth and adults with disabilities.
April 27, 2017 | Blog
Alex Ghenis, an ABLE account holder, shares his personal experience with ABLE, and how ABLE accounts can provide employment support for people with disabilities.
March 29, 2017 | Story
Employment, Health Care and Disability Policy Update: February 2017
March 29, 2017 | Story
Janet R.
March 29, 2017 | Story
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is an independent agency of the United States government that protects the funds depositors place in banks and savings associations.
March 29, 2017 | Story
On February 28, 2017, the LEAD Center hosted a webinar on What Disability Advocates Need to Know about New WIOA Equal Opportun
March 29, 2017 | Story
On March 2, 2017, LEAD Center Public Policy Co-Chair, Michael Morris, presented and moderated a panel on “Scaling Up for Lasting Change” at the Office of Disability Employment Policy’s
March 29, 2017 | Story
The LEAD Center will soon release a brief titled, “The ABLE Act and Employment: Strategies for Maximizing the Effectiveness of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act as a Tool for Financial Stability and Employment Outcomes of People wi
March 29, 2017 | Story
In October 2016, LEAD Center hosted a three-week National Dialogue on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways, which is one of LEAD Center’s areas of interest.
March 29, 2017 | Story
In 2017, local Equal Opportunity Officers (EOOs) with Missouri’s Division of Workforce Development were charged with collecting results from a new workforce staff assessment on the impact of statewide Section 188 training.
February 27, 2017 | Story
The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) under the Administration on Community Living (ACL) at the U.S.
February 27, 2017 | Story
On December 30, 2016, CMS released guidance to state Medicaid directors on Section 1915(k) of the Social Security Act, also known as the “Community First Choice” state plan option.
February 27, 2017 | Story
The American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) recently released the results of a study, “Eff
February 27, 2017 | Story
Researchers at the Collaborative on Health Reform and Independent Living (CHRIL) have begun a unique study of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA).
February 27, 2017 | Story
The EEOC’s recently released policy guidance titled, “Depression, PTSD, & Other Mental Health Conditions in the Workplace: Your Legal Rights,” which explains the rights tha
February 27, 2017 | Story
State Medicaid agencies are in the process of revising their Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) transition plans, to fully reflect the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
February 27, 2017 | Story
On January 3, 2017, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released its Final Rule, “Affirmat
February 27, 2017 | Story
On January 3, 2017, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released its Final Rule, “Affirmat
February 15, 2017 | Event
Join Ticket to Work on February 22, 2017, for the latest WISE webinar. This webinar will present information on Social Security programs and rules that may apply to you, such as:
February 1, 2017 | Resource
As Employment First gains ground across the nation, shifts in organizational thinking and leadership are needed in order to not only comply with law, but to provide the best services to individuals with disabilities. Cary Griffin, CEO of Grffin-Ha
January 24, 2017 | Resource
What does successful workplace inclusion for people with disabilities look like? An innovative program at Worldport, UPS’s main air sorting hub in Louisville, Kentucky, is game-changing, reframing disability inclusion not only as social...
January 19, 2017 | Resource
This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document addresses the criteria for an integrated employment location within the definition of “competitive integrated employment” in section 7(5)(B) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act), as
January 17, 2017 | Event
If you are age 18 through 64, receive Social Security Disability benefits, and want
December 21, 2016 | Story
Employment, Health Care and Disability Policy Update: November 2016
December 21, 2016 | Story
The Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) is responsible for administering and coordinating programs related to adult education and literacy, career and technical education, and community colleges.
December 21, 2016 | Story
Dr.
December 21, 2016 | Story
To celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) in October, the LEAD Center invited guest bloggers to reflect upon the issue of disability employment and this year's theme of
December 21, 2016 | Story
The LEAD Center continued to have a presence at national, state, and regional conferences this fall.
December 21, 2016 | Story
By January 2017, Missouri’s Division of Workforce Development staff and management will have participated in a new statewide training series highlighting disability under the Section 188 nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of the Wo
December 21, 2016 | Story
On October 31, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released further clarification on how the Integration Mandate of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the subsequent Olmstead v.
December 21, 2016 | Story
In November, LEAD Center posted a Provider Transformation Issue Brief, Transforming Employment Services from Shel
December 21, 2016 | Story
The LEAD Center continues to provide webinars that offer participants the opportunity to interface with national thought leaders, federal representatives, workforce professionals, and subject matter experts about important issues affecting the dis
December 21, 2016 | Story
As part of National Disability Employment Awareness (NDEAM) month in October, the LEAD Center hosted a three-week National Dialogue on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways, in collabora
December 21, 2016 | Story
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is the first legislative reform of the public workforce development system in more than 15 years.
December 14, 2016 | Resource
On December 2, 2016, the Department of Labor (DOL) published in the Federal Register a final rule revising the regulations implementing the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of Section 188 of the Workforce Innovat
November 29, 2016 | Story
October was National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a time during which many people reflect on both the progress that has been made towards the full employment of people with disabilities and the long way that we still have to go.
November 29, 2016 | Story
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released its report “Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports Beneficiaries in 2012,”
November 29, 2016 | Story
On October 31, 2016, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a statement on how the integration mandates of Title II of the Ameri
November 29, 2016 | Story
On November 9, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a Request for Information (RFI) entitled, “Medicaid Program Request for Information (RFI): Federal Government Interventions to Ensure the Provision of Timely and Q
November 7, 2016 | Resource
ODEP’s Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program (EFSLMP) aims to prioritize competitive integrated employment over sheltered work and to transform work centers into competitive integrated employment models as a core element of provider
November 4, 2016 | News
On October 31, the U.S. Department of Justice released guidance on how the Integration Mandate of Title II of the ADA and the Olmstead decision are to be applied to state and local governments’ employment service systems.
November 2, 2016 | Resource
On November 2, 2016, LEAD Center Public Policy Co-Chair and National Disability Institute Executive Director, Michael Morris, led a conference session at the 2016 APSE Regional Institute in Sacramento, Calif.
October 28, 2016 | Blog
For over 35 years, people have known about best practices and evidence-based approaches to support employment for people with intellectual disabilities.
October 26, 2016 | Blog
Inclusion works, and at the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), we can tell you – with research to back it up – that the benefits employers receive from implementing effective workplace accommodations far outweigh the low cost.
October 25, 2016 | Resource
Title IV of WIOA requires that VR agencies include in its State Plan an assurance that it has entered into a formal cooperative agreement with various state agencies. LEAD Center has created a summary of the VR policy framework for cooperative...
October 24, 2016 | Blog
National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is a topic that is important to me on both a professional and personal level.
October 17, 2016 | Blog
I have a deep appreciation for my mom because she always had the courage to stand up for me.
October 11, 2016 | Blog
We may watch television to relax, but watching that screen can also widen our world view.
October 3, 2016 | Event
People with disabilities face many challenges in employment. Anti-discrimination laws are continually evolving and new issues are coming to the fore.
October 3, 2016 | Story
In September, the states of Iowa and Pennsylvania were granted initial approval of their HCBS Transition Plans by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
September 30, 2016 | Story
National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2016
September 30, 2016 | Story
As LEAD Center finishes its fourth year as a national training and technical assistance center, we wanted to provide our top 10 accomplishments in Year 4. They include a focus on:
September 30, 2016 | Story
September 30, 2016 | Story
National Disability Employment Awareness Month is a nationwide campaign observed each October that raises awareness about disability employment issues, celebrates the skills and talents of workers with disabilities, and educates about the value of a...
September 30, 2016 | Story
Communities of Practice (CoPs) align individuals with a shared interest to share common practices, individual experiences, innovative ideas, and experiential knowledge.
September 30, 2016 | Story
On July 27, 2016, the U.S.
September 30, 2016 | Story
The LEAD Center had a presence at three conferences this summer, with a focus on sharing emerging best practices in disability policy.
September 30, 2016 | Story
On August 19, the Departments of Labor (DOL) and Education (ED) collectively published their Joint Final Rule to implement jointly-administered activities authorized under Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
September 30, 2016 | Story
On September 15th, the Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (ACICIEID) released its final report consisting of recommendations o
September 30, 2016 | Story
The Disability and Civil Rights Clinic at Brooklyn Law School recently filed a complaint against two health insurance companies, Group Health Incorporated (GHI) and EmblemHealth.
September 30, 2016 | Story
The Illinois General Assembly recently passed House Bill 6162, or the Employee Sick Leave Act. The Employee Sick
September 30, 2016 | Story
On September 1, 2016, the Texas Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will begin an overhaul that will convert its five agencies providing health and human services into three.
September 30, 2016 | Story
On September 2, 2016, Research on Disability, a coalition of disability-focused research projects at the Institute on Disability and University of New Hampshire, released their latest
September 30, 2016 | Story
The United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) has new regulations revising
September 2, 2016 | Blog
As workers age, they may acquire disabilities, so corporations would be wise to think about cost-effective ways of providing workplace accommodations. What best practices can companies put in place to address the needs of all employees while staying...
September 1, 2016 | Resource
Designed to help a broad audience of government leaders, employees and job seekers, the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government® rankings draw on responses from civil servants to produce a detailed view of employee satisfaction and commitmen
August 30, 2016 | Story
A July 2016 survey by Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health reports that people with disabilities, who are not provided with necessary workplace accommodations and health-related supports in the workplace, are disproportionately likely to...
August 30, 2016 | Story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released a sample notice and FAQs that may assist employers in complying with its final ADA regulations on employer-sponsored wellness programs, published on May 17, 2016.
August 30, 2016 | Story
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a report on changes to long-term services and supports (LTSS), “
August 30, 2016 | Story
During the months of July and August, the states of Missouri, Massachusetts, and Arkansas released revised versions of their home and community-based services (HCBS) Transition Plans and posted them for public comment.
August 30, 2016 | Story
July 26th, 2016 marked the 26th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
August 30, 2016 | Story
Legislation enabling disability savings accounts under the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act continues to gain ground in state legislatures.
August 30, 2016 | Story
Fifteen New Hampshire individuals with disabilities who rely on long-term community-based services and supports (LTSS), including supported employment, and 10 agencies that provide LTSS, have sued to stop New Hampshire’s plan to move Medicaid-fund
August 30, 2016 | Story
On November 13, 2013, the Department of Labor’s Employment Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) issued final regulations implementing the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, which requires gro
August 30, 2016 | Story
Enrollment in statewide health care exchanges began on Oct. 1, 2013.
August 19, 2016 | Blog
Did you know that under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), an employee with a disability can request the use of accrued paid leave or the use of unpaid leave as a reasonable accommodation?
August 19, 2016 | Resource
The purpose of this policy brief is to provide a summary description of the Department of Education’s Final Rule implementing Title I of the Rehabilitation Act (State Vocational Rehabilitation Program), as amended by Title IV of the Workforce...
August 19, 2016 | Resource
The purpose of this policy brief is to provide a summary description, from a disability perspective, of the Department of Labor and Department of Education Final Rules implementing Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (Workforce...
August 7, 2016 | Resource
This website, supported by Association of Unversity Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), serves as a “one-stop shop” for all information, resources and news related to CMS’ new HCBS regulations.
August 3, 2016 | Blog
Do you have multiple sclerosis (MS)? Do you wonder how fatigue and other symptoms of MS will affect your ability to work, as well as the quality of your life?
July 8, 2016 | News
The LEAD Center is pleased to make available to you two policy briefs to provide a summary description from a disability perspective on the Final Rules implementing Title I and Title IV of WIOA.
July 5, 2016 | Blog
Beyond simply thanking our veterans for their service, it is our duty to actively help them succeed as members of society. Seeking to meet this need, the Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service created Veterans.gov.
July 1, 2016 | Resource
The U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service created Veterans.gov to act as a one-stop employment services website for both veterans seeking work and employers looking to hire veterans.
June 30, 2016 | Story
· Policy Update: Employment, Health Care and Disability: March 2016
June 30, 2016 | Story
The Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADDER) is the new name of the Louisville Workforce Development and Financ
June 30, 2016 | Story
Breaking News: Final Rules were issued for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act on June 30, 2016. For more information, please visit https://www.doleta.gov/WIOA/.
June 30, 2016 | Story
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) recently launched WorkforceGPS - the next generation, mobile-friendly, and accessible website that gives the public workforce system, education professionals, and business...
June 30, 2016 | Story
Originally founded during the Great Depression, the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) brings together state administrators of the publicly-funded workforce system.
June 30, 2016 | Story
June 30, 2016 | Story
On May 11, the LEAD Center had the opportunity to present at the Missouri Association for Workforce Development (MAWD) Conference in Lake Ozark, Missouri.
June 30, 2016 | Story
June 2016 marked the launch of the country’s first ABLE programs.
June 30, 2016 | Story
LEAD Center staff presented at three conferences this spring, with a focus on disability policy. Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity
June 30, 2016 | Story
In recognition of Financial Capability Month in April, a LEAD Center webinar, Financial Literacy and the W
June 30, 2016 | Story
One of LEAD Center’s priorities over the next year focuses on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways that include youth and adults with disabilities and others who experience barriers to employment.
June 30, 2016 | Story
On April 27 and 28, the Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities held its eighth meeting.
June 30, 2016 | Story
Disability Employment Initiative
June 29, 2016 | Story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released a final rule amending its regulations implementing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA).
June 29, 2016 | Story
On June 6, 2016, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposed final regulations implementing a statute that increases the availability of medical leave for United States veterans with disabilities. The Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act of 2015...
June 29, 2016 | Story
On June 6, 2016, the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice released a study showing that most people with serious mental illness can improve the quality of their lives if they are given sufficient employment supports in the...
June 29, 2016 | Story
The Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) recently issued a final rule implementing Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
June 29, 2016 | Story
On June 20, 2016, Tennessee’s Bureau of TennCare and the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, released a memo detailing major changes to the way in which the state will authorize facility-based day services, including employm
June 29, 2016 | Story
On June 2, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted initial approval to the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Transition Plans of Kentucky and Ohio.
June 29, 2016 | Story
On June 1, 2016, the state of Ohio became the first state to launch a disability savings account program authorized by the federal Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE), which passed in December 2014.
June 27, 2016 | Event
Join us on June 30th for the LEAD Center’s inaugural Twitter chat on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways!
June 21, 2016 | Resource
The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) most up-to-date report on the U.S. workforce as it relates to the employment status of people with disabilities.
June 16, 2016 | Blog
The sooner that we can provide young adults with exposure to the working world, the better. This is particularly true for young adults with disabilities.
May 31, 2016 | Story
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Administration on Community Living (ACL) partnered with the state of Tennessee on May 26th to host a webinar on Tennessee’s State HCBS Transition Plan titled, HCBS Implementation and the...
May 31, 2016 | Story
Iowa’s Department of Health and Human Services announced on May 9, 2016 that, due to an unclear statement of how money was to be spent in a 2015 health care budget bill, $750,000 initially allocated to increase supported employment has not been sp
May 31, 2016 | Story
CMS has recently released a new section of its Settings Requirements Compliance toolkit, titled Frequently Asked Questions on Planned Construction and Person-Centered Planning Requirements. The resource addresses a number of questions that people...
May 31, 2016 | Story
On May 18, 2016, President Obama and Labor Secretary Perez announced the publication of the Department of Labor’s Final Rule on overtime exemptions under The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
May 31, 2016 | Story
On April 25, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a comprehensive Final Rule on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) managed care programs.
May 31, 2016 | Story
National Core Indicators (NCI), a collaborative effort between the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disability Services (NASDDDS) and the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) to evaluate the performance of developmental
May 31, 2016 | Story
On May 9, 2016, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a new resource document discussing and clarifying the rights available to individuals who request work leave as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilit
May 27, 2016 | Blog
What are possible courses of action that policymakers can take to give workers with disabilities a fair shot at employment and economic security? Find out in this 'In The Know' blog.
May 19, 2016 | Blog
Do you have a mental illness? Are you interested in working? Are you already working but need some help on the job? There are a lot of resources available to help you.
WISE WEBINAR: Ticket to Work for People with a Mental Illness: Support on Your Journey to Employment
May 16, 2016 | Event
Join Ticket to Work on May 25, 2016, for the latest WISE webinar.
May 9, 2016 | Event
Several states are prepared to begin enrollment for ABLE programs. This webinar will help you pick the program that's best for you.
May 1, 2016 | Resource
Learn about how Assistive Technology (AT) can follow people with disabilities from secondary school to post-secondary education, vocational rehabilitation and employment. LEADing to Employment Information Briefs provide a summary on topic
April 29, 2016 | Story
On April 13, 2016, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted final approval for Tennessee’s Statewide Transition Plan, designed to bring the state into compliance with CMS’ final rules on home and community-based services (HCBS).
April 29, 2016 | Story
Disability Rights Ohio, on behalf of six individuals with developmental disabilities, filed a lawsuit claiming that Ohio is in violation of the Supreme Court’s ruling Olmstead v. L.C.
April 29, 2016 | Story
Maine’s mental health providers are concerned about potential changes to Maine’s reimbursement rate structure proposed by a consultant hired by Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
April 29, 2016 | Story
As reported in the Salina Post (04/05/16), Kansas state officials are giving conflicting timelines for when a massive change (i.e., waiver integration) in the way Kansans with disabilities receive Medicaid-funded services will occur.
April 29, 2016 | Story
Three bills were recently introduced in Congress that would expand the flexibility and the number of people who have access to the tax-advantaged savings accounts created by the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE).
April 29, 2016 | Story
Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), other members of Congress, and disability rights advocates have recently made a more concerted effort to promote Senate Bill S. 2427, known as the Disability Integration Act (DIA).
April 29, 2016 | Story
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released a report on how expanding Medicaid could provide more Americans with access to both health insurance
April 29, 2016 | Story
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released final regulations on mental health and substance abuse disorder parity for people in Medicaid Managed Care Organization, (MCOs), Medicaid Alternative Benefit Plans (ABPs), and Childr
April 29, 2016 | Blog
How can companies encourage employees with disabilities to self-identify? And why is this important?
April 13, 2016 | Blog
The financial lessons we learn from role models, such as our parents, as a kid can have a huge impact on us.
April 12, 2016 | Blog
For many, one of the most important parts of the transition to adulthood is finding meaningful employment. However, people on the autism spectrum still face immense barriers to finding good jobs in their communities.
April 4, 2016 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
April 4, 2016 | Resource
This publication from the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (a project of the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston) addresses a key challenge for states w
April 1, 2016 | Resource
List of FAQs related to fiscal requirements of pre-employment transition services.
March 31, 2016 | Story
· Section 188 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportu
March 31, 2016 | Story
The Independent Living Administration (ILA) is a part of the Administration on Disabilities (AoD) within the Administration for Community Living (ACL).
March 31, 2016 | Story
Bob Williams is the Deputy Commissioner for the Administration on Disabilities, U.S.
March 31, 2016 | Story
2nd Annual Independence through Employment Conference (Florida)
March 31, 2016 | Story
In February, ODEP and LEAD Center released an Employment First technical brief, the fourth in a four-part series, titled Fed
March 31, 2016 | Story
LEAD Center staff reviewed state plans from California, Iowa, and North Carolina utilizing a guide we developed that identifies key areas for plan design and implementation to advance effective and meaningful participation of youth and adults with
March 31, 2016 | Story
n collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the LEAD Center has released Promoting Employment and Economic Advancement: A Toolkit for Centers for Independent Living (CIL) and American Job...
March 31, 2016 | Story
The Department of Labor’s Employment & Training Administration, in collaboration with multiple federal offices and national partners, held a national convening of workforce leadership to support state teams in the design of innovative approach
March 31, 2016 | Story
On Jan. 26, 2016, the U.S.
March 30, 2016 | Story
After more than a year of debate, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the state of Iowa’s plan to transition all of its Medicaid-funded services, including supported employment, to managed care, effective April 1, 2016.
March 30, 2016 | Story
Following several months of public forums (See October 2015’s Employment, Health, and Disability Update for some of the LEAD Center’s earlier cover
March 30, 2016 | Story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), titled “
March 30, 2016 | Story
On March 30-31, the National Quality Forum (NQF) will host its second in-person meeting of its Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Quality project in Washington, D.C.
March 30, 2016 | Story
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), a nonprofit organization founded by Senators Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell to promote bipartisan collaboration, recently released a report,
March 23, 2016 | News
LEAD Center staff reviewed state plans from California, Iowa, and North Carolina utilizing a guide we developed that identifies key areas for plan design and implementation to advance effective and meaningful participation of youth and adults with
March 22, 2016 | Resource
The Promoting Employment and Economic Advancement: A Toolkit for CILs and AJCs is a collection of resources for Centers for Independent Living (CIL) and American Job Centers (AJC) to deepen their understanding of each other’s services and structure...
March 15, 2016 | Resource
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requires the Governor of each State to submit a Unified or Combined State Plan to the Secretary of DOL by April 1, 2016 that outlines a four-year strategy for the State’s workforce development sy
March 15, 2016 | Resource
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requires the Governor of each State to submit a Unified or Combined State Plan to the Secretary of DOL by April 1, 2016 that outlines a four-year strategy for the State’s workforce development sy
March 15, 2016 | Resource
LEAD Center staff reviewed state plans for Iowa, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Washington, and Tennessee, utilizing a guide we developed that identifies key areas for plan design and implementation to advance
March 9, 2016 | News
The LEAD Center and Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) held a Peer Exchange to review and discuss Section 188 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
March 8, 2016 | Blog
Employers are often concerned with the costs of providing workplace accommodations. However, a study by the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) found that such accommodations are low cost and have a big impact.
February 29, 2016 | Story
Minnesotans with significant disabilities had much to celebrate as the state’s Department of Human Services (DHS) removed long-standing barriers preventing them from accessing critical services, including support for competitive integrated employm
February 29, 2016 | Story
Washington State’s newly revised HCBS Transition Plan makes a number of important steps towards the full integration of people with disabilities into the community.
February 29, 2016 | Story
A recent episode of NPR’s Morning Edition highlighted disparities in access to workers’ compensation for work-related injuries.
February 29, 2016 | Story
The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics (StatsRRTC), a project that compiles statistics on disability in the United States, has recently released its
February 29, 2016 | Story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and Economic Systems, Inc.
February 29, 2016 | Story
The HCBS Advocacy Coalition has released a three-part toolkit that explains the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings rule and its potential to pro
February 29, 2016 | Story
On February 9, 2016, President Obama and his administration released their proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2017.
February 19, 2016 | Blog
I’m In To Hire is an initiative founded by Best Buddies International that aims to create a more inclusive workplace by promoting the business benefits of hiring those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
February 16, 2016 | Resource
The purpose of this policy brief is to provide a summary of the NPRM implementing the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of Section 188 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) from a disability perspective.
February 1, 2016 | Resource
This policy brief from the Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN) summarizes a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NRPM) from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commision (EEOC).
January 29, 2016 | Story
A recent news investigation revealed that, for many Connecticut citizens with significant disabilities, eligibility for services never translates into actually receiving services.
January 29, 2016 | Story
On December 29, 2015, the Department of Human Services was informed that U.S. Magistrate Judge Janice Stewart approved the final settlement in the historic Lane v. Brown community integration lawsuit in Oregon.
January 29, 2016 | Story
December 19, 2015 marked the one-year anniversary of President Obama’s signing of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act into law.
January 29, 2016 | Story
The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) and a coalition of disability rights advocates are urging the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to consider both supported employment and Home and Community-Based Servic
January 29, 2016 | Story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently issued two publications that explain how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to job applicants and employees who are HIV-positive.
January 29, 2016 | Story
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) released a No Wrong Door System Reference Document for Medicaid Administrative Claiming Guidance do
January 29, 2016 | Story
On December 2, 2015, the National Association of States United for Aging and Disability (NASUAD) published two tip sheets designed to increase the number of low-income seniors and people with disabilities that the Medicare Improvements for Patien
January 29, 2016 | Story
In January 2016, the O ce of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) contracted with Economic Systems, Inc.
January 15, 2016 | Resource
This information brief provides the results of six focus groups conducted to garner the perspective of employers who had hired individuals with disabilities into customized jobs within the past year.
January 14, 2016 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD...
January 1, 2016 | Resource
The Minnesota Employment Training and Technical Assistance Center (MNTAT) features success stories about Minnesotans with a variety of disabilities who are successful in individualized, customized employment or who have started their own business.
January 1, 2016 | Resource
This website serves as a repository for Marc Gold & Associates forms, samples, guides and plans related to customized employment.
January 1, 2016 | Resource
Griffin-Hammis Associates, Inc. is a full service consultancy specializing in developing communities of economic cooperation and self-employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
January 1, 2016 | Resource
A summary guide to employment supports for persons with disabilities under the Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs.
January 1, 2016 | Resource
The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is a recruitment and referral program that connects federal and private sector employers nationwide with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to prove their...
January 1, 2016 | Resource
The American Job Center Network provides a single, 24-7 access point for key federal programs and critical local resources to help people find a job, identify training programs, and tap into resources to help them gain skills in growing industries.
January 1, 2016 | Resource
Despite the nation’s ongoing economic recovery, millions of low- and moderate-income Americans are, like the Greek mythological character Sisyphus, perpetually forced to push an outsized boulder up a steep hill with little prospect of reaching sta
December 31, 2015 | Story
The White House has proposed an FY2016 budget deal that would prevent the double-digit premium increases feared by many Medicaid and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries.
December 31, 2015 | Story
Open Enrollment for 2016 coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace began November 1, 2015 and will end on January 31, 2016.
December 31, 2015 | Resource
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), individuals with HIV infection or AIDS are protected against workplace discrimination and harrasment regarding their condition, afforded workplace privacy rights and may have legal rights to request
December 22, 2015 | Story
On December 15, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued updated guidance on the effect of new home and community-based services (HCBS) regulations on non-residential settings.
December 17, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
December 15, 2015 | Story
Danielle Smith is the State of Missouri WIA Equal Opportunity Officer
December 15, 2015 | Story
Many individuals with disabilities have never managed their own money, created a budget, opened a savings or checking account, applied for an assistive technology loan or understand how to build assets.
December 15, 2015 | Story
As the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) continues its process of implementation, there are many important aspects that states should be currently preparing for, including the submittal of th
December 15, 2015 | Story
On October 22nd the LEAD Center hosted a webinar titled “Disability, Employment & Lane v.
December 15, 2015 | Story
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) represents an opportunity for federally-funded employment-related training and technical assistance (TA) centers to educate, promote, and connect stakeholders to employment resources for jobseeke
December 15, 2015 | Story
In July 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor issued the Promising Practices in Achieving Universal Access and Equal Opportunity: A Section 188 Disability Reference Guide.
December 15, 2015 | Story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy and the LEAD Center are pleased to have released three Employment First Technical Briefs that
December 15, 2015 | Story
On Thursday, October 1, 2015, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the LEAD Center and Social Dynamics LLC, launched a new website, intended to serve as the go-to resource for
December 15, 2015 | Story
LEAD Center staff presented at three conferences during the past few months: the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP) Youth Symposium and APSE’s inaugur
December 15, 2015 | Story
As the states continue to release home and community-based services (HCBS) transition plans, it has become clear that each state interprets the HCBS regulations in a different manner.
December 14, 2015 | Resource
These Employment First Technical Briefs are for anyone working to implement Employment First in their state, region or agency.
December 3, 2015 | Blog
This July 2014 report, issued by the National Disability Institute, shines light on the financial health, capability and situation of adults living with disabilities.
December 2, 2015 | Story
The Kansas Department of Children and Families (DCF), a state agency charged with helping people with disabilities find employment, has returned over $15 million dollars in unspent funds to the Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Adm
December 2, 2015 | Story
On Friday, October 30, 2015, the U.S.
November 12, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
November 6, 2015 | Resource
The video series highlights the importance of work and work-based experiences in the transition to adulthood and was created by the Youth Transitions Collaborative, a community of more than 45 organizat
November 3, 2015 | Resource
This policy brief examines the correlation between employment, health status and health care costs of people with disabilities. Employment can improve health by increasing social capital, enhancing psychological well-being, providing income, and...
October 29, 2015 | Story
test
October 29, 2015 | Story
Kansas’ Department of Health and Environment and Department of Aging and Disability Services, after receiving feedback from stakeholders in the community (e.g., health care providers, people with disabilities, family members of people with disabil
October 29, 2015 | Story
Witnesses at a recent public hearing in Wisconsin expressed concerns about changes made to the state’s bu
October 29, 2015 | Story
On September 29, 2015, United States District Judge Donovan Frank, pursuant to an existing settlement agreement, approved a plan detailing Minnesota’s strategy to achieve compliance with Olmstead. Under the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v.
October 29, 2015 | Story
As of October 2015, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has sent 42 states Clarifications and/or Modifications Required for Initial Approval (CMIA) letters in response to each state’s published Statewide Transition Plan.
October 29, 2015 | Story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Community Living (ACL), building on a partnership between the two organizations that began in 2012, recently signed a memor
October 29, 2015 | Story
On September 15, 2015, the Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (ACICIEID) released its Interim Report to Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, L
October 29, 2015 | Blog
He’s 28, on the autism spectrum, and just got a job with a large company in Silicon Valley.
October 27, 2015 | Blog
This month, I have been inspired by the collaboration and cooperation between businesses, service organizations and individuals who have made these events happen.
October 23, 2015 | Blog
It can be easy to overlook a few key questions that we should all ask when we are job hunting, before accepting a job, and once hired.
October 21, 2015 | Resource
On July 26, 2010, President Obama issued Executive Order (E.O.) 13548 on Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities, to mark the historic 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). E.O.
October 21, 2015 | Blog
People who are successful in work (and life) use the people who know them to open doors to jobs, careers, work experiences and opportunities.
October 15, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
October 9, 2015 | Blog
As we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), it is important that we take account of the incredible progress that has been made in the fight to ensure all people, including people with disabilities, have access to gainful...
October 8, 2015 | News
The platform provides a unique comprehensive resource for policymakers, researchers and external stakeholders to learn about national trends and activities in Employment First
October 1, 2015 | News
The entire month of October, we will join countless nonprofits, organizations, all levels of government, and individuals with disabilities, their family and friends, as well as disability advocates raising awareness about disability employment...
October 1, 2015 | Resource
Asset Building Strategies for People with Disabilities, A Guide to Financial Empowerment covers all topics that are important for people with disabilities in their quest for strong finances and asset building.
September 30, 2015 | Story
Integrating Financial Capability and Asset Building Strategies into the Public Workforc
September 30, 2015 | Story
September 30, 2015 | Story
On September 18, LEAD Staff returned to Louisville, Ky.
September 30, 2015 | Story
The new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) offers State Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) and local American Job Centers (AJCs) the opportunity to play a critical role in ensuring that youth and adults, with and without disabilities,
September 30, 2015 | Story
LEAD Center, in partnership with Griffin-Hammis Associates, LLC, recently launched a pilot program offering training and on-site technical assistance on Self-Guided Discovery to assist American Job Center (AJC) staff and their partners to learn an
September 30, 2015 | Story
LEAD Center’s Employment Policy Advisor, Lisa Stern, was invited to give the keynote address at Accommodation for Success, a seminar for employers held by the St.
September 30, 2015 | Story
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) entered into a proposed settlement agreement earlier this month with Oregon that provides adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities with the support to achieve competitive integrated employment in...
September 30, 2015 | Story
LEAD Center presented at three different national conferences in the last few months: the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) Equal Opportunity Committee Meeting, the 2015 HCBS National Conference and the NCIL Conference.
September 30, 2015 | Story
The Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (ACICIEID) recently released its interim report.
September 30, 2015 | Story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the National LEAD Center, is launching a new Internet-based platform on Thursday, October 1.
September 30, 2015 | Story
The official theme of the U.S.
September 30, 2015 | Story
The U.S.
September 30, 2015 | Story
The Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (ACICIEID) recently released its interim report.
September 30, 2015 | Story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the National LEAD Center, is launching a new Internet-based platform on Thursday, October 1.
September 30, 2015 | Story
The official theme of the U.S.
September 25, 2015 | Story
Disability rights advocates in Utah are expressing concern about a failed plan to expand Medicaid coverage by the end of this past July.
September 25, 2015 | Story
Minnesota attorneys, representing a group of plaintiffs with disabilities, are arguing that Minnesota’s Department of Human Services mismanaged money set aside for Medicaid HCBS waivers, leading to the plaintiffs’ placement on waiting lists for wa
September 25, 2015 | Story
On September 8, 2015, the U.S.
September 25, 2015 | Story
On September 8, 2015, the U.S.
September 25, 2015 | Story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the National LEAD Center, is launching a new Internet-based platform that will allow policy-makers, researchers, and stakeholders to learn about national trends, policies and a
September 25, 2015 | Story
At the annual Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Conference, hosted by the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced new performance-based option
September 25, 2015 | Story
On June 19, 2015, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) posted in its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) its recommended approach for implementing the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2014.
September 24, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
September 17, 2015 | Resource
The U.S. Department of Labor has developed this Reference Guide to assist AJCs by providing promising practices that correlate with specific nondiscrimination requirements in Section 188 and the current Section 188 regulations.
September 16, 2015 | Resource
What is the bottom line? Workplace accommodations are low cost and high impact, and JAN can help employers make them, free of charge.
September 16, 2015 | Resource
This brief describes major national and regional career pathways initiatives and provides lessons learned for states considering the development and implementation of statewide career pathways programs.
September 10, 2015 | Blog
Today's "In the Know" features the website section of the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), U.S. Department of Labor.
September 8, 2015 | Resource
A just-released brief from the American Institutes for Research casts new light on a perennial problem: the one-third of people with disabilities who haven’t sought work or stopped trying to find it.
August 27, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
August 26, 2015 | Story
Following 29 other states and the District of Columbia, Alaskan Governor Bill Walker has announced that the state will be accepting additional federal funds to expand Medicaid, which will bring $146 million to the state in its first year and provi
August 26, 2015 | Story
Governor Chris Christie has announced a proposal to curtail federal funding for Medicaid as part of a per capita cap that would remove $15 billion in federal funds over eight years.
August 26, 2015 | Story
The University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Commonwealth Medicine Disability, Health and Employment Policy unit hosts a program that assists people with disabilities seeking employment.
August 26, 2015 | Story
Over the past several months, the National Quality Forum (NQF) has convened a stakeholder committee to develop recommendations to improve quality measurement for Medicaid Home and CommunityBased Services (HCBS).
August 26, 2015 | Story
The National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) has published the July 2015 Edition of the State Medicaid Integration Tracker.
August 26, 2015 | Story
Since the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule on Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) took effect in the beginning of 2014, each state has had to produce a transition plan outlining a schedule and strategy for bringing
August 13, 2015 | Blog
With the 80th anniversary of Social Security tomorrow, nothing is more fitting for this month's first "In the Know" blog as the 2015 Social Security Red Book.
July 31, 2015 | Story
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and the state legislature are in the middle of a dispute over whether State employees can receive partial or full wage payments in the absence of a State budget created by the legislature and signed by the governor.
July 31, 2015 | Story
During a public listening session hosted by the National Council on Disability (NCD) earlier this month, disability rights advocates, including representatives from the Disability Rights Center of Kansas, spoke on concerns about the capacity of Ka
July 31, 2015 | Story
In the wake of national advocacy to raise minimum wage to $15 per hour across all labor sectors, home health workers who provide care for seniors and people with disabilities, as well as the clients they serve, have been at the forefront of low-pa
July 31, 2015 | Story
Earlier in 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a proposed rule amending the agency’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations for employer-sponsored wellness plans.
July 31, 2015 | Story
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell on same-gender marriage, advocates with disabilities in the LGBTQ community have raised concerns about continued barriers to marriage for couples who rely on Supplemental Security Income (S
July 31, 2015 | Story
The Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities, established under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) in 2014, held its fourth meeting on July 13-14, 2015 in Washington, D.C
July 31, 2015 | Story
States have continued to submit transition plans to bring their Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver programs into compliance with new rules for community integration of HCBS settings.
July 31, 2015 | Story
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has published a new guide to assist American Job Centers (AJCs) in serving people with disabilities.
July 30, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
July 26, 2015 | Resource
This information is for youth and young adults, including those with disabilities and chronic health conditions, from ages 12-30.
July 23, 2015 | News
On July 21, U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Tom Perez, joined by Delaware Governor Jack Markell and South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard, sent a letter to governors of every state highlighting their commitment to advancing the Employment First...
July 15, 2015 | Resource
The development of financial capability strategies are critical for sustaining financial security. This paper describes some of the replicable models that AJCs have established to provide financial capability services.
July 2, 2015 | Blog
In January 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final regulations on acceptable and unacceptable home and community based services (HCBS) settings.
June 30, 2015 | Story
Governor Mark Dayton is lobbying the state legislature for a reconciled budget to add a new $5 million allocation for a program that will help people with disabilities find jobs and assist people with mental illness with housing to avoid homelessn
June 30, 2015 | Story
Ohio state law began to mandate county boards for developmental disabilities in 1967 in order to create options for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to receive community-based services instead of being placed in state-run in
June 30, 2015 | Story
The budget deal between Connecticut’s Democratic legislators and Governor Dan Malloy will cut millions from healthcare programs serving people with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses, but aims to decrease the overall amount of cuts or
June 30, 2015 | Story
The Kaiser Family Foundation announced a new analysis and interactive maps showing the potential impact of a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs in King v. Burwell, the case currently before the U.S.
June 30, 2015 | Story
On Friday June 19th, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released the highly anticipated Notice of Proposed
June 30, 2015 | Story
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released draft rules on network adequacy for privatized Medicaid, also known as managed care.
June 30, 2015 | Story
Late last week, a bipartisan group of lawmakers, led by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, introduced a measure to provide financial incentives to states for increasing communitybased services for people with disabilities.
June 30, 2015 | Story
· Summary Description of Title IV of the Workforce Innovat
June 30, 2015 | Story
Marie Parker wears many hats. Ms.
June 30, 2015 | Story
The LEAD Center recently published a new resource, "Frequen
June 30, 2015 | Story
LEAD Center Project Director, Rebecca Salon, presented a session on Knowledge Translation to staff from more than 20 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) at the 2015 UCEDD Leadership Institute at the University
June 30, 2015 | Story
This spring, LEAD Center staff and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) piloted Guided Group Discovery (GGD) sessions with job seekers in Topeka, KS and Rockville, MD, and collaboratively with area American Job Centers (AJC) and vocational rehabilitation
June 30, 2015 | Story
The LEAD Center has been promoting the use of Discovery and Customized Employment (CE) through partnerships with American Job Centers (AJCs) for the past two years.
June 30, 2015 | Story
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA) places expanded emphasis on funding activities for youth, including in-school youth, out-of-school youth and youth with disabilities.
June 30, 2015 | Story
LEAD Center Assistant Project Director, Elizabeth Jennings, presented at the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals'
June 30, 2015 | Story
For the first time, the LEAD Center participated in the National Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 23-25, by providing two presentations on strategies to improve the employment
June 30, 2015 | Story
The Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (the Committee) will hold its fourth meeting of the year on July 13-14, 2015 in Washington, D.C.
June 18, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD...
June 9, 2015 | Resource
This research investigates what companies are doing to build a disability-inclusive culture and encourage employees with disabilities to voluntarily self-identify, as many organizations with government contracts are now required to do under recent
June 5, 2015 | Blog
The America's Heroes at Work project is designed for employers and the workforce development system to help address the employment challenges of our nation's service members and veterans living with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or...
May 29, 2015 | Story
The Kennedy Shriver Center received a grant from the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) to examine data from MassHealth (the Massachusetts Medicaid program) on what types of health care are used by people with intellectual di
May 29, 2015 | Story
New Hampshire has convened a special commission to study the potential consequences of expanding the state’s Medicaid budget. Preliminary evidence indicates that expansion would benefit around 58,000 low-income residents7 .
May 29, 2015 | Story
In April, Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe signed into law the state’s Achieving A B
May 29, 2015 | Story
On May 11 and 12, 2015, the Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities, which was created under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), held its third meeting since first conve
May 29, 2015 | Story
On April 20, 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that would allow employers to use significant financial incentives to encourage worker participation in employer-sponsored workplace welln
May 28, 2015 | Blog
What can we do? As parents, we’ve learned there are no guarantees and no magic solutions that work for everyone.
May 21, 2015 | Blog
May is Mental Health Month, an annual oberservance to raise awareness and help erase the stigma associated with mental health and individuals living with mental ill
May 18, 2015 | News
Earlier this month, LEAD Center Assistant Project Director, Elizabeth Jennings, presented at the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals’ (NAWDP) 2015 Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.
May 13, 2015 | Resource
If you haven’t heard of Customized Employment or you think it has little relevance to helping today’s job seekers in the nation’s American Job Centers (AJC), think again.
May 7, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
May 1, 2015 | Resource
In October 2011, the Administration on Developmental Disabilities awarded grants to lead agencies in six states: California, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, and Wisconsin.
May 1, 2015 | Resource
This report highlights the latest strategies and best practices to better support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) living and working in their community.
April 30, 2015 | Story
The Montana legislature passed a bill that will expand Medicaid eligibility to people with incomes up to 138 percent of the Federal poverty level (FPL), as outlined by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
April 30, 2015 | Story
The New York Governor’s Medicaid Redesign Team has proposed a new bill to permit home health aides to perform certain tasks that they are currently prohibited from providing, such as administering medications.
April 30, 2015 | Story
The new budget recommended by New Hampshire’s House Finance Committee includes a proposal to end the New Hampshire Health Protection Program (NHHPP), which is the state’s Medicaid expansion program created through bipartisan legislation last year.
April 30, 2015 | Story
In response to a 2011 settlement agreement over violations of the 1999 Olmstead decision requiring services to be offered in the most integrated setting possible, the State of Minnesota created an Olmstead Sub-Cabinet to produce a statewide plan f
April 30, 2015 | Story
In 2014, the state of Rhode Island entered a consent decree with the U.S.
April 30, 2015 | Story
Mathematica Policy Research released its fifth annual evaluation of the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
April 30, 2015 | Story
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule in April 2015 that applies mental health parity requirements to publicly-funded health plans.
April 30, 2015 | Blog
As someone who has spent over 35 years working and partnering with people with disabilities who are pursuing equal opportunities so that they can live the lives they choose, I can say confidently that the disability field is doing a disservice to...
April 23, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
April 20, 2015 | Resource
The purpose of this policy brief is to provide a summary of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
April 20, 2015 | Resource
This policy brief outlines, from the disability perspective, key provisions of two Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) pertaining to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), i.e., those provisions in title I of WIOA pertaining to wor
April 16, 2015 | Blog
To kick off April’s National Financial Literacy Month, Louisville Metro Community Services and Bank On Louisville presented our second annual Financial Fitness Day on March 31, open to the entire community. All in attendance were invited to meet one...
April 12, 2015 | Resource
Whether you have a middle schooler (11–14), a high schooler (14–18), or even a young adult (18–26), this is a tool for you to use as you begin planning your child’s transition into adulthood.
April 9, 2015 | Resource
This presentation addresses the following topics:
April 9, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
April 3, 2015 | News
On April 2, 2015, the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) issued five notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRMs) on the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
April 2, 2015 | Resource
Building Financial Capability: A Planning Guide for Integrated Services is aimed at community-based organizations which serve low- and moderate-income clients.
March 31, 2015 | Story
· Kansas Employment First Oversight Commission 2015 Report to Governor and State Legislatur
March 31, 2015 | Story
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) establishes several new and exciting mandates aimed at increasing the participation of individuals with disabilities in the American workforce.
March 31, 2015 | Story
David Mank, Ph.D., is the Director of the Indiana Institute on Disability
March 31, 2015 | Story
On January 22nd, experts from LEAD Center presented at the 14th Annual Kansas Workforce Summit. The theme was Preparing Tomorrow’s Leaders in a Rapidly Changing Workplace.
March 31, 2015 | Story
Consistent with the various timelines stipulated in WIOA, we can expect the release of related materials developed by various federal agencies and departments articulating how states should begin implementing the law. One such piece was recently r
March 31, 2015 | Story
Although the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act has been law for more than three months, there remains a significant amount of work to be done before individuals with disabilities and their families can begin to benefit.
March 31, 2015 | Story
On March 25, 2015, the U.S.
LEAD Center Launches Four-Part Webinar Series on the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
March 31, 2015 | Story
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), signed into law by President Obama last July, maintains a primary focus on assisting job seekers and workers with and without disabilities to succeed in the labor market, and matches employers w
March 31, 2015 | Story
At a time when people with disabilities earn 63 cents for every dollar earned by people without disabilities, LEAD Assistant Project Director Elizabeth Jennings joined a panel of leading
March 31, 2015 | Story
On February 3rd, the Obama Administration hosted the "Summit on Disability and Employment.” Focused on providing businesses, advocates and the general public with information on new and existing federal resources to improve employment opportunitie
March 30, 2015 | Story
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has proposed a new budget that will dedicate $105 million to raise the current $7.50 average hourly pay for personal attendants by five percent to around $7.87 per hour, on average.
March 30, 2015 | Story
Florida lawmakers have introduced dozens of bills on employment and educational programs for people with disabilities.
March 30, 2015 | Story
The Minnesota legislature is considering a bill that would allow more individuals with psychiatric disabilities and behavioral health issues to access Individual Placement and Support (IPS) emp
March 30, 2015 | Story
New Jersey’s state transition plan, to bring programs and services for people with disabilities into compliance with the CMS Final Rule on
March 30, 2015 | Story
The U.S.
March 30, 2015 | Story
Professional staff from the Mathematica Policy Research’s Center for Studying Disability Policy has published a new article in the Social Security Bulletin explor
March 30, 2015 | Story
The Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) has published a new report on mental health in the workplace, based
March 30, 2015 | Story
The National Council on Disability (NCD) and the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDS) released a joint report on home and co
March 26, 2015 | Blog
This fact sheet desribes various best practices for employers when making job modifications to enable employees with disabilities to stay on the job or return to work.
March 25, 2015 | Resource
In this March 2015 report, disability experts announce research that found 80 percent of people with disabilities achieved their career goals at an acceptable level or higher when they had individualized support from employers.
March 20, 2015 | Blog
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) represents new opportunities for job seekers with disabilities to access employment, education, training and support services to succeed in the labor market. This blog post features edited excerpts...
March 13, 2015 | Blog
A groundbreaking survey conducted by National Disability Institute and the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) revealed three out of four people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) have difficulty covering their monthly expenses and...
March 1, 2015 | Resource
As detailed in this report, Kansas has undertaken several initiatives regarding employment for people with disabilities. The Commission believes these initiatives are positive developments and can be a catalyst for additional changes that can create...
February 27, 2015 | Story
During remarks on his policy agenda for 2015, Delaware Governor Jack Markell has announced a statewide plan for Delawareans to thrive amidst a changing economy that strengthens statefunded education and employment initiatives.
February 27, 2015 | Story
Three California agencies and the state protection and advocacy system have announced a new collaboration on a six-month blueprint to encourage competitive integrated employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
February 27, 2015 | Story
Five families settled a class-action suit against North Carolina’s Department of Health & Human Services and Piedmont Behavioral Health (now Cardinal
February 27, 2015 | Story
The National Council on Disability (NCD) released a new report in January that examines the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI) progra
February 27, 2015 | Story
The Partnership for Workplace Mental Health released a new guide on employer compliance with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act.
February 27, 2015 | Story
National Disability Institute (NDI) announced a new Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Resource Center to consolidate information, resources and advocacy materials on state implementation of the ABLE Act.
February 27, 2015 | Story
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) presented testimony to Congress on the need for increased coordination of Federal efforts related to serious mental illness.
February 27, 2015 | Story
During a January 29th hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, testimony was presented on employer wellness programs.
February 26, 2015 | Blog
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a leading source of free, expert and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues.
February 12, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that will highlight important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
February 3, 2015 | Resource
This resource guide identifies relevant federal and federally funded resources for employers looking to recruit, hire, retain, and promote people with disabilities.
January 30, 2015 | Story
Delaware’s Pathways to Employment program, which will provide a variety of employment services to people with targeted disabilities, came into effect on January 1, 20
January 30, 2015 | Story
Governor Terry McAuliffe’s proposed Medicaid budget contains language forbidding some home health workers for working for more than one
January 30, 2015 | Story
A federal court in Washington, D.C.
January 30, 2015 | Story
In early January, House Republicans announced the re-introduction of the Hire More Heroes Act, which would incentivize small businesses to hire military retirees, reservists and veterans with disabilities.
January 30, 2015 | Story
This month, Congressman Gregg Harper of Mississippi introduced H.R. 188, the Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act of 2015. Representative Harper introduced an identical bill in 2013 that gained 97 co-sponsors before dying.
January 30, 2015 | Story
On January 22, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) held a congressional briefing session on the earnings disparity between workers with disabilities and nondisabled workers.
January 30, 2015 | Story
Workers with disabilities seeking individual health insurance coverage will be able to enroll in plans via healthcare.org until February 15, 2015.
January 30, 2015 | Story
The Department of Labor has named the members of its new Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities.
January 29, 2015 | Blog
This first-of-its-kind report offers a snapshot of the economic plight faced by many in the disability community.
January 28, 2015 | Resource
This report examines the intersection of disability and poverty and provides an insightful perspective on what our country and its leaders can do to remedy this disability-non disability pay gap.
January 16, 2015 | Blog
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), access to health care has been a long-standing challenge.
January 15, 2015 | Resource
This publication answers frequently asked questions and seeks to clear confusion surrounding employers permitting the use of accrued paid leave, or providing unpaid leave, when an employee's disability necessitates it.
January 5, 2015 | Resource
The Assets & Opportunity Scorecard is a comprehensive look at Americans’ financial security today and their opportunities to create a more prosperous future.
January 1, 2015 | Resource
The Replication Manual contains specific components of best practices in Customized Employment (CE) that reflect the use of Discovering Personal Genius/Discovery and effective techniques that “bridge” Discovery, Job Development, and ongoing suppor
December 22, 2014 | Story
New York State Department of Labor has created a new tax credit for employers hiring people with developmental disabilities who were formerly in sheltered workshops, most of which receive Medicaid funding to provide “pre-employment” services.
December 22, 2014 | Story
During this year’s Open Enrollment period, which started November 15, 2014, Oregonians seeking coverage will be using the federal HealthCare.gov website instead of a state-specific website.
December 22, 2014 | Story
The November 2014 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry included two articles relating to supported employment. The opening editorial by Emory University professor Benjamin G.
December 22, 2014 | Story
The National Council on Disability has released its 2014 edition of National Disability Policy: A Progress Report. This annual report provides an overview of the progress t
December 22, 2014 | Story
The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics (StatsRRTC) collects statistics related to people with disabilities.
December 22, 2014 | Story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed several lawsuits challenging employee “wellness programs” that have the effect of discriminating against workers with disabilities.
December 22, 2014 | Story
New Department of Labor regulations affecting pay of in-home workers for people with disabilities will come into effect on January 1, 2015.
December 22, 2014 | Story
Earlier this month, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released its report on the status of federal disability em
December 22, 2014 | Story
On December 16, 2014 the United States Senate passed the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2014 (ABLE Act) with a bipartisan vote of 76 to 16. The House of Representatives passed the legislation on December 3 by a vote of 404 to 17.
December 22, 2014 | Story
Tina Lentz is the Executive Administrator of the Advocacy and Empowerment division, serving Louisville Metro Government’s Departmen
December 21, 2014 | Story
On October 30th, LEAD staff returned to Louisville, Ky. to participate in the city's 2nd Annual Financial Empowerment Summit.
December 21, 2014 | Story
Successful companies work to maintain the productivity and health of their workforce, which includes providing accommodations for older workers and people with disabilities.
December 21, 2014 | Story
On December 16, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act by a vote of 76 to 16. This was previously passed by the House of Representatives on December 3.
December 21, 2014 | Story
For nearly 40 years, LEAD Center’s partner, TASH, has provided annual TASH Conferences to “impact the disability field by connecting attendees to innovative information and resources, facilitating connections between stakeholders in the disability
December 21, 2014 | Story
Originally envisioned as a multi-strategy approach to match the discrete skills and unique contributions of a job seeker with a significant disability to an employer who has an unmet (and often unrealized) need for those skills and contributions,
December 21, 2014 | Story
On October 17th, the U.S.
December 21, 2014 | Story
The LEAD Center is proud to announce the addition of four new national technical assistance centers to the Knowledge Translation Consortium.
December 21, 2014 | Story
On July 22, 2014, President Obama signed into law the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) (Public Law No. 113-128).
December 12, 2014 | Blog
Whether it employs thousands or just a few, an organization's workforce is its most valuable asset. So when unexpected injury or disability prevents an experienced, valued employee from working temporarily, employers may face difficult choices.
December 4, 2014 | Resource
These presentation slides accompanied a LEAD Center session of the same title during the 2014 TASH Conference. The session provided an overview of the role of service providers, parents, supports, and self-advocates is to identify, introduce and s
December 4, 2014 | Resource
Many people with developmental disabilities believe that they aren’t eligible for American Job Center (AJC) services or that the services won’t accommodate their needs.
December 4, 2014 | Resource
ODEP and the LEAD Center studied best practices at a large, successful U.S. corporation to learn about and document effective retention and return-to-work policies and practices.
December 3, 2014 | Resource
These presentation slides accompanied a LEAD Center session of the same title during the 2014 TASH Conference.
December 1, 2014 | Resource
Despite educational attainment, earning inequalities exist between workers with disabilities and those that are not disabled in full-time employment by educational level. This report focuses on the differences between the groups and the factors that...
ODEP and LEAD Center’s Latest Report Highlights Employee Retention and Return-to-Work Best Practices
December 1, 2014 | News
In December 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the LEAD Center released the report, “Best Practices in Employee Retention and Return-to-Work: An In-Depth Look Inside an Exemplary American...
December 1, 2014 | Resource
Federal and state policy have helped to ensure opportunities for people with disabilities to have meaningful jobs in their communities, as well as a path out of poverty and toward self-sufficiency.
November 26, 2014 | Story
Louisiana has proposed in its transition plan to phase out its existing § 1915(c) home and communitybased services programs and replace them with a § 1115 managed care
November 26, 2014 | Story
The United States Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has issued a report finding that the New York State Health Department had improperly claimed at least $23 million
November 26, 2014 | Story
In order to comply with a 2012 settlement with the Department of Justice, Virginia is planning to overhaul its home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver program serving individuals with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabil
November 26, 2014 | Story
Equip for Equality, the statewide Protection and Advocacy program serving Illinois individuals with disabilities, has released a Blueprint for implementation of the Illinois Employment First Act.
November 26, 2014 | Story
On October 22, the Governor of Rhode Island signed an Executive Order declaring that “communitybased integrated employment shall be the priority and the preferred opportunity for Rhode Islanders with disabilities” and requiring that all Rhode Isla
November 26, 2014 | Story
In observance of Disability Employment Awareness Month, financial website Wallet Hub has issued a report on the best and worst cities for people with disabilities.
November 26, 2014 | Story
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has created two toolkits for advocates, describing how state Medicaid programs can improve services for people with psychosocial disabilities.
November 26, 2014 | Story
The Department of Labor has announced that it will temporarily delay enforcement of a recent
November 25, 2014 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that will highlight important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
November 11, 2014 | Blog
There is a lot of talk today about “1 percent of the population.” When most people hear that phrase, they immediately think of the smallest percentage of the population with the greatest wealth. They think of the ‘have’s’ vs. the ‘have not’s.’
November 4, 2014 | News
On October 30th, LEAD staff returned to Louisville, Ky. to participate in the city's 2nd Annual Financial Empowerment Summit.
October 31, 2014 | Story
The Utah-based Disability Law Center issued a report earlier this month on ways that Utah’s service systems can improve employment o
October 31, 2014 | Story
While states continue to develop transition plans for compliance with home and community-based services setting regulations issued by CMS in January 2014, details on how states intend to apply these regulations to their Medicaid-funded employment
October 31, 2014 | Story
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has responded to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ (DHS) letter seeking clarification on how to apply the new HCBS rule to sheltered workshops and other non-residential day and employ
October 31, 2014 | Story
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law has published a report to help advocates ensure fair implementation of the Department of Labor’s New Ho
October 31, 2014 | Story
The Collaborative to Promote Self-Determination hosted a 5-part webinar series on the CMS’s recently issued final rule setting forth community integration standards for Medicaid-funded home and community-based services (HCBS).
October 31, 2014 | Story
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), according to a longstanding Congressional declaration dating back to 1988. The theme of this year’s NDEAM of “Expect. Employ.
October 31, 2014 | Story
The National Quality Forum (NQF) has received funding from the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a two-year project aimed at building pe
October 31, 2014 | Story
The National Disability Navigator Resource Collaborative (NDNRC) has received a second year of funding to expand community outreach at the state and local levels and provide information that health insurance navigators and enrollment specialists n
October 31, 2014 | Story
The Kaiser Family Foundation has issued a report reviewing customer assistance programs that help individuals seeking individual health insurance. T
October 31, 2014 | Story
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) has released a new report, entitled Fulfilling the P
October 31, 2014 | Story
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to implement HUD’s supportive housing for persons with disabilities (Section 811 program) enacted in 2011.
October 31, 2014 | Blog
Roosevelt Island lies in the East River between midtown Manhattan and Queens. In the early 1980’s, it was a planned development that brought together diverse communities and income levels,housing international diplomats as well as residents of its...
October 29, 2014 | Blog
I’ve had the pleasure of listening to Kathy Martinez, Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, speak on a number of different occasions over the years.
October 24, 2014 | Blog
As we head into the final week of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), much progress has been in the disability employment movement. Momentum is obviously on our side. But, that does not mean the road ahead will be easy or as fast...
October 22, 2014 | Resource
On July 22, 2014, President Obama signed into law the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) (Public Law No. 113-128). The LEAD Center has created a summary of the major amendments to Titles I and IV of the Workforce Investment Act from a...
October 17, 2014 | Resource
A movement to unify the voices of employers, employees and similar-minded individuals in support of hiring the 85 percent of people with developmental disabilities who do not have a paid community job, Best Bud
October 14, 2014 | Blog
President Obama signed the Workforce innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) into law on July 22, 2014.
October 9, 2014 | Blog
As countless individuals with disabilities, their family and friends, disability advocates, allies and like-minded businesses and organizations join together to celebrate National Disab
October 1, 2014 | News
This month, numerous organizations, agencies and individuals all across the country are joining together to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM).
September 30, 2014 | Story
September 30, 2014 | Story
To kick off Disability Employment Month, the LEAD Center will be featured on the ADA Live! BlogTalk Radio broadcast on Wednesday, October 1 at 1:00 p.m.
September 30, 2014 | Story
Rebecca Salon and Elizabeth Jennings, the LEAD Center’s Project Director and Assistant Project Director respectively, presented at the National Association of Workforce Profes
September 30, 2014 | Story
The LEAD Center Community of Practice (CoP) for Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and American Job Centers (AJCs) continues to provide ongoing peer-to-peer mentorship, training, and technical assistance.
September 30, 2014 | Story
On July 19, LEAD Center Assistant Project Director Elizabeth Jennings provided information on employment services, discovery, and Social Security work incentives, along with national and local resources to individuals with Moebius Syndrome at the
September 30, 2014 | Story
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 LEAD Center Webinar Series concluded in September.
September 30, 2014 | Story
LEAD Center Project Director Rebecca Salon and Project Coordinator Brittany Taylor presented on the SEDL Center on Knowledge Translation for Employment Research’s (KTER Center) 2nd Annual State of the Science Virtual Conference on September 17th.
September 30, 2014 | Story
The Section 503 final regulations offer new opportunities for federally funded employment-related training and technical assistance (TA) centers to educate, promote, and connect stakeholders to employment resources.
September 30, 2014 | Story
In recognition of the landmark Olmstead v.
September 30, 2014 | Story
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) calls for the U.S. Department of Labor to create for the first time an Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities.
September 30, 2014 | Story
On July 22, 2014, President Obama signed into law the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
September 26, 2014 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
September 24, 2014 | Story
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law has issued a new report, Getting to Work: Promoting Employment of People with Mental Illness, explaining how supported employment services can help individuals with psychosocial disabilities gain and retain
September 24, 2014 | Story
The Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL) has issued a new toolkit explaining how states can use survey data to assess compliance with the new HCBS settings rule that took effect in January 2014.
September 24, 2014 | Story
The National Resource Center for Patient-Directed Services (NRCPDS) has released a toolkit on compliance with new regulations on companionship and live-in domestic worker minimum wage and overtime exemptions, which will go into effect on January 1
September 24, 2014 | Story
The Platte Institute released a policy paper discussing a variety of proposals for Medicaid reform in Nebraska
September 24, 2014 | Story
The Ohio Department of Medicaid has transitioned 5,000 people with disabilities from long-term care facilities into their own homes using funds from the federal Money Follows the Person program.
September 24, 2014 | Story
On August 21, 2014, the Wisconsin Secretary of Health Services sent a letter to CMS detailing its position that new regulations on HCBS should allow states to offer a “full compendium” of HCBS-funded employment services, including placements in sh
September 24, 2014 | Story
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which the President signed into law on July 22, adds new restrictions on sheltered workshops or other work environments where people with disabilities earn less than minimum wage in segregated s
September 24, 2014 | Story
CMS Deputy Administrator Cindy Mann and CMS Medical Director Steve Cha are in the process of holding in-person meetings across the country on the Medicaid Innovation Accelerator Program (IAP).
September 24, 2014 | Story
On September 5, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the Statewide Transition Plan Toolkit containing guidance for states on how to create transition plans for compliance with new regulations governing the settings in which Medi
September 22, 2014 | News
Nominations for individuals to serve on the committee due by Tuesday, Oct. 14.
September 17, 2014 | Resource
This publication describes several approaches to employee retention, including taking leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and obtaining assistance from...
September 15, 2014 | Blog
Small businesses are the backbone of our nation's economy. In fact, in the United States, small businesses account for over 50 percent of all newly created jobs. While small businesses can provide excellent opportunities for millions of Americans,...
September 1, 2014 | Resource
Often, there is a disconnect on college campuses between career services
August 29, 2014 | Story
Last month, the President signed into law the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA), which reauthorized the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) and Rehabilitation Act through the year 2020.
August 29, 2014 | Story
The National Association of states United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) has released a tool to track the status of State actions related to the integration of acute care and long term supports for individuals who are dually eligible for both
August 29, 2014 | Story
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a toolbox for states on implementing the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) provisions expanding Medicaid coverage.
August 29, 2014 | Story
The National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC) and National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) have issued guidance for consumer advocates on upcoming changes to Medicaid-funded home and community-based services (HCBS) programs.
August 29, 2014 | Story
States have continued to submit transition plans to CMS detailing their plans to transition into compliance with new regulations defining HCBS settings.
August 29, 2014 | Story
In July, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published an informational bulletin discussing the effect of recent regulations about wages paid for domestic workers assisting people with disabilities.
August 29, 2014 | Blog
What will it take to achieve a state of full financial inclusion for all people, including individuals with disabilities? In 2011, the Center for Financial Inclusion asked this very question, to which 300 practioners around the globe responded.
August 22, 2014 | News
ETA is inviting state and local workforce leaders and practitioners, workforce system partners, customer and other stakeholders to participate in upcoming webinars to provide input on the implementation of the recently passed Workforce Innovation...
August 14, 2014 | News
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a joint memorandum calling on state and local governments, community development organizations, employers and...
August 14, 2014 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that will highlight important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
August 11, 2014 | Blog
In the final installment in this three-part series, Zimring, and Morris discuss the future of Olmstead and what remains to be done to fulfill its promise.
August 6, 2014 | News
From Aug. 3- 5, Baltimore, Maryland, served as host to the 2014 Reinventing Quality Conference.
August 4, 2014 | Resource
The purpose of this report is to assist small businesses "open the doors" and provide employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
August 4, 2014 | Blog
In part two of the three-part series, Zimring shares the impact of the Olmstead decision on the two women who brought the case and on people with disabilities nationwide.
August 1, 2014 | Resource
The "Resource Handouts" section of this website contains resources produced by, and associated with, the The Ohio Microenterprise & Customized Employment Demonstration Project. The resources are typically applicable at a national scale.
July 31, 2014 | Story
In response to concerns from consumers, Georgia has delayed approval for a change in Medicaid eligibility policy that would have disallowed individuals from using Qualified Income Trusts (QITs) to preserve their Medicaid eligibility if their incom
July 31, 2014 | Story
This month Florida became the first state to offer a Medicaid plan exclusively to people with psychiatric disabilities.
July 31, 2014 | Story
The Protection and Advocacy agency for the state of Ohio, Disability Rights Ohio (DRO), has sent a letter to state officials detailing its findings after an 18-month investigation of institutions and state-funded facilities serving people with dis
July 31, 2014 | Story
The Collaboration to Promote Self-Determination (CPSD) and the Ruderman Foundation released a brief on outcomes for people with disabilities working in the community versus those in sheltered workshops.
July 31, 2014 | Story
On Tuesday, July 22, two United States Courts of Appeals issued contradictory rulings on consumers’ ability to obtain subsidized health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
July 31, 2014 | Story
The AARP has released a state-by-state scorecard on long-term services and supports (LTSS).
July 31, 2014 | Story
The Kaiser Family Foundation has released an issue brief on the role of Olmstead v.
July 31, 2014 | Story
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released an updated report on enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) through May 2014.
July 31, 2014 | News
On July 31, LEAD Center Public Policy Lead and Executive Director of National Disability Institute (NDI) Michael Morris presented at the 2014 Annual Conference on Independent Living.
July 28, 2014 | Blog
The LEAD Center’s Policy Team Lead Michael Morris, who is Executive Director of National Disability Institute, sat down with Jonathan Zimring, an Atlanta, Ga.-based civil rights and education attorney for people with disabilities and their families...
July 22, 2014 | Resource
This July 2014 report, issued by the National Disability Institute, shines light on the financial health, capability and situation of adults living with disabilities.
July 22, 2014 | News
On Tuesday, July 22, President Obama formally signed into law H.R. 803, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
July 10, 2014 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that will highlight important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
July 9, 2014 | News
On July 9, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed by a 415 to 6 vote H.R. 803, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), a bill to improve and streamline the federal workforce development system.
June 30, 2014 | Story
On May 29, 2014, Alaska Governor John Parnell signed into law a piece of legislation that will effectively make Alaska an “Employment First” state.
June 30, 2014 | Story
In a concept paper that they submitted to CMS, Tennessee’s Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and its Medicaid authority, TennCare, have announced their intention to become the first state in the country to develop an HCBS p
June 30, 2014 | Story
The National Disability Navigator Resource Collaborative (NDNRC) has released a new resource explaining Medicaid Buy-In programs.
June 30, 2014 | Story
On June 25, the LEAD Center hosted an informational webinar for state administrators, service providers, and members of the public on the potential impact of new Medicare and Medicaid regulations on employment services.
June 30, 2014 | Story
On June 26, 2014, the American Association for People with Disabilities and the U.S. Business Leadership Network® released the first Annual Disability Equality IndexSM.
June 30, 2014 | Story
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report in May finding that Medicaid expenditures through managed care organizations (MCOs) were in need of increased oversight to reduce the risk of improper expenditures.
June 30, 2014 | Story
On May 28, 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor announced $15 million in grant funding available through the Disability Employment Initiative (DEI).
June 30, 2014 | Story
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released final regulations governing operation of the statewide health insurance marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
June 30, 2014 | Story
June 30, 2014 | Story
The LEAD Center’s Employment, Health Care and Disability policy updates are monthly updates examining the intersect
June 30, 2014 | Story
The LEAD Center’s Promoting Employment webinar mini-series will launch on July 30th.
June 30, 2014 | Story
The LEAD Center Customized Employment Initiative works across systems in Illinois and Kansas to support systems change.
June 30, 2014 | Story
Many job seekers who face challenges in getting and keeping jobs often find their way to their local American Job Center (AJC).
June 30, 2014 | Story
One of the most historic legal decisions affecting the civil rights of people with disabilities celebrated its 15th anniversary on June 22nd. In 1999, the U.S.
June 30, 2014 | Story
In July 2013, the LEAD Center, in collaboration with the U.S.
June 30, 2014 | Story
The LEAD Center, in collaboration with Louisville Metro Government Community Services and Revitalization Department and Bank on Louisville
June 25, 2014 | Blog
The LEAD Center’s customized employment initiative in collaboration with American Job Centers (AJCs) aims to increase the use of the workforce system by people with disabilities and support their ultimate success in achieving employment. The...
June 19, 2014 | Blog
Our nation's economy continues to improve, the overall unemployment rate continues to fall and businesses are hiring at rates near pre-Great Recession levels. Unfortunately, however, the employment situation for people with disabilities is largely...
June 5, 2014 | Blog
This 2013 report highlights Self-Employment Technical Assistance, Recources and Training (START-UP) and makes recommendations to ensure entrepreneurs with disabilities can achieve their dream of owning their own business.
May 30, 2014 | Story
On April 18, 2014, Washington state Governor Jay Inslee signed into law the Vulnerable Individuals Priority Act, which will dramatically reduce the waiting list for home and community-based services (HCBS) for Medicaid-eligible people with develop
May 30, 2014 | Story
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a report to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) detailing the effects of its transition to managed care for Medicaid recipients.
May 30, 2014 | Story
Wyoming, Oregon and Iowa have submitted assessment and/or transition plans to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), detailing their plans to implement new CMS regulations defining home and community-based services funded through Me
May 30, 2014 | Story
The Administration on Community Living, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Veterans Health Administration have announced a new grant opportunity, “
May 30, 2014 | Story
The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) and National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) have launched a new web site,
May 30, 2014 | Story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), Youth Transitions Collaborative and Center for Health Care Transition Improvement have announced an alliance to promote the employment of youth and young veterans with disabilities, including thos
May 30, 2014 | Story
The Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Labor have issued a request for information (RFI) to employers, educators, workforce development professionals, state agencies and other policy advocates on how to implement “Career Path
May 30, 2014 | Story
CMS has issued guidance explaining when individuals who have recently left their employer, but are eligible for continued coverage by their employer-sponsored insurance plan through COBRA, can instead apply for health insurance through the statewi
May 30, 2014 | Story
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have published a document answering frequently asked questions (FAQs) about its new regulations, published in January 2014, setting forth community integration requirements for home and communit
May 30, 2014 | Story
The National Disability Navigator Resource Collaborative (NDRC) has issued updated information for people with disabilities who are interested in purchasing health insurance through statewide insurance marketplaces.
May 23, 2014 | News
On May 21, the Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), announced an agreement had been reached to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998, a law that had sunset in...
May 22, 2014 | News
In collaboration with Louisville Metro Government Community Services and Revitalization and Bank on Louisville, the LEAD Center hosted an Economic Advancement Assembly in Louisville, Ky. on May 13.
May 22, 2014 | Resource
This presentation was used by Michael Morris on May 13th during the Louisville Economic Advancement Assembly, a city-wide event to help people in the local disability community improve their financial capability and capacity.
May 21, 2014 | Blog
Dedicated to advancing knowledge, policies and practices to enhance the opportunities of people with disabilities, Cornell University's Employment and Disability Institute recently released this report to further examine inclusive workforce...
May 16, 2014 | News
Earlier this week, LEAD Center staff visited Denver, Colo. to deliver a presentation at the 2014 National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP) Conference.
May 12, 2014 | News
Assembly brings disability advocates, community and thought leaders together to discuss current activities and opportunities to build the financial capability of people with disabilities throughout the Louisville Area
May 10, 2014 | Resource
Members of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) have produced this paper because they want to help people to work together to support the self- determined transition of youth to adulthood and community life. Self-...
May 8, 2014 | Blog
The 2012 National Financial Capability Survey underscores the need to ensure all Americans have access to the education, resources and tools they need to manage their money with confidence. This is the second study, done in consultation with the U.S...
May 6, 2014 | Resource
This presentation was used by the LEAD Center to lead a workshop titled "Best Practices in Universal Design: Strategies for Intake & Orientation" at the Annual NAWDP Conference in May 2014.
April 30, 2014 | Story
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law recently issued
April 30, 2014 | Story
On April 8, 2014, the Department of Justice announced that it had reached a “landmark” agreement to settle a lawsuit filed against the State of Rhode Island. The lawsuit claimed that Rhode Island had violated the Olmstead v. L.C.
April 30, 2014 | Story
The Kaiser Family Foundation has issued a report profiling a representative set of Medic
April 30, 2014 | Story
The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) has partnered with the Administration on Community Living (ACL) to propose a new Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) focused on family supports.
April 30, 2014 | Story
The Kaiser Family Foundation has released an issue brief discussing the effects of the Affordab
April 30, 2014 | Story
The first open enrollment period for health insurance via marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) ended on March 31, 2014.
April 30, 2014 | Resource
Mathematica conducted a comprehensive literature review of services and supports that facilitate employment for people with psychiatric disorders. The review focused on three subgroups: (1) long-term clients of mental health services, (2) workers at...
April 22, 2014 | Blog
With more than 100 million Americans considered low-income and economically vulnerable, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) hosted a November 2012 convention of financial empowerment experts, stakeholders and policymakers to share thei
April 15, 2014 | News
On April 15, U.S.. Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy Kathy Martinez wrote a blog explaining why the skills and perspectives of workers with disabilities are needed to help bridge the employment gap in the health care...
April 8, 2014 | Blog
This highly anticipated report from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers exciting news about employment of persons with disabilities in the federal government.
March 30, 2014 | Story
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization run by and for Autistic people.
March 30, 2014 | Story
Lisa Mills is currently working as a consultant to 13 states on various strategies for expanding integrated, competitive employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
March 30, 2014 | Story
On February 26, the LEAD Center, in collaboration with ODEP and the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) Office of Financial Empowerment, held the second webinar in the Promoting Economic Advancement Series,
March 30, 2014 | Story
On Jan. 10, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released new regulations governing home and community-based services (HCBS) provided through state Medicaid programs.
March 30, 2014 | Story
February 12, 2014, marked a historic day in the economic advancement of all people with disabilities when President Obama signed an executive order raising the minimum wage for employees of federal contractors, including workers with disabilities,
March 30, 2014 | Story
U.S. Department of Labor data has consistently documented the significant gap between people with and without disabilities in employment and earnings.
March 30, 2014 | Story
The LEAD Center recently released the report from its first bi-annual Policy Roundtable held July 17-18, 2013 in Washington, DC.
March 30, 2014 | Story
The LEAD Center, in collaboration with the National Council for Independent Living (NCIL), established a community of practice (COP) on employment and economic advancement to provide peer-to-peer mentorship, training and technical assistance to Ce
March 30, 2014 | Blog
Checking the personal credit history of job applicants is a common practice for employers today. According to a survey of human resources professionals, nearly half of employers check an employee’s credit history when hiring for some or all...
March 27, 2014 | Story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), an office within the U.S.
March 26, 2014 | Story
On February 19, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett submitted a proposal to expand Medicaid coverage to adults earning less than 133 percent of FPL, as authorized by the ACA.
March 26, 2014 | Story
A recent study by the American Mental Health Counselors Association has concluded that, in the 25 states that have chosen not to expand Medicaid to cover individuals earning less than 133 percent of FPL as authorized by the ACA, many people with m
March 26, 2014 | Story
Several states, including New Hampshire, Tennessee and Virginia, are considering taking advantage of a provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA), which would enable states to provide private health coverage to adult
March 26, 2014 | Story
In February, the U.S.
March 26, 2014 | Story
President Obama unveiled his proposed budget for 2015 on March 4, 2014. The proposed budget serves as a starting point for negotiations as Congress works toward passing an appropriations bill to fund government activities in 2015.
March 24, 2014 | Blog
This 2013 webcast from JAN's Federal Winter Webcast Series Rewind provides a practical approach to processing requests for reasonable accommodation in the workplace. The step-by-step guide is easy to understand and can be used to examine requests....
March 17, 2014 | News
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2014 for the Mental Health Transformation Grant Program: Transforming Lives throug
February 27, 2014 | Story
On February 1, Kansas began providing long-term supports and services (LTSS) to people with developmental disabilities through its Medicaid managed care program, KanCare.
February 27, 2014 | Story
On January 6, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a report detailing its findings after an investigation of Rhode Island’s system of providing employment and vocational services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
February 27, 2014 | Story
A review of the evidence on supported employment for people with psychiatric disabilities shows that supported employment services lead to higher rates of competitive employment, faster job placement, higher wages and increases in hours and weeks
February 27, 2014 | Story
The National Disability Navigator Resource Collaborative has issued a guide for healthcare insurance marketplace Navigators on how to assist people with disabilities in obtaining private health insurance.
February 27, 2014 | Story
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has issued a report estimating the effect of the Affordable Care Act on the labor market through 2024.
February 27, 2014 | Story
In states that have expanded Medicaid coverage to all adults with incomes under 133 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), pursuant to the ACA, individuals with incomes close to 133 percent of FPL may experience changes in the source of their
February 25, 2014 | Blog
This report stems from the work of The Conference Board Research Working Group on Improving Employment Outcomes for People with Disabilities.
February 21, 2014 | News
The next White House Office of Public Engagement disability community conference call featuring a senior Administration official will take place on Wednesday, February 26, 3:00-4:00 PM EST.
February 12, 2014 | News
President Obama included workers with disabilities in an executive order he signed today raising the minimum wage for federal contractors to $10.10/hour.
February 12, 2014 | Blog
This fact sheet from the LEAD Center desribes various best practices for employers when making job modifications to enable employees with disabilities to stay on the job or return to work.
February 5, 2014 | News
The LEAD Center released recently the report from its first bi-annual 2013 Policy Roundtable held July 17-18, 2013 in Washington, DC.
January 31, 2014 | Story
On Dec.
January 31, 2014 | Story
On Dec. 10, 2013, CMS approved the majority of Iowa’s proposed Medicaid expansion program, which will provide health coverage to adults with incomes under 133 percent of the FPL.
January 31, 2014 | Story
On Jan. 1, 2014, 25 states and the District of Columbia began providing Medicaid coverage to adults earning less than 133 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL).
January 31, 2014 | Story
Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) have announced their intention to introduce legislation that would give states incentives to move people with disabilities out of sheltered workshops and facility-based day habilitation progr
January 31, 2014 | Story
On Jan. 10, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released new regulations governing home and community-based services (HCBS) provided through state Medicaid programs.
January 29, 2014 | News
This Thursday, January 30 at 3 p.m. ET the White House Office of Public Engagement will re-launch its disability community conference White House call featuring a senior Administration official.
January 28, 2014 | Blog
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), access to health care has been a long-standing challenge.
January 28, 2014 | Resource
LEAD Center, Jan. 2014. This report summarizes the first annual LEAD Center Policy Roundtable discussions with recommendations to engage other federal agencies in a coordinated effort to improve integrated employment outcomes and economic...
January 17, 2014 | News
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released recently new regulations on state Medicaid home and community-based service (HCBS) programs.
January 15, 2014 | Blog
Federal and state policy have helped to ensure opportunities for people with disabilities to have meaningful jobs in their communities, as well as a path out of poverty and toward self-sufficiency.
January 10, 2014 | News
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) at the U.S. Department of Labor released a new policy brief recently on health care transition and employment.
January 1, 2014 | Resource
This webinar addresses questions that providers need to address when discovery leads to a self-employment outcome such as
January 1, 2014 | Resource
This Webinar will: • Explain the Importance of Discovery In Customized Employment • Introduce Self-Directed Discovery or Family Directed Discovery
January 1, 2014 | Resource
Providing quality and effective job supports is one of the more rewarding work activities that you’ll ever do. The role is varied and includes support, training, communication, interpretation and negotiation.
January 1, 2014 | Resource
This guide describes the step after Discovery and the job development process - developing a blueprint for job development.
January 1, 2014 | Resource
Rather than using a traditionally accepted format that relies heavily on numerical indicators of how the individual compares to expected norms, as well as the opinion of the evaluator, it is possible to develop a document that describes the indivi
January 1, 2014 | Resource
Although comparative assessments have traditionally been a useful starting point for the journey to employment for many individuals with disabilities, this approach has been problematic for job seekers with more significant impact of disability.
January 1, 2014 | Resource
The culmination of any approach to employment involves direct interactions with employers. After all, employers hold the jobs wanted by job seekers with disabilities.
January 1, 2014 | Resource
A visual resume is a Tool for introducing a job seeker to a prospective employer that shows off who the job seeker is at their best.
January 1, 2014 | Resource
This website serves as a respository for past Griffin Hammis Associates, LLC podcasts, which cover a range to topics related to disability employment in the United States.
January 1, 2014 | Resource
Employment and Disability Institute, Cornell University, 2014. This report examines the prevalence of inclusive workforce practices and policies that can help improve the recruitment, hiring and retention of workers with disabilities. The report...
December 31, 2013 | Resource
This December 2013 report, commissioned by Governor Jack Markell (D-Delaware), Chair of the National Governor’s Association, is intended to spur governors from across the country to improve efforts aimed at increasing the employment outcomes for p
December 31, 2013 | Blog
When the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued its final regulations for the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, its guidance listed several examples of flexible workplace policies that an employer could consider when choosing a reasonable
December 23, 2013 | Story
On October 1, 2013, Rebecca Salon joined the LEAD Center as Project Director.
December 23, 2013 | Story
More than three dozen federal agencies joined forces for one of the largest collaborations in federal government history to create a new, groundbreaking report on Women and Trauma.
December 23, 2013 | Story
December 23, 2013 | Story
In 2013, the LEAD Center provided a nine-part monthly webinar series on Promoting Employment, Promoting Economic Advancement and Promoting Leadership/Public Policy to nearly 2,700 individuals, workforce development professionals and policy makers.
December 23, 2013 | Story
To help increase employment rates for job seekers with disabilities, the LEAD Center in its first year initiated a strong collaboration with the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), the National Association of Workforce Development Profe
December 23, 2013 | Story
Lisa Mills, LEAD Center Subject Matter Expert, Lisa Jones, WIA Policy Manager from the Office of Employment and Training at the American Job Center in Springfield, Ill.
December 23, 2013 | Story
Michael Morris, co-chair of the LEAD Center Public Policy Team, and Bobby Silverstein, LEAD Center Subject Matter Expert, presented on October 30th at the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) conference on Equal Opportunity in
December 23, 2013 | Story
The LEAD Center completed its inaugural year on September 30, 2013, working in close collaboration with its funding agency, the U.S.
December 19, 2013 | Story
Beginning on December 9, 2013, Ohio residents earning less than 133% of FPL will be able to enroll in Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion, with coverage beginning January 1, 2014.
December 19, 2013 | Story
On November 8, 2013, the State of Michigan submitted a request to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for approval of its Healthy Michigan Plan, which will extend Medicaid coverage to all individuals aged 19 to 64 with incomes bel
December 19, 2013 | Story
The United States Health Resources and Services Administration announced on November 7 that it would provide an additional $150 million in funding to 236 community health centers across the United States for the purposes of hiring additional staff
December 19, 2013 | Story
On November 1, 2013, Minnesota released a plan to bring its service programs in line with the requirements of Olmstead v.
December 19, 2013 | Story
Massachusetts has issued a plan for moving people with intellectual disabilities out of segregated, sub-minimum-wage “sheltered workshops.” Under Massachusetts’ plan, entitled “Blueprint for Success: Employing Individuals with Intellectual Disabil
December 19, 2013 | News
The Dec. 19, 2013 update features stories on the closing of Massachusetts sheltered workshops, various state Medicaid expansion efforts, the newly extended ACA compliance deadline, HHS grants to community health centers and mental health parity...
December 15, 2013 | Resource
Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor, December 2013. This report highlights the Self-Employment, Technical Assistance, Resources and Training (START-UP) self-employment program and makes recommendations to ensure...
December 12, 2013 | Blog
National Council on Disability (NCD) commissioned a wide-ranging study in order to gain a better understanding of the intricacies of Medicaid managed care practices and the ways in which these practices can and should affect services for program...
November 21, 2013 | Blog
The Making Work Happen website from the Northeast ADA Center provides online tutorials to enhance the employment of people with disabilities through free, self-paced, on-demand learning experiences based on real-life issues and challenges around d
November 19, 2013 | News
On Friday, November 15, the LEAD Center signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA).
November 14, 2013 | Story
On Oct. 1, 2013, New York State’s Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) issued a draft plan to the U.S.
November 14, 2013 | Story
On Sept. 16, 2013, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed into law the “Healthy Michigan” Act (2013 Public Act No.
November 14, 2013 | Story
On Sept.
November 14, 2013 | Story
Despite the opening of the health insurance marketplaces on Oct. 1, 2013, individuals with incomes below 133 percent of the FPL will not be eligible for subsidized insurance premiums through the statewide insurance marketplaces.
November 14, 2013 | Story
The Senate Commission on Long-Term Care, established pursuant to the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, released its final report to Congress on Sept. 18, 2013.
November 14, 2013 | Story
The Kaiser Family Foundation issued a report on Oct.
November 5, 2013 | Blog
This issue brief, from the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy and written by the former NTAR Leadership Center, summarizes the "The Aging Workforce: The Role of Medical Professionals in Helping Older Workers and Workers w
November 1, 2013 | Resource
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, November 2013. This report brings to light expert observations and conclusions from a Nov. 2012 CFPB convention that may be of a benefit to economically-vulnerable populations and strategies to ensure better...
October 1, 2013 | News
October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) kicked off today with the 2013 “Because We Are All Equal to the Task” Campaign.
September 30, 2013 | Story
Michael Morris is the LEAD Center Public Policy Team Co-Lead and the Executive Director of National Disability Institute (NDI) in Washington, D.C.
September 30, 2013 | Story
Want to learn about the latest innovative practices regarding policy, employment and economic advancement for people with disabilities? Interested in getting a new perspective on these issues?
September 30, 2013 | Story
The LEAD Center’s monthly webinar series targeted to workforce development professionals, policy makers, employers and individuals with disabilities and other LEAD Center stakeholders offers participants the opportunity to interface with national
September 30, 2013 | Story
With the latest U.S.
September 30, 2013 | Story
The U.S. Department of Labor announced last month two final rules to improve hiring and employment outcomes for veterans and people with disabilities.
September 30, 2013 | Story
On July 17 and 18, 2013, the National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD Center) hosted its first annual Policy Roundtable in Washington, D.C., that brought together federal agency le
September 27, 2013 | Blog
Customized Employment (CE) represents a new service strategy choice for American Job Centers (AJCs) and their vendors. CE represents an opportunity to better serve AJC customers with complex barriers to work.
September 25, 2013 | News
The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) recently announced continued funding of the LEAD Center, a project of National Disability Institute.
September 19, 2013 | Blog
This report examines the GAO’s identification of 45 federal programs that supported employment for people with disabilities in fiscal year 2010, and its finding of a fragmented system of services.
September 10, 2013 | News
Recently, Vice President Biden announced two
September 5, 2013 | Blog
The U.S. Census Bureau's Disability Employment Tabulation – sponsored by the U.S.
September 1, 2013 | Resource
The Roadmap to Financial Inclusion outlines the milestones along the road to achieving full financial inclusion.
September 1, 2013 | Resource
Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), September 2013. This brief examines the impact of the ACA on people with I/DD.
August 30, 2013 | News
Help shape federal strategies to assist employers in creating a diverse workforce that includes people with disabilities
August 29, 2013 | Blog
Workplace flexibility can strategically meet the needs of individuals with disabilities and businesses.
August 15, 2013 | News
The LEAD Center and three Centers for Independent Living (CILs) participating in LEAD’s CIL Workforce Pilot highlighted the project and its work at the National Council for Independent Living’s (NCIL) recent national conference in Washington, D.C.
August 14, 2013 | Story
On Sept. 26, 2013, the Kaiser Family Foundation published its findings following a survey of uninsured Californians just before the opening of statewide health insurance exchanges established pursuant to the Affordable Care Act.
August 6, 2013 | Blog
The present moment is a uniquely challenging one for anti-poverty programs. Dwindling government resources and increasing demand for services are forcing municipalities to do more with less. A slow job market, stagnant wages and predatory financial...
July 26, 2013 | News
Today marks the 23rd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the landmark civil rights legislation for people with disabilities.
July 25, 2013 | Resource
LEAD Center, July 2013. This fact sheet desribes various best practices for employers when making job modifications to enable employees with disabilities to stay on the job or return to work.
July 25, 2013 | Resource
LEAD Center, July 2013. This presentation was used to lead a workshop titled "The Business Case for Workplace Flexibility" at the NAWDP Annual Conference, and details how workplace flexibility can strategically meet the needs of individuals with...
July 19, 2013 | News
The LEAD Center, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), held its first national policy roundtable at the Bureau of Labor Statistics from July 17-18.
July 10, 2013 | News
Beginning this week, the White House will hold conference calls for briefings on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in various states.
July 8, 2013 | News
The LEAD Center took its dedication to conversation and collaboration to the next level with the recent launch of its new blog and other website features.
June 20, 2013 | Story
The National Association of Workforce Development Professionals, Inc. (NAWDP) is a prof
June 20, 2013 | Story
Kelly Buckland is the Executive Director of the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL).
June 20, 2013 | Story
To enhance the collaboration and connection that is a core value of the LEAD Center’s drive for systems change, the LEAD Center launched its official website on March 31, 2013.
June 20, 2013 | Story
Register today for the LEAD Center's two upcoming webinars focusing on Group Discovery and Discovery as processes to promote employment outcomes for people with disabilities. Upcoming offerings include:
June 20, 2013 | Story
“You can’t aspire to be or do something that you don’t know exists.” This comment from the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals’ (NAWDP) 2013 Annual Conference super session encapsulated the purpose of this May conference in
June 20, 2013 | Story
June 20, 2013 | Story
The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has actively played a leadership role in the interpretation and enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) during the first term of President Obama’s administration.
June 1, 2013 | Resource
Citi Foundation and NeighborWorks America June 2013
June 1, 2013 | Resource
The NTAR Leadership Center, June 2013. This report examines how community colleges serve adults, identifies lessons from research on state policies and college practices to support adults and community colleges
May 31, 2013 | News
LEAD Center, ODEP and DOL highlighted in a recent podcast from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta featuring Michael Morris, LEAD Center policy team co-lead.
May 28, 2013 | News
Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) announced the theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month - "Because We Are EQUAL to the Task".
May 24, 2013 | News
Michael Morris, LEAD Center Public Policy Team co-lead, recently contributed a blog post to the ODEP Employment First ePolicyWorks space on Workforce Development System Myths.
May 23, 2013 | News
On May 21st, Barbara Wleklinski, LEAD Center Subject Matter Expert, and Elizabeth Jennings, LEAD Center Assistant Project Director, led a workshop titled "The Business Case for Workplace Flexibility" at the Annual National Assiociation of Workforce...
May 15, 2013 | News
Members of the public are invited to participate in an online dialogue to examine the impact of existing legislation on the successful transition from school to work of youth with disabilities.
May 6, 2013 | News
Nine of the DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for People With Disabilities are members of USBLN®, a LEAD Center partner.
May 1, 2013 | Resource
FINRA, 2013. The 2012 National Financial Capability Study (NFCS) presents new survey findings that underscore the need to ensure all Americans have access to the education, resources and tools they need to manage their money with confidence.
April 30, 2013 | Resource
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, April 2013. On April 30, 2013, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) brought together more than 100 public, private and nonprofit organization leaders dedicated to improving financial literacy and...
April 1, 2013 | Resource
This paper examines employment-focused interventions within the U.S. disability system, including the challenges of developing and implementing these types of initiatives.
April 1, 2013 | Resource
The NTAR Leadership Center, April 2013. This brief examines strategies being used at five community colleges serving high numbers of dislocated workers and how the outlined practices meet the needs of older workers, some of whom may be aging with or...
March 29, 2013 | News
The LEAD Center launched its national website today. Designed as information central for the LEAD Center, the website also serves as a key touch point for resources, events and trainings nationwide to promote public policy, employment and economic...
March 27, 2013 | Resource
CFED empowers low- and moderate-income households to build and preserve assets by advancing policies and programs that help them achieve their American Dream, including buying a home, pursuing higher education, starting a business and saving for the...
March 27, 2013 | Resource
National Disability Institute (NDI) is national non-profit organization dedicated to building a better economic future for people with disabilities and the principal organization driving the LEAD Center.
March 27, 2013 | Resource
Established by Congress in 2011, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is the federal agency charged with protecting and educating consumers regarding financial products and services through enforcement of federal consumer financial prot
March 26, 2013 | News
Learn more about a membership survey conducted by the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP), a LEAD Center national partner, and what it revealed about training opportunities and possible barriers to employment for...
March 26, 2013 | News
ODEP and National Disability Institute’s LEAD Center joined Cities for Financial Empowerment for a brainstorming session to begin designing a national integration strategy to build the financial capability of individuals and families through touch...
March 26, 2013 | News
The LEAD Center will work with five Centers for Independent Living (CILs) across the country to implement an innovative demonstration to expand employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities while utilizing the services of American Job...
March 25, 2013 | Story
The Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) supports m
March 25, 2013 | Story
Ari Ne'eman, President & Founder, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, LEAD Public Policy Team
March 25, 2013 | Story
March 25, 2013 | Story
March 25, 2013 | Story
Want to delve deeper into employment, policy and economic advancement issues impacting people with disabilities?
March 25, 2013 | Story
By Mike Callahan & Abby Cooper
March 25, 2013 | Story
Strengthening the capacity of the workforce investment system to maximize services to jobseekers with disabilities while promoting self-advocacy for people with disabilities to better use the American Job Center Network is a core goal of the LEAD
March 25, 2013 | Story
People with disabilities are less likely to be employed than people without disabilities, and when employed, they earn less than their colleagues without disabilities, according to the newly released U.S. Census Bureau's Community Survey.
March 25, 2013 | Story
March 23, 2013 | Resource
West Virginia University funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a leading source of free, expert and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and...
March 23, 2013 | Resource
National Employer Policy, Research and Technical Assistance Center for Employers on the Employment of People with Disabilities (Employer TA Center)
March 18, 2013 | Resource
NCD commissioned a wide-ranging study in order to gain a better understanding of the intricacies of Medicaid managed care practices and the ways in which these practices can and should affect services for program beneficiaries with disabilities.
March 15, 2013 | News
People with disabilities are less likely to be employed than people without disabilities, and when employed, they earn less than their colleagues without disabilities, according to the newly released U.S. Census Bureau's Community Survey.
March 12, 2013 | News
This new report delivered through the U.S. Department of the Treasury highlights many recommendations to help improve the financial lives of individuals and families across America.
March 1, 2013 | Resource
This informative article outlines how Return-to Work (RTW) programs can be a win-win for both the employer and the employee.
March 1, 2013 | Resource
Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), March 2013. This issue brief summarizes the "The Aging Workforce: The Role of Medical Professionals in Helping Older Workers and Workers with Disabilities to Stay at Work or Return to Work and Remain...
March 1, 2013 | Resource
U.S. Census Bureau, March 2013 - The Disability Employment Tabulation, sponsored by ODEP and the Office of Federal Contracts Compliance Programs, presents in-depth labor force characteristics of individuals with disabilities, with greater details on...
February 28, 2013 | News
This U.S. News and World Report article provides resources and tips for jobseekers with disabilities and employers on what may be asked or revealed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) during the hiring and employment process.
February 26, 2013 | News
This U.S. Census Bureau report – Disability Characteristics of Income-Based Government Assistance Recipients in the United States: 2011 – reveals that 30.4 percent of the more than 46 million adults who received income-based government assistance in...
February 24, 2013 | News
Delaware Gov. Jack Markell, the National Governors Association (NGA) chairman, told governors that the NGA will continue exploring ways states can work to develop programs for employing people with disabilities according to this Huffington Post...
February 21, 2013 | News
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued final regulations for the “Schedule A Hiring Authority” to simplify the hiring process of people with intellectual, significant and psychiatric disabilities by not requiring candidates who have...
February 1, 2013 | Resource
Job Accommodation Network (JAN), February 2013. This webcast provides a practical approach to processing requests for reasonable accommodation in the workplace. T
February 1, 2013 | Resource
This report stems from the work of The Conference Board Research Working Group on Improving Employment Outcomes for People with Disabilities.
January 30, 2013 | News
The popular job search website Monster.com will be the first job search and recruitment website in the industry to provide job seekers who are blind with full and equal access to all of its products and services including mobile applications.
January 1, 2013 | Resource
The Making Work Happen website from the Northeast ADA Center provides online tutorials to enhance the employment of people with disabilities through free, self-paced, on-demand learning experiences based on real-life issues and challenges around...
January 1, 2013 | Resource
This website section of the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), U.S. Department of Labor, showcases economic advancement resources for people with disabilities.
December 21, 2012 | Story
The current rate of employment for individuals with disabilities is 20.7 percent (compared to 69.2 percent for non-disabled individuals), a decline from 2011.
December 21, 2012 | Story
One of the LEAD Center’s core goals is strengthening the capacity of the workforce investment sector to maximize services to jobseekers with disabilities while providing training and resources to promote self-advocacy for people with disabilities
December 21, 2012 | Story
The National Disability Institute and its LEAD Center are honored to be working with the following national organizations in 2013 to promote employment and economic advancement outcomes for adults with disabilities:
December 21, 2012 | Story
The LEAD Center – formally known as the National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD) – is a collaborative of disability, workforce and economic empowerment organizations dedicated to
December 21, 2012 | Story
December 18, 2012 | Resource
The America's Heroes at Work project is designed for employers and the workforce development system to help address the employment challenges of our nation's service members and veterans living with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or...
September 27, 2012 | News
The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy on Sept.
September 1, 2012 | Resource
National Disability Institute and Multiple Sclerosis Association of America, September 2012 - A groundbreaking survey conducted by National Disability Institute and the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) revealed three out of four...
September 1, 2012 | Resource
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) September 2012
June 1, 2012 | Resource
U.S. Government Accountability Office, June 2012 - This report examines the GAO’s identification of 45 federal programs that supported employment for people with disabilities in fiscal year 2010, and its finding of a fragmented system of services.
May 1, 2012 | Resource
The NTAR Leadership Center, May 2012. This report examines challenges faces by older works, how the U.S. public workforce system serves older workers.
March 1, 2012 | Resource
The NTAR Leadership Center, March 2012. This report examines the potential impact of federal policy on work incentives for adults with disabilities in their sixties an late fifties.
February 1, 2012 | Resource
Government Accountability Office, February 2012 - Workforce board officials and their partners in 14 initiatives cited a range of factors that facilitated building innovative collaborations.
January 1, 2012 | Resource
The information included here is based on our Customized Employment implementation model. CE is defined by the U.S. Dept.
January 1, 2012 | Resource
Marc Gold & Associates is a network of consultants who are disability professionals specializing in employment and community participation for people with significant disabilities.
January 1, 2012 | Resource
New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, Office of Financial Empowerment, 2012 - This report documents how New York City introduced professional financial counseling into key city services to achieve better social service outcomes.
November 1, 2011 | Resource
Mathematica Policy Research Center for Studying Disability Policy, November 2011 - Systemic problems with the current support system for working-age people with disabilities are failing to meet the economic aspirations of this population and driving...
September 1, 2011 | Resource
This report explores real-world examples of the effective braiding of resources that advanced employer hiring and resulted in positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities.
July 1, 2011 | Resource
Mathematica Policy Research Center for Studying Disability Policy, July 2011 - This presentation, given at the 6th National Medicaid Conference, discusses the three major holes in healthcare financing for people with disabilities.
June 1, 2011 | Resource
The NTAR Leadership Center, June 2011. This brief examines activities available to move people with disabilities receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to employment.
June 1, 2011 | Resource
The NTAR Leadership Center, June 2011. This report examines how the population of job seekers with and without disabilities served through One-Stop Career Center (now known as American’s Job Centers or AJCs) changed during the recession.
April 12, 2011 | Resource
While some businesses are apprehensive to employ people with disabilities, this publication provides a contrast, highlighting businesses and multi-billion corporations utilizing strategies to create a more inclusive workforce.
April 1, 2011 | Resource
NTAR Leadership Center, Robert Nicholas, Ph.D., Ronnie Kauder, Kathy Krepcio, Daniel Baker, Ph.D. April 2011
March 1, 2011 | Resource
This white paper discusses the distinction between demand employment and a customized relationship.
January 1, 2011 | Resource
This guide provides a brief description of the Customized Employment Competency Model.
July 1, 2010 | Resource
U.S. Government Accountability Office - July 2010 - This report examines the many barriers that still exist 20 years after the ADA’s passage that may prevent people with disabilities from staying connected or returning to employment.
January 1, 2010 | Resource
Urban Institute, 2010. This fact sheet aims to outline the documented positive effects on businesses when they provide their workers with options to work less or to have more discretion over when, where and how their work is done.
October 1, 2009 | Resource
This publication provides an overview of customized employment and vignettes of individuals with varying disabilities who are successfully employed through the use of customized employment.
April 1, 2009 | Resource
U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy, April 2009 - This report analyzes research regarding best practices in asset development, as provided by American Job Centers (formerly known as One-Stop Career Centers), disability...
January 1, 2009 | Resource
Customized Employment (CE) represents a specific set of techniques and strategies that differentiate it from other forms of community employment. CE is based on the fundamental elements of Supported Employment, but differs in 2 important ways.
January 1, 2008 | Resource
For David, perseverance, creativity, and braiding of resources have come together to make it possible for him to have a job in line with his longtime dream of video and media work.
January 1, 2008 | Resource
This form is used to capture the major task steps of each job or project.
January 1, 2008 | Resource
Customized Employment (CE) represents a specific set of techniques and strategies that differentiate it from other forms of community employment. CE is based on the fundamental elements of Supported Employment, but differs in 2 important ways.
August 1, 2007 | Resource
The Customized Employment Public Intern Project was created based on the County’s knowledge that people with significant disabilities often have difficulty accessing County government positions.
August 1, 2007 | Resource
The Customized Employment Public Intern Project was created based on the County’s knowledge that people with significant disabilities often have difficulty accessing County government positions.
January 1, 2007 | Resource
This article describes TASH and its history of supporting inclusive employment for job seekers with disabilitis.
January 1, 2007 | Resource
This article provides questions and answers to demonstrate how customized employment can lead to integrated employment outcomes for individuals with significant disabilities.
January 1, 2006 | Resource
World Institute on Disability - Proyecto Visión, Kathy Martinez and Robin Savinar, 2006 This groundbreaking report co-authored by Kathleen Martinez, current Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor for Disability Employment Policy,...
January 1, 2004 | Resource
Job analysis in supported employment is an activity designed to assist employment facilitators to a) recognize the natural ways, means and people used by employers to typically perform and teach jobs; b) organize the information to be performed
January 1, 2004 | Resource
GHA receives hundreds of inquiries regarding self employment. To help answer some of these, we’ve collected some of the most common concerns and listed them below.
January 1, 2000 | Resource
This report, commissioned by the Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities reflects the experiences and perspectives of personnel involved with four of the seven demonstration projects involved with the National Choice De
July 1, 1997 | Resource
Informed Choice is a critical requirement for Vocational Rehabilitation providers.
Webinar
ODEP developed the Most Integrated Employment Settings (MIES) State Self-Assessment to promote cross-system coordination and to track progress within and between systems.
Webinar
Are you interested in national and state-level disability employment statistics, policy and initiatives?
Webinar
Don’t miss this webinar on Guided Group Discovery: Paving the Way to Employment,, in which we will share materials you can use to implement Guided Group Discovery through cross-system partnerships.
Webinar
The LEAD Center, in collaboration with the ABLE National Resource Center, will be holding a webinar focused on how individuals with disabilities, and their families, can use ABLE Accounts to increase their financial stability and produce more...
Webinar
Provider Transformation – the process of shifting a disability service provider from a focus on sheltered workshops and other non-work programs to services that foster competitive, integrated employment – is complex and multi-faceted, involving as
Webinar
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) makes clear that facilitating Transition from School to Work is not – and cannot be – the effort of a single agency or organization.
Staff
Aramide Awosika is the Project Coordinator for National Disability Institute's LEAD Center. As the project coordinator, Aramide coordinates all activities, resources, and provides technical assistance to LEAD Center staff.
Webinar
View this webinar archive to learn what disability advocates need to know about changes in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act’s (WIOA’s) Equal Opportunity Provisions (Section 188).
Staff
Margaret Breihan is a Communications Associate for National Disability Institute. As an undergraduate, she interned with several federal agencies, including the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy.
Webinar
View the archive of this webinar for a discussion with presenters from the Department of Justice, Administration for Community Living (ACL) and APSE on how supporting transformation to competitive integrated employment aligns with changing laws and...
Staff
Chris Rodriguez is the Director of Public Policy for National Disability Institute (NDI). Chris has extensive experience working on behalf of individuals with disabilities both on the state and national levels.
Partner
Operated by Interwork Institute at San Diego State University
Partner
Operated by Institute for Educational Leadership
Partner
Operated by Department of Rehabilitation and Disabilities Studies
Partner
Operated by University of Wisconsin-Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute (SVRI)
Partner
Operated by the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Wisconsin-Stout
Partner
Operated by the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision (NRTC) at Mississippi State University
Partner
Operated by Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston
Webinar
Join this webinar to gain information you can use about Customizing Employment: Success through Partnerships.
Partner
Operated by Cornell University Research on Disability is a collective of various Centers focused on Disability statistics, demographics and policy measurement.
Partner
Operated by Portland State University
Partner
Operated by Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America
Partner
Operated by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Partner
Operated by Institute for Educational Leadership
Partner
Operated by National Disability Institute
Partner
Operated by SEDL KTDRR Center makes it easier to find, understand and use the results of research that can make a positive impact on the lives of people with disabilities.
Partner
Operated by NDI Consulting, Inc.
Partner
Operated by the American Institutes for Research
Webinar
Join this webinar to learn about the provisions in Title I of the Final Rule that create opportunities for youth and adults with disabilities.
Basic Page
Employment, Health Care and Disability Policy Updates The LEAD Center’s Policy Update – Employment, Health Care and Disability is a monthly update focusing on the intersection of disability, employment and health care policy.
Basic Page
Keep up with the latest LEAD Center information as well as breaking news about employment, policy and economic advancement for people with disabilities.
Basic Page
The LEAD Center e-newsletter, highlights news and innovations in employment, policy and economic advancement for people with disabilities.
Basic Page
Keep up with the latest LEAD Center information as well as breaking news about employment, policy and economic advancement for people with disabilities.
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An Illinois Money Smart event featuring Mr. Michael Morris speaking on the "Banking Status and Financial Behavior of People with Disabilities: Challenges and Opportunities".
Staff
Nanette Goodman is a Senior Researcher at the National Disability Institute where she provides technical assistance to Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) through the LEAD Center.
Staff
Jamie Robinson is the Manager of Financial Empowerment and Workforce for National Disability Institute (NDI). She has over 15 years’ experience working to increase employment and financial stability of individuals with disabilities.
Webinar
April is Financial Capability month.
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WADA "ADA Live!" is a free monthly show broadcast nationally on the Internet by the Southeast ADA Center.
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Join us on March 23, 2016 for a WISE Webinar on how Ticket to Work and other Work Incentives can help you achieve financial independence.
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Join the Ticket to Work program for its next virtual job fair on March 16, 2016 from 1-5 p.m. EST.
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The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) provides new opportunities for American Job Centers (AJCs) to partner with Centers for Independent Living (CILs) leading to improved employment outcomes for job seekers with disabilities.
Creating an Inclusive Workforce System: Implementing WIOA Section 188’s Equal Opportunity Provisions
Webinar
Section 188 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) prohibits discrimination against people who apply to, participate in, work for, or come into contact with programs and activities of the workforce development system.
Event
This session will cover the history and context of the EmploymentFirst initiative and how it fits into the goals of people with disabilities and their families. Presenters:
Event
This webinar, presented by ExploreVR, will examine the value of Labor Market Information (LMI) as it applies to national workforce job-driven initiatives around preparing youth and adults with disabilities for work.
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This webinar, presented by Explore VR, will define the concept of Customized Training (CT) as it applies to national workforce job-driven initiatives around preparing youth and adults with disabilities for work.
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On September 8, 2015, the United States entered into a proposed settlement agreement with the State of Oregon to vindicate the civil rights of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) who are unnecessarily segregated in
Webinar
Are you interested in learning more about what is going on in other states relevant to Employment First but don’t know how to access the information?
Event
The Pacific Rim International Conference encourages and respects voices from “diverse” perspective across numerous areas, including: voices from persons representing all disability areas; experiences of family members and supporters across all dis
Event
The 2015 EFSLMP Community of Practice Webinar Series is structured to augment the technical assistance areas (Capacity Building, Provider Transformation, Transition, and Employer Engagement) addressed by Core States (Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, D
Event
The Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (the Committee) will hold its fourth meeting on July 13-14, 2015 in Washington, DC.
Event
Join PEAT’s new virtual speaker series, PEAT Talks on Thursday, June 18 from 2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. ET.
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The Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation at Utah State University and Griffin-Hammis Associates are offering an 8-hour training on ethics for Customized Employment service delivery.
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The Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation at Utah State University and Griffin-Hammis Associates are offering an 8-hour training on ethics for Customized Employment service delivery.
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The Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation at Utah State University and Griffin-Hammis Associates are offering an 8-hour training on ethics for Customized Employment service delivery.
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The Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation at Utah State University and Griffin-Hammis Associates are offering an 8-hour training on ethics for Customized Employment service delivery.
Basic Page
The LEAD Center will host its second Policy Roundtable in Fall 2015, focused on the implemention of new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) regulations.
Event
Under the ADA, facilities are required to be accessible so that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy the goods, services and programs that businesses, nonprofits and state and local government offer to the general public.
Webinar
Join this webinar to learn about best practices in Section 188 implementation and compliance.
Webinar
View this webinar to learn more about cross-system collaboration and WIOA opportunities to support career counseling, skills training, job exploration, leadership development, and financial literacy education for youth with and without disabilities.
Webinar
View this webinar to identify key components of a Plan, and explore a collaborative approach to developing the Unified State Plan to include stakeholders in the disability community.
Webinar
This webinar will include presenters from CMS and national subject matter experts, who will discuss the HCBS rule and its applications in supporting individuals with disabilities to seek and attain competitive integrated employment.
Event
Mary Alice McCarthy will discuss emerging trends and policy recommendations for improving the connections between workforce development and higher education.
Webinar
The LEAD Center, funded by the US Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Policy, is hosting a four-part webinar series titled "WIOA From a Disability Perspective."
Event
This free webcast is the third in a series of webcasts that examine the links between VR research and practice.
Event
The Office of Disability Employment Policy is sponsoring a National Online Dialogue for family members of young adults with disabilities in postsecondary academic and workforce/vocational training settings.
Event
This webcast is the second in the Job Accommodation Network’s three-part winter 2015 federal monthly webcast series.
Event
NCIL’s Annual Conference draws individuals of all ages and disabilities from all 50 states.
Event
The Annual Family Cafe is the ideal place to connect thousands of people with disabilities with your product, service or resource.
Event
Research indicates that welcoming and safe workplaces that offer work-life balance and take precautions against violent behavior are beneficial to employers’ bottom lines through increased employee productivity, health and engagement.
Event
The National ADA Symposium is a four day comprehensive conference on the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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Get a preview of what’s in store when you attend the 2015 National ADA Symposium from May 10-13 in Atlanta, GA.
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This webinar will provide Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) grantees and workforce development professionals with key lessons learned from the DEI Workforce Employment Networks that resulted in positive employment outcomes for job seekers rec
Event
The Center on KTDRR is pleased to announce the 2014 KT Conference: Effective Media Outreach Strategies. This conference will focus on using various forms of media to expand the reach and use of research findings.
Staff
Lisa Stern is an Employment Policy Advisor for the LEAD Center. Lisa has spent more than 25 years focused on career, workforce development and disability employment initiatives.
Event
In this webcast, Dr.
Webinar
A growing number of Centers for Independent Living are providing employment services to meet the needs of their customers and to improve the employment and economic advancement outcomes of individuals with disabilities.
Webinar
The new Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act places a greater emphasis on serving all job seekers – regardless of ability.
Event
The Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity will feature topic areas and voices from diverse perspectives across numerous areas to promote thoughtful discussion and suggest new ways to integrate education, technology, advo
Event
Presenters will share important information for employers on ensuring that the technology in their workplaces is accessible to all employees, including those with disabilities. PEAT's guest speakers will provide a basic primer onaccessible techno
Event
Web access is not just making a website available to the public.
Event
Students with disabilities don’t usually know about other college students with disabilities, their opportunities in higher education, or what accommodations are available and how to request them.
Webinar
One of the most historic legal decisions affecting the civil rights of people with disabilities celebrated its 15th anniversary on June 22nd. In 1999, the U.S.
Webinar
Disability management and prevention is an important component in retaining talented employees and reducing turnover costs. In 2013, the LEAD Center studied a large successful U.S.
Webinar
Join us to continue to build your understanding of Customized Employment and your ability to provide this innovative employment practice to those you serve.
Event
The Knowledge Translation for Employment Research (KTER) Center at SEDL, and its partner at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), conducted an online survey of staff in state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies regarding their knowledge and
Event
DESCRIPTION: Mental health and substance-use conditions often co-occur. Approximately 8.9 million adults have co-occurring disorders; that is, they have both a mental and substance-use disorder. Only 7.4 percent of individuals r
Staff
Katie Auchenbach is the Communications Specialist for National Disability Institute (NDI). As part of the LEAD Center's Communication Team, she brings over three years of experience in social media management and web communications to her role.
Basic Page
The Knowledge Translation (KT) Consortium brings together federally funded Training and Technical Assistance Centers, each with their own unique mission addressing different aspects of employment, career readiness and development, transition and...
Webinar
In the aftermath of CMS' recent regulation defining acceptable and unacceptable settings for Home and Community Based Services, states and stakeholders are now considering how to transition their service-provision systems into compliance with the
Webinar
As states continue to transition their Medicaid systems into managed care models, numerous opportunities and risks to Medicaid-financed employment services have emerged.
Webinar
There are new challenges and opportunities for federal contractors as a result of requirements of the Section 503 final rule.
Webinar
This webinar, as part of our Employment mini-series, will provide information on strategies for enhancing employment stability and improving time on the job through the use of economic advancement strategies.
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Over 700 workforce professionals from across the nation are expected including: One-Stop Center Staff, Job Developers, Re-Entry Specialist, Youth Build Grantees, Community College Representatives,Job Corps Professionals, Senior Community and Emplo
Webinar
The US Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have entered into a partnership to advance positive financial behavior and greater economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disab
Webinar
ODEP, in collaboration with the CMS Disability & Elderly Public Health Group will host two upcoming educational webinars for state policy-makers and disability policy stakeholders to discuss recent Federal policy guidance issued by CMS.
Webinar
ODEP, in collaboration with the CMS Disability & Elderly Public Health Group will host two upcoming educational webinars for state policy-makers and disability policy stakeholders to discuss recent Federal policy guidance issued by CMS.
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APSE offers the only national conference focused solely on the advancement of integrated employment. For the past 25 years, the National APSE Conference has brought together business and community leaders from across the country to network and fo
Webinar
Join us for a timely conversation on MyFreeTaxes, a free, inclusive tax preparation tool in which taxpayers earning $58,000 or less can prepareand file their federal and state taxes online in all 50 states.
Event
Trauma affects all aspects of society, and the Federal Government is addressing this issue in some very cross-cutting ways. This webinar is the first of a three-part webinar series sponsored by the Women and Trauma Federal Partners Committee.
Event
All Americans need to exercise their fundamental right to vote. In 2002, President George W.
Event
What is the definition of a service animal? Is a service animal the same as a companion animal, psychiatric animal or therapy pet? Does a business have to serve a customer who has two service animals?
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Learn how evidence-based practices can be incorporated into strategies to engage people with disabilities and older adults in coordinated transportation planning; Hear stories from SURTC Researchers and ACL Catalysts about how evidence-based pract
Event
Equal access to meetings, conferences and events is one part of ADA compliance but this requirement is often overlooked or misunderstood.
Event
The Department of Justice has investigated hundreds of complaints about the failure to provide effective communication. Historically, they have received more complaints about failure to provide effective communication than any other issues they ha
Event
For veterans with disabilities, work is not just about a paycheck. It’s about identity, pride and human connection. It’s also about healing because veterans with disabilities who are employed have better physical and mental health.
Event
7th National Organizational Change Forum: A Time for Change: Sheltered Workshop Conversion will take place October 22-23, 2013 at the Hilton Hotel in Burlington, Vermont.
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The LEAD Center hosted its first Policy Roundtable in Washington, D.C., that brought together federal agency leaders, state and local agency policymakers and practitioners and subject matter experts on cross-system collaboration.
Event
The Pac Rim conference is considered one of the most ‘diverse gatherings’ in the world, and encourages and respects voices from “diverse” perspectives including: people with disabilities; family members and supporters, educators, policy makers and mo
Event
A state of the science conference from the Rehabilitation and Research Training Center on Employer Practices Related to Employment Outcomes among Individuals with Disabilities.
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Work is not just about a paycheck. It is also about identity, pride, connection and, for many veterans, it is also about healing. Veterans bring a lot to a workplace: skills, discipline, resilience and teamwork. This is as
Event
With the recent release of new regulations for the Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Veteran’s Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), federal contractors are facing additional requirements that may prove chal
Event
Disability disclosure at the workplace can be greatly beneficial to both employers and employees with disabilities. However, many individuals, especially those with non-visible disabilities may fear repercussions and opt not to self-identify.
Event
Sometimes referred to as “hidden” disabilities, mental health conditions are prevalent and when unaccommodated, can be extremely costly to business. Indirect costs alone amount to an estimated $80-100 billion annually.
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Employers and other interested stakeholders are invited to participate in an online Employer Dialogue being sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).
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The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) invites you to a webinar on our recently announced Final Rule to revise the regulations implementing the Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Section 503).
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The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) invites you to a webinar on our recently announced Final Rule to revise the regulations implementing the Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Section 503).
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Join EAPD for its 3rd Annual Job Fair in Corpus Christi, Texas, where job seekers can explore and meet with inclusive employers.
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This RESNA webinar will discuss and demonstrate several iPad apps for text reading (Read2Go, Voice Dream), word prediction (iWordQ, iReadWrite), text capture (AppWriter US), note taking (Notability, SoundNote) and organization tools that address c
Event
Join TASH, a LEAD Center National Partner, for an online training session will introduce the audience to strategies of discovery and customized employment which are effective in creating employment for people who face significant challenges to wor
Event
Join TASH, a LEAD Center National Partner, for a training session where participants will come away with a firm understanding of the link between work experience, secondary education programs and successful outcomes for youth with disabilities.
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Join the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP), a LEAD Center National Partner, for a webinar to discover the in's and out's of how social media tools work and apply them to more targeted areas.
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This symposium is a key event for professionals that work with youth and manage youth programs, including youth with disabilities.
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This talk by Professor Clayton Lewis will focus on how the evolution of technology is creating both new barriers and opportunities for accessibility and usability.
Webinar
During this webinar we will provide a brief overview on the emergence of managed care as the preferred model for delivering Medicaid-funded long-term supports to individuals with disabilities.
Webinar
During this webinar, we will discuss reasons and strategies for aligning resources across systems to support the implementation of Discovery, Customized Employment, and Self-Employment.
Promoting Employment - Discovering Your Potential: Using Discovery to Identify Your Employment Goals
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This webinar will provide information on how to use Discovery – an alternative assessment tool proven to identify the strengths of job seekers with and without disabilities – to discover your personal employment goals.
Event
EARN is offering a free webinar in partnership with the U.S. Business Leadership Network (USBLN): "Lead the Way: Building an Inclusive Business Culture"
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Delaware Gov. Jack Markell and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett will co-host an institute focusing on the employment challenges that affect individuals with intellectual and other significant disabilities.
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This webinar will provide information on two best practices – Customized Employment and Customized Self-Employment.
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This webinar will provide information on Group Discovery – an alternative assessment tool proven to identify the strengths of job seekers with and without disabilities.
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The TASH Annual Conference brings together stakeholders from every aspect of the disability community to learn, share and grow the collective effort to advance inclusion and human rights for people with significant disabilities.
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The U.S. Business Leadership Network’s (USBLN) Conference & Expo is the preeminent national business-to-business event focusing on disability inclusion in the workplace, marketplace and supply chain.
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The National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) 2013 Annual Conference will focus on the organization’s core theme of strengthening the workforce system through information exchange, liaison and advocacy.
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The National HCBS Conference brings together professionals interested in state long-term care services and support programs, including federal, state and local policymakers and those who manage and deliver waiver and other HCBS programs.
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The National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) Annual Conference for Purchasing Cooperatives is the only event by, for and about purchasing and shared-service cooperatives.
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This Job Accommodation Network (JAN) webcast will feature best practices dedicated to JAN’s focus on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues.
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The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) Annual Conference offers programming designed to meet the interests and needs of corporate partners, LGBT-certified business owners and entrepreneurs, allied companies and NGLCC affiliate
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Sponsored by the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), the 2013 Annual Conference will bring together people with disabilities across generations – from young advocates to veteran leaders – who are advancing the independent living movem
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As the nation prepares to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), this Job Accommodation Network (JAN) webcast will feature representatives from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and JAN provid
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The Association of People Supporting EmploymentFirst (APSE) Annual Conference focuses exclusively on the employment of people with disabilities, bringing together business and community leaders from across the country to focus on state-of-the-art
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RESNA’s 2013 Annual Conference is designed by and for people passionate about the use of assistive technology to improve the health, employment and well being of people with disabilities.
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This Job Accommodation Network (JAN) webcast will explore various models and strategies in the self-employment process.
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The 2013 National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions (the Federation) Annual Conference will bring together leading thinkers, researchers, policymakers and practitioners in community development and financial empowerment with credit
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The National Association of Workforce Development Professionals’ (NAWDP) Annual Conference brings together participants interested in learning about innovative methods, tools, ideas and public policy to serve clients across the workforce developme
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This Job Accommodation Network (JAN) webcast will explore the mental processes of managing time, making plans, multi-tasking, organizing, strategizing, paying attention and remembering details.
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The National ADA Symposium is a comprehensive conference on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that provides practical, expert training on ADA implementation from the country’s top presenters.
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This webinar from the Shriver Center will feature asset building and public health advocates exploring the pluses and minuses of the Affordable Care Act and how it will impact poverty and asset building for lower-income Americans.
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The 29th Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability & Diversity – hosted by the Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa – is considered one of the world’s most diverse gatherings for the disability community.
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This Job Accommodation Network (JAN) webcast will feature representatives from Booz Allen Hamilton sharing strategies, lessons learned and success stories from their Disability Accommodations and Workplace Adjustment Program. JAN is a LEAD Center
Webinar
Learn about three free tax preparation models for American Job Center professionals to implement to further advance economic stability for their customers. Presenters included the IRS as well as local AJCs implementing free tax prep at their local...
Expert
Janet Steveley is a Senior Consultant with Griffin-Hammis Associates, working specifically on the Entrepreneurial Boot Camp for Veterans (EBV) project through Syracuse University, as well as various customized and self-employment projects.
Expert
Robert “Bobby” Silverstein, a principal at Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville, P.C, has a federal regulatory and legislative practice in the areas of disability, health care, rehabilitation, employment, education, social security and civil rights.
Expert
Lisa Mills is currently the Public Policy Chair for TASH, Senior Technical Advisor for the Coalition to Promote Self-Determination (CPSD) and a Senior Consultant with Marc Gold & Associates.
Expert
Cary Griffin is a Senior Partner at Griffin-Hammis Associates, a full service consultancy specializing in building communities of economic cooperation, creating high performance organizations, and focuses on disability and employment. Griffin...
Expert
Tawara Goode is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
Expert
Mike Callahan has consulted throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe in the area of supported employment for the past 23 years.
Staff
Brittany Taylor is the Program Coordinator for the National Disability Institute-led LEAD Center.
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Kathleen Brannigan is the Director of Marketing and Communications for National Disability Institute (NDI).
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Michael Morris is the LEAD Center Public Policy Team Co-Lead and the Director of National Disability Institute (NDI) in Washington, D.C.
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Elizabeth Jennings is the Deputy Director of National Disability Institute in Washington, D.C.
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Explore why financial education is important and how it can benefit customers served at American Job Center. Learn about curriculum options and resources as well as strategies for local implementation.
Webinar
Discover opportunities for individuals with disabilities to increase income through the use of Social Security (SSDI and SSI) work incentives, including work incentives that support savings above the $2,000 SSI asset limit.
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The LEAD Center offers webinars on topics that are timely for people working in the workforce and/or disability systems, and for people with disabilities and their support networks.
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Interested in the latest events, webinars and training opportunities from around the country dedicated to employment, policy and economic advancement for people with disabilities? Find them here on the LEAD Center calendar.
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Economic advancement of people with disabilities and greater access to financial tools and strategies is an important part of the LEAD Center’s mission.
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Work is a fundamental part of life for adults with and without disabilities. Work is also an essential path to economic self-sufficiency and financial stability.
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The LEAD Center’s work focuses on promoting innovation in policy, employment and economic advancement to advance individual and systems level change for all people with disabilities.
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Meet the LEAD Center’s national partners and knowledge transfer consortium partners.
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October 12, 2017 | Blog
I want a job, or two, or three… Can you answer the following question? On a load chart, values above the bold line mean:
October 4, 2017 | Event
Join the Ticket to Work Program on October 25 from 3-4:30 p.m.
October 3, 2017 | Blog
The Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE) shares information on their national effort aimed at shaping attitudes and improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities, and how their work intersects with October being National...
September 27, 2017 | Story
Employment, Health Care, and Policy Update: August 2017
September 27, 2017 | Story
Nancy Boutot is the Manager of Integrated Systems and Cross System Integration for the LEAD Center and Project Manager for Ticket to Work Outreach Support through National Disability Institute (NDI) Consulting.
September 27, 2017 | Story
Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is embracing the new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) legislation to deepen partnerships with education and workforce partners throughout the state.
September 27, 2017 | Story
LEAD Center staff presented and/or exhibited at a number of conferences during the past quarter on strategies and practices to promote employment and economic advancement of youth and adults with disabilities.
September 27, 2017 | Story
This summer, the ABLE National Resource Center (ANRC) launched a month-long public awareness campaign called “#ABLEtoSave.” The national grassroots camp
September 27, 2017 | Story
The official theme of the U.S.
September 27, 2017 | Story
The LEAD Center continues to support the expanding work of the Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADD
September 27, 2017 | Story
The LEAD Center has been providing training nationwide on how all programs and activities that are part of the One-Stop delivery system, including workforce partners, must comply with Section 188, Workforce I
September 27, 2017 | Story
Guided Group Discovery (GGD) curriculum materials, developed by the LEAD Center, offe
September 27, 2017 | Story
LEAD Center is just finishing its fifth year and is proud of its many accomplishments. LEAD Center’s activities are all designed to improve competitive integrated employment and economic self-sufficiency for youth and adults with disabilities.
September 8, 2017 | Event
If you are age 18-64, receive Social Security disability benefits (SSI or SSDI), and want to make more money through work, Ticket to Work can provide the support you need!
August 31, 2017 | Story
Truyven Health Analytics, a division of IBM Watson Health Business, produces annual reports each year of Medicaid long-term services and supports expenditures and how they change over time.
August 31, 2017 | Story
Mathematica Policy Research (MPR) recently released its 2015 Annual Evaluation Report for CMS’s national Money Follows the Person (M
August 31, 2017 | Story
On July 3, 2017, Kentucky submitted an amendment to its Section 1115 waiver proposal,
August 31, 2017 | Story
Kentucky Receives Final Approval for Its HCBS Transition Plan
August 31, 2017 | Story
July 26, 2017 of this year marked the 27th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the nation’s foremost civil rights law for people with disabilities.
August 31, 2017 | Story
The U.S.
August 31, 2017 | Story
The A.J.
August 7, 2017 | Event
Join Social Security's Ticket to Work program on August 23, 3-4:30 p.m. ET, for their next free WISE webinar!
August 3, 2017 | Event
ABLE National Resource Center would like to invite potential ABLE participants, their families, the financial community and all other ABLE stakeholders, to attend a free webinar on Wednesday August 9, from 2:00 – 3:00 EST, focusing on eligibility...
July 26, 2017 | Blog
Rebecca Salon, Project Director for LEAD, shares her perspective on the transformative power of work and reflects on the Americans with Disabilities Act, 27 years after it was signed into law.
July 14, 2017 | Event
If you are age 18-64, receive Social Security disability benefits (SSI or SSDI) and want to make more money through work, Ticket to Work can provide the support that you need!
July 10, 2017 | Resource
Customized employment (CE) refers to competitive integrated employment, for an individual with a significant disability, that is based on an individualized determination of the strengths, needs, and interests of the individual with a significant d
June 29, 2017 | Story
Matthew Shapiro,a young and motivated entrepreneur, established 6 Wheels Consulting in 2014.
June 29, 2017 | Story
The ABLE National Resource Center (ANRC) is a collaborative that brings together the investment, support, and resources of some of the country's most influential national disability organizations to accelerate the design and availability of ABLE a
June 29, 2017 | Story
Last year, the LEAD Center was invited to join a Virginia Statewide WIOA cross-agency partner meeting to address accessibility of the one-stop service delivery system.
June 29, 2017 | Story
Following the 2017 WIOA National Convenings, the WorkforceGPS team compiled additional technical assistance materials and resources, including relev
June 29, 2017 | Story
This spring, the U.S. Department of Labor (US DOL), in collaboration with its Education and Health and Human Services partners, hosted three Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) National Convenings.
June 29, 2017 | Story
This past quarter, the LEAD Center conducted substantial work to educate disability-related stakeholders about how having an ABLE account can assist a person with obtaining and maintaining competitive integ
June 29, 2017 | Story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the LEAD Center recently released materials and resources for use by workforce professionals to implement Guided Group Discovery (GGD), most effectively used through cross-system partnerships.
June 29, 2017 | Story
If you haven’t recently visited the Employment First website, you may have missed three important new resources; this user-friendly website offers comprehensive information on state policies, pu
June 21, 2017 | Resource
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and the LEAD Center are pleased to release resources for Guided Group Discovery which lays the foundation for competitive integrated employment as a Universal...
May 31, 2017 | Story
The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion of Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities (“The Collaborative”) recently released its County Mental Health Administrators’
May 31, 2017 | Story
The Council on Quality and Leadership, an organization dedicated to measuring the quality of community life for people with disabilities, released the results of a
May 31, 2017 | Story
On March 23, 2017, the Henry J.
May 31, 2017 | Story
On April 30, 2017, Congress agreed to a Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 omnibus spending bill that will fund the government through September 2017
May 31, 2017 | Story
On May 9, 2017, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released an Informational Bulletin that extends the compliance deadline for all settings su
May 30, 2017 | Blog
As a way of commemorating Mental Health Awareness Month, the LEAD Center asked Dr. Debra Kissen to outline strategies people with psychiatric and other disabilities can use to maintain or improve their mental health while looking for work.
May 18, 2017 | Event
With over 20 state ABLE programs now open across the country, the ABLE National Resource Center (ANRC) would like to invite potential ABLE participants, their families, and all other ABLE stakeholders, to attend a free webinar on May 24, from 2:00-3...
May 16, 2017 | Event
If you are age 18 through 64, receive Social Security disability benefits (SSI or SSDI), and want to make more money through work, Ticket to Work can provide the support that you need!
May 9, 2017 | Resource
Read the LEAD Center's latest brief: “The ABLE Act and Employment: Strategies for Maximizing the Effectiveness of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act as a Tool for Financial Stability and Employment Outcomes of People with Disabilities...
May 4, 2017 | Event
DEADLINE: MAY 19, 2017 | This online dialogue aims to explore multiple ways that ABLE accounts can be used to advance employment and financial self-sufficiency for youth and adults with disabilities.
April 27, 2017 | Blog
Alex Ghenis, an ABLE account holder, shares his personal experience with ABLE, and how ABLE accounts can provide employment support for people with disabilities.
March 29, 2017 | Story
Employment, Health Care and Disability Policy Update: February 2017
March 29, 2017 | Story
Janet R.
March 29, 2017 | Story
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is an independent agency of the United States government that protects the funds depositors place in banks and savings associations.
March 29, 2017 | Story
On February 28, 2017, the LEAD Center hosted a webinar on What Disability Advocates Need to Know about New WIOA Equal Opportun
March 29, 2017 | Story
On March 2, 2017, LEAD Center Public Policy Co-Chair, Michael Morris, presented and moderated a panel on “Scaling Up for Lasting Change” at the Office of Disability Employment Policy’s
March 29, 2017 | Story
The LEAD Center will soon release a brief titled, “The ABLE Act and Employment: Strategies for Maximizing the Effectiveness of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act as a Tool for Financial Stability and Employment Outcomes of People wi
March 29, 2017 | Story
In October 2016, LEAD Center hosted a three-week National Dialogue on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways, which is one of LEAD Center’s areas of interest.
March 29, 2017 | Story
In 2017, local Equal Opportunity Officers (EOOs) with Missouri’s Division of Workforce Development were charged with collecting results from a new workforce staff assessment on the impact of statewide Section 188 training.
February 27, 2017 | Story
The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) under the Administration on Community Living (ACL) at the U.S.
February 27, 2017 | Story
On December 30, 2016, CMS released guidance to state Medicaid directors on Section 1915(k) of the Social Security Act, also known as the “Community First Choice” state plan option.
February 27, 2017 | Story
The American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) recently released the results of a study, “Eff
February 27, 2017 | Story
Researchers at the Collaborative on Health Reform and Independent Living (CHRIL) have begun a unique study of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA).
February 27, 2017 | Story
The EEOC’s recently released policy guidance titled, “Depression, PTSD, & Other Mental Health Conditions in the Workplace: Your Legal Rights,” which explains the rights tha
February 27, 2017 | Story
State Medicaid agencies are in the process of revising their Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) transition plans, to fully reflect the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
February 27, 2017 | Story
On January 3, 2017, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released its Final Rule, “Affirmat
February 27, 2017 | Story
On January 3, 2017, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released its Final Rule, “Affirmat
February 15, 2017 | Event
Join Ticket to Work on February 22, 2017, for the latest WISE webinar. This webinar will present information on Social Security programs and rules that may apply to you, such as:
February 1, 2017 | Resource
As Employment First gains ground across the nation, shifts in organizational thinking and leadership are needed in order to not only comply with law, but to provide the best services to individuals with disabilities. Cary Griffin, CEO of Grffin-Ha
January 24, 2017 | Resource
What does successful workplace inclusion for people with disabilities look like? An innovative program at Worldport, UPS’s main air sorting hub in Louisville, Kentucky, is game-changing, reframing disability inclusion not only as social...
January 19, 2017 | Resource
This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document addresses the criteria for an integrated employment location within the definition of “competitive integrated employment” in section 7(5)(B) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act), as
January 17, 2017 | Event
If you are age 18 through 64, receive Social Security Disability benefits, and want
December 21, 2016 | Story
Employment, Health Care and Disability Policy Update: November 2016
December 21, 2016 | Story
The Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) is responsible for administering and coordinating programs related to adult education and literacy, career and technical education, and community colleges.
December 21, 2016 | Story
Dr.
December 21, 2016 | Story
To celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) in October, the LEAD Center invited guest bloggers to reflect upon the issue of disability employment and this year's theme of
December 21, 2016 | Story
The LEAD Center continued to have a presence at national, state, and regional conferences this fall.
December 21, 2016 | Story
By January 2017, Missouri’s Division of Workforce Development staff and management will have participated in a new statewide training series highlighting disability under the Section 188 nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of the Wo
December 21, 2016 | Story
On October 31, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released further clarification on how the Integration Mandate of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the subsequent Olmstead v.
December 21, 2016 | Story
In November, LEAD Center posted a Provider Transformation Issue Brief, Transforming Employment Services from Shel
December 21, 2016 | Story
The LEAD Center continues to provide webinars that offer participants the opportunity to interface with national thought leaders, federal representatives, workforce professionals, and subject matter experts about important issues affecting the dis
December 21, 2016 | Story
As part of National Disability Employment Awareness (NDEAM) month in October, the LEAD Center hosted a three-week National Dialogue on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways, in collabora
December 21, 2016 | Story
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is the first legislative reform of the public workforce development system in more than 15 years.
December 14, 2016 | Resource
On December 2, 2016, the Department of Labor (DOL) published in the Federal Register a final rule revising the regulations implementing the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of Section 188 of the Workforce Innovat
November 29, 2016 | Story
October was National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a time during which many people reflect on both the progress that has been made towards the full employment of people with disabilities and the long way that we still have to go.
November 29, 2016 | Story
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released its report “Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports Beneficiaries in 2012,”
November 29, 2016 | Story
On October 31, 2016, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a statement on how the integration mandates of Title II of the Ameri
November 29, 2016 | Story
On November 9, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a Request for Information (RFI) entitled, “Medicaid Program Request for Information (RFI): Federal Government Interventions to Ensure the Provision of Timely and Q
November 7, 2016 | Resource
ODEP’s Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program (EFSLMP) aims to prioritize competitive integrated employment over sheltered work and to transform work centers into competitive integrated employment models as a core element of provider
November 4, 2016 | News
On October 31, the U.S. Department of Justice released guidance on how the Integration Mandate of Title II of the ADA and the Olmstead decision are to be applied to state and local governments’ employment service systems.
November 2, 2016 | Resource
On November 2, 2016, LEAD Center Public Policy Co-Chair and National Disability Institute Executive Director, Michael Morris, led a conference session at the 2016 APSE Regional Institute in Sacramento, Calif.
October 28, 2016 | Blog
For over 35 years, people have known about best practices and evidence-based approaches to support employment for people with intellectual disabilities.
October 26, 2016 | Blog
Inclusion works, and at the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), we can tell you – with research to back it up – that the benefits employers receive from implementing effective workplace accommodations far outweigh the low cost.
October 25, 2016 | Resource
Title IV of WIOA requires that VR agencies include in its State Plan an assurance that it has entered into a formal cooperative agreement with various state agencies. LEAD Center has created a summary of the VR policy framework for cooperative...
October 24, 2016 | Blog
National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is a topic that is important to me on both a professional and personal level.
October 17, 2016 | Blog
I have a deep appreciation for my mom because she always had the courage to stand up for me.
October 11, 2016 | Blog
We may watch television to relax, but watching that screen can also widen our world view.
October 3, 2016 | Event
People with disabilities face many challenges in employment. Anti-discrimination laws are continually evolving and new issues are coming to the fore.
October 3, 2016 | Story
In September, the states of Iowa and Pennsylvania were granted initial approval of their HCBS Transition Plans by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
September 30, 2016 | Story
National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2016
September 30, 2016 | Story
As LEAD Center finishes its fourth year as a national training and technical assistance center, we wanted to provide our top 10 accomplishments in Year 4. They include a focus on:
September 30, 2016 | Story
September 30, 2016 | Story
National Disability Employment Awareness Month is a nationwide campaign observed each October that raises awareness about disability employment issues, celebrates the skills and talents of workers with disabilities, and educates about the value of a...
September 30, 2016 | Story
Communities of Practice (CoPs) align individuals with a shared interest to share common practices, individual experiences, innovative ideas, and experiential knowledge.
September 30, 2016 | Story
On July 27, 2016, the U.S.
September 30, 2016 | Story
The LEAD Center had a presence at three conferences this summer, with a focus on sharing emerging best practices in disability policy.
September 30, 2016 | Story
On August 19, the Departments of Labor (DOL) and Education (ED) collectively published their Joint Final Rule to implement jointly-administered activities authorized under Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
September 30, 2016 | Story
On September 15th, the Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (ACICIEID) released its final report consisting of recommendations o
September 30, 2016 | Story
The Disability and Civil Rights Clinic at Brooklyn Law School recently filed a complaint against two health insurance companies, Group Health Incorporated (GHI) and EmblemHealth.
September 30, 2016 | Story
The Illinois General Assembly recently passed House Bill 6162, or the Employee Sick Leave Act. The Employee Sick
September 30, 2016 | Story
On September 1, 2016, the Texas Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will begin an overhaul that will convert its five agencies providing health and human services into three.
September 30, 2016 | Story
On September 2, 2016, Research on Disability, a coalition of disability-focused research projects at the Institute on Disability and University of New Hampshire, released their latest
September 30, 2016 | Story
The United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) has new regulations revising
September 2, 2016 | Blog
As workers age, they may acquire disabilities, so corporations would be wise to think about cost-effective ways of providing workplace accommodations. What best practices can companies put in place to address the needs of all employees while staying...
September 1, 2016 | Resource
Designed to help a broad audience of government leaders, employees and job seekers, the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government® rankings draw on responses from civil servants to produce a detailed view of employee satisfaction and commitmen
August 30, 2016 | Story
A July 2016 survey by Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health reports that people with disabilities, who are not provided with necessary workplace accommodations and health-related supports in the workplace, are disproportionately likely to...
August 30, 2016 | Story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released a sample notice and FAQs that may assist employers in complying with its final ADA regulations on employer-sponsored wellness programs, published on May 17, 2016.
August 30, 2016 | Story
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a report on changes to long-term services and supports (LTSS), “
August 30, 2016 | Story
During the months of July and August, the states of Missouri, Massachusetts, and Arkansas released revised versions of their home and community-based services (HCBS) Transition Plans and posted them for public comment.
August 30, 2016 | Story
July 26th, 2016 marked the 26th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
August 30, 2016 | Story
Legislation enabling disability savings accounts under the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act continues to gain ground in state legislatures.
August 30, 2016 | Story
Fifteen New Hampshire individuals with disabilities who rely on long-term community-based services and supports (LTSS), including supported employment, and 10 agencies that provide LTSS, have sued to stop New Hampshire’s plan to move Medicaid-fund
August 30, 2016 | Story
On November 13, 2013, the Department of Labor’s Employment Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) issued final regulations implementing the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, which requires gro
August 30, 2016 | Story
Enrollment in statewide health care exchanges began on Oct. 1, 2013.
August 19, 2016 | Blog
Did you know that under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), an employee with a disability can request the use of accrued paid leave or the use of unpaid leave as a reasonable accommodation?
August 19, 2016 | Resource
The purpose of this policy brief is to provide a summary description of the Department of Education’s Final Rule implementing Title I of the Rehabilitation Act (State Vocational Rehabilitation Program), as amended by Title IV of the Workforce...
August 19, 2016 | Resource
The purpose of this policy brief is to provide a summary description, from a disability perspective, of the Department of Labor and Department of Education Final Rules implementing Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (Workforce...
August 7, 2016 | Resource
This website, supported by Association of Unversity Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), serves as a “one-stop shop” for all information, resources and news related to CMS’ new HCBS regulations.
August 3, 2016 | Blog
Do you have multiple sclerosis (MS)? Do you wonder how fatigue and other symptoms of MS will affect your ability to work, as well as the quality of your life?
July 8, 2016 | News
The LEAD Center is pleased to make available to you two policy briefs to provide a summary description from a disability perspective on the Final Rules implementing Title I and Title IV of WIOA.
July 5, 2016 | Blog
Beyond simply thanking our veterans for their service, it is our duty to actively help them succeed as members of society. Seeking to meet this need, the Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service created Veterans.gov.
July 1, 2016 | Resource
The U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service created Veterans.gov to act as a one-stop employment services website for both veterans seeking work and employers looking to hire veterans.
June 30, 2016 | Story
· Policy Update: Employment, Health Care and Disability: March 2016
June 30, 2016 | Story
The Louisville Alliance for Development through Diversity, Empowerment, and Resources (LADDER) is the new name of the Louisville Workforce Development and Financ
June 30, 2016 | Story
Breaking News: Final Rules were issued for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act on June 30, 2016. For more information, please visit https://www.doleta.gov/WIOA/.
June 30, 2016 | Story
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) recently launched WorkforceGPS - the next generation, mobile-friendly, and accessible website that gives the public workforce system, education professionals, and business...
June 30, 2016 | Story
Originally founded during the Great Depression, the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) brings together state administrators of the publicly-funded workforce system.
June 30, 2016 | Story
June 30, 2016 | Story
On May 11, the LEAD Center had the opportunity to present at the Missouri Association for Workforce Development (MAWD) Conference in Lake Ozark, Missouri.
June 30, 2016 | Story
June 2016 marked the launch of the country’s first ABLE programs.
June 30, 2016 | Story
LEAD Center staff presented at three conferences this spring, with a focus on disability policy. Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity
June 30, 2016 | Story
In recognition of Financial Capability Month in April, a LEAD Center webinar, Financial Literacy and the W
June 30, 2016 | Story
One of LEAD Center’s priorities over the next year focuses on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways that include youth and adults with disabilities and others who experience barriers to employment.
June 30, 2016 | Story
On April 27 and 28, the Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities held its eighth meeting.
June 30, 2016 | Story
Disability Employment Initiative
June 29, 2016 | Story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released a final rule amending its regulations implementing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA).
June 29, 2016 | Story
On June 6, 2016, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposed final regulations implementing a statute that increases the availability of medical leave for United States veterans with disabilities. The Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act of 2015...
June 29, 2016 | Story
On June 6, 2016, the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice released a study showing that most people with serious mental illness can improve the quality of their lives if they are given sufficient employment supports in the...
June 29, 2016 | Story
The Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) recently issued a final rule implementing Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
June 29, 2016 | Story
On June 20, 2016, Tennessee’s Bureau of TennCare and the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, released a memo detailing major changes to the way in which the state will authorize facility-based day services, including employm
June 29, 2016 | Story
On June 2, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted initial approval to the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Transition Plans of Kentucky and Ohio.
June 29, 2016 | Story
On June 1, 2016, the state of Ohio became the first state to launch a disability savings account program authorized by the federal Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE), which passed in December 2014.
June 27, 2016 | Event
Join us on June 30th for the LEAD Center’s inaugural Twitter chat on Promoting Inclusive Career Pathways!
June 21, 2016 | Resource
The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) most up-to-date report on the U.S. workforce as it relates to the employment status of people with disabilities.
June 16, 2016 | Blog
The sooner that we can provide young adults with exposure to the working world, the better. This is particularly true for young adults with disabilities.
May 31, 2016 | Story
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Administration on Community Living (ACL) partnered with the state of Tennessee on May 26th to host a webinar on Tennessee’s State HCBS Transition Plan titled, HCBS Implementation and the...
May 31, 2016 | Story
Iowa’s Department of Health and Human Services announced on May 9, 2016 that, due to an unclear statement of how money was to be spent in a 2015 health care budget bill, $750,000 initially allocated to increase supported employment has not been sp
May 31, 2016 | Story
CMS has recently released a new section of its Settings Requirements Compliance toolkit, titled Frequently Asked Questions on Planned Construction and Person-Centered Planning Requirements. The resource addresses a number of questions that people...
May 31, 2016 | Story
On May 18, 2016, President Obama and Labor Secretary Perez announced the publication of the Department of Labor’s Final Rule on overtime exemptions under The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
May 31, 2016 | Story
On April 25, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a comprehensive Final Rule on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) managed care programs.
May 31, 2016 | Story
National Core Indicators (NCI), a collaborative effort between the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disability Services (NASDDDS) and the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) to evaluate the performance of developmental
May 31, 2016 | Story
On May 9, 2016, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a new resource document discussing and clarifying the rights available to individuals who request work leave as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilit
May 27, 2016 | Blog
What are possible courses of action that policymakers can take to give workers with disabilities a fair shot at employment and economic security? Find out in this 'In The Know' blog.
May 19, 2016 | Blog
Do you have a mental illness? Are you interested in working? Are you already working but need some help on the job? There are a lot of resources available to help you.
WISE WEBINAR: Ticket to Work for People with a Mental Illness: Support on Your Journey to Employment
May 16, 2016 | Event
Join Ticket to Work on May 25, 2016, for the latest WISE webinar.
May 9, 2016 | Event
Several states are prepared to begin enrollment for ABLE programs. This webinar will help you pick the program that's best for you.
May 1, 2016 | Resource
Learn about how Assistive Technology (AT) can follow people with disabilities from secondary school to post-secondary education, vocational rehabilitation and employment. LEADing to Employment Information Briefs provide a summary on topic
April 29, 2016 | Story
On April 13, 2016, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted final approval for Tennessee’s Statewide Transition Plan, designed to bring the state into compliance with CMS’ final rules on home and community-based services (HCBS).
April 29, 2016 | Story
Disability Rights Ohio, on behalf of six individuals with developmental disabilities, filed a lawsuit claiming that Ohio is in violation of the Supreme Court’s ruling Olmstead v. L.C.
April 29, 2016 | Story
Maine’s mental health providers are concerned about potential changes to Maine’s reimbursement rate structure proposed by a consultant hired by Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
April 29, 2016 | Story
As reported in the Salina Post (04/05/16), Kansas state officials are giving conflicting timelines for when a massive change (i.e., waiver integration) in the way Kansans with disabilities receive Medicaid-funded services will occur.
April 29, 2016 | Story
Three bills were recently introduced in Congress that would expand the flexibility and the number of people who have access to the tax-advantaged savings accounts created by the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE).
April 29, 2016 | Story
Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), other members of Congress, and disability rights advocates have recently made a more concerted effort to promote Senate Bill S. 2427, known as the Disability Integration Act (DIA).
April 29, 2016 | Story
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released a report on how expanding Medicaid could provide more Americans with access to both health insurance
April 29, 2016 | Story
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released final regulations on mental health and substance abuse disorder parity for people in Medicaid Managed Care Organization, (MCOs), Medicaid Alternative Benefit Plans (ABPs), and Childr
April 29, 2016 | Blog
How can companies encourage employees with disabilities to self-identify? And why is this important?
April 13, 2016 | Blog
The financial lessons we learn from role models, such as our parents, as a kid can have a huge impact on us.
April 12, 2016 | Blog
For many, one of the most important parts of the transition to adulthood is finding meaningful employment. However, people on the autism spectrum still face immense barriers to finding good jobs in their communities.
April 4, 2016 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
April 4, 2016 | Resource
This publication from the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (a project of the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston) addresses a key challenge for states w
April 1, 2016 | Resource
List of FAQs related to fiscal requirements of pre-employment transition services.
March 31, 2016 | Story
· Section 188 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportu
March 31, 2016 | Story
The Independent Living Administration (ILA) is a part of the Administration on Disabilities (AoD) within the Administration for Community Living (ACL).
March 31, 2016 | Story
Bob Williams is the Deputy Commissioner for the Administration on Disabilities, U.S.
March 31, 2016 | Story
2nd Annual Independence through Employment Conference (Florida)
March 31, 2016 | Story
In February, ODEP and LEAD Center released an Employment First technical brief, the fourth in a four-part series, titled Fed
March 31, 2016 | Story
LEAD Center staff reviewed state plans from California, Iowa, and North Carolina utilizing a guide we developed that identifies key areas for plan design and implementation to advance effective and meaningful participation of youth and adults with
March 31, 2016 | Story
n collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the LEAD Center has released Promoting Employment and Economic Advancement: A Toolkit for Centers for Independent Living (CIL) and American Job...
March 31, 2016 | Story
The Department of Labor’s Employment & Training Administration, in collaboration with multiple federal offices and national partners, held a national convening of workforce leadership to support state teams in the design of innovative approach
March 31, 2016 | Story
On Jan. 26, 2016, the U.S.
March 30, 2016 | Story
After more than a year of debate, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the state of Iowa’s plan to transition all of its Medicaid-funded services, including supported employment, to managed care, effective April 1, 2016.
March 30, 2016 | Story
Following several months of public forums (See October 2015’s Employment, Health, and Disability Update for some of the LEAD Center’s earlier cover
March 30, 2016 | Story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), titled “
March 30, 2016 | Story
On March 30-31, the National Quality Forum (NQF) will host its second in-person meeting of its Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Quality project in Washington, D.C.
March 30, 2016 | Story
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), a nonprofit organization founded by Senators Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell to promote bipartisan collaboration, recently released a report,
March 23, 2016 | News
LEAD Center staff reviewed state plans from California, Iowa, and North Carolina utilizing a guide we developed that identifies key areas for plan design and implementation to advance effective and meaningful participation of youth and adults with
March 22, 2016 | Resource
The Promoting Employment and Economic Advancement: A Toolkit for CILs and AJCs is a collection of resources for Centers for Independent Living (CIL) and American Job Centers (AJC) to deepen their understanding of each other’s services and structure...
March 15, 2016 | Resource
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requires the Governor of each State to submit a Unified or Combined State Plan to the Secretary of DOL by April 1, 2016 that outlines a four-year strategy for the State’s workforce development sy
March 15, 2016 | Resource
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requires the Governor of each State to submit a Unified or Combined State Plan to the Secretary of DOL by April 1, 2016 that outlines a four-year strategy for the State’s workforce development sy
March 15, 2016 | Resource
LEAD Center staff reviewed state plans for Iowa, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Washington, and Tennessee, utilizing a guide we developed that identifies key areas for plan design and implementation to advance
March 9, 2016 | News
The LEAD Center and Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) held a Peer Exchange to review and discuss Section 188 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
March 8, 2016 | Blog
Employers are often concerned with the costs of providing workplace accommodations. However, a study by the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) found that such accommodations are low cost and have a big impact.
February 29, 2016 | Story
Minnesotans with significant disabilities had much to celebrate as the state’s Department of Human Services (DHS) removed long-standing barriers preventing them from accessing critical services, including support for competitive integrated employm
February 29, 2016 | Story
Washington State’s newly revised HCBS Transition Plan makes a number of important steps towards the full integration of people with disabilities into the community.
February 29, 2016 | Story
A recent episode of NPR’s Morning Edition highlighted disparities in access to workers’ compensation for work-related injuries.
February 29, 2016 | Story
The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics (StatsRRTC), a project that compiles statistics on disability in the United States, has recently released its
February 29, 2016 | Story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and Economic Systems, Inc.
February 29, 2016 | Story
The HCBS Advocacy Coalition has released a three-part toolkit that explains the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings rule and its potential to pro
February 29, 2016 | Story
On February 9, 2016, President Obama and his administration released their proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2017.
February 19, 2016 | Blog
I’m In To Hire is an initiative founded by Best Buddies International that aims to create a more inclusive workplace by promoting the business benefits of hiring those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
February 16, 2016 | Resource
The purpose of this policy brief is to provide a summary of the NPRM implementing the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of Section 188 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) from a disability perspective.
February 1, 2016 | Resource
This policy brief from the Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN) summarizes a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NRPM) from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commision (EEOC).
January 29, 2016 | Story
A recent news investigation revealed that, for many Connecticut citizens with significant disabilities, eligibility for services never translates into actually receiving services.
January 29, 2016 | Story
On December 29, 2015, the Department of Human Services was informed that U.S. Magistrate Judge Janice Stewart approved the final settlement in the historic Lane v. Brown community integration lawsuit in Oregon.
January 29, 2016 | Story
December 19, 2015 marked the one-year anniversary of President Obama’s signing of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act into law.
January 29, 2016 | Story
The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) and a coalition of disability rights advocates are urging the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to consider both supported employment and Home and Community-Based Servic
January 29, 2016 | Story
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently issued two publications that explain how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to job applicants and employees who are HIV-positive.
January 29, 2016 | Story
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) released a No Wrong Door System Reference Document for Medicaid Administrative Claiming Guidance do
January 29, 2016 | Story
On December 2, 2015, the National Association of States United for Aging and Disability (NASUAD) published two tip sheets designed to increase the number of low-income seniors and people with disabilities that the Medicare Improvements for Patien
January 29, 2016 | Story
In January 2016, the O ce of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) contracted with Economic Systems, Inc.
January 15, 2016 | Resource
This information brief provides the results of six focus groups conducted to garner the perspective of employers who had hired individuals with disabilities into customized jobs within the past year.
January 14, 2016 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD...
January 1, 2016 | Resource
The Minnesota Employment Training and Technical Assistance Center (MNTAT) features success stories about Minnesotans with a variety of disabilities who are successful in individualized, customized employment or who have started their own business.
January 1, 2016 | Resource
This website serves as a repository for Marc Gold & Associates forms, samples, guides and plans related to customized employment.
January 1, 2016 | Resource
Griffin-Hammis Associates, Inc. is a full service consultancy specializing in developing communities of economic cooperation and self-employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
January 1, 2016 | Resource
A summary guide to employment supports for persons with disabilities under the Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs.
January 1, 2016 | Resource
The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is a recruitment and referral program that connects federal and private sector employers nationwide with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to prove their...
January 1, 2016 | Resource
The American Job Center Network provides a single, 24-7 access point for key federal programs and critical local resources to help people find a job, identify training programs, and tap into resources to help them gain skills in growing industries.
January 1, 2016 | Resource
Despite the nation’s ongoing economic recovery, millions of low- and moderate-income Americans are, like the Greek mythological character Sisyphus, perpetually forced to push an outsized boulder up a steep hill with little prospect of reaching sta
December 31, 2015 | Story
The White House has proposed an FY2016 budget deal that would prevent the double-digit premium increases feared by many Medicaid and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries.
December 31, 2015 | Story
Open Enrollment for 2016 coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace began November 1, 2015 and will end on January 31, 2016.
December 31, 2015 | Resource
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), individuals with HIV infection or AIDS are protected against workplace discrimination and harrasment regarding their condition, afforded workplace privacy rights and may have legal rights to request
December 22, 2015 | Story
On December 15, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued updated guidance on the effect of new home and community-based services (HCBS) regulations on non-residential settings.
December 17, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
December 15, 2015 | Story
Danielle Smith is the State of Missouri WIA Equal Opportunity Officer
December 15, 2015 | Story
Many individuals with disabilities have never managed their own money, created a budget, opened a savings or checking account, applied for an assistive technology loan or understand how to build assets.
December 15, 2015 | Story
As the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) continues its process of implementation, there are many important aspects that states should be currently preparing for, including the submittal of th
December 15, 2015 | Story
On October 22nd the LEAD Center hosted a webinar titled “Disability, Employment & Lane v.
December 15, 2015 | Story
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) represents an opportunity for federally-funded employment-related training and technical assistance (TA) centers to educate, promote, and connect stakeholders to employment resources for jobseeke
December 15, 2015 | Story
In July 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor issued the Promising Practices in Achieving Universal Access and Equal Opportunity: A Section 188 Disability Reference Guide.
December 15, 2015 | Story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy and the LEAD Center are pleased to have released three Employment First Technical Briefs that
December 15, 2015 | Story
On Thursday, October 1, 2015, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the LEAD Center and Social Dynamics LLC, launched a new website, intended to serve as the go-to resource for
December 15, 2015 | Story
LEAD Center staff presented at three conferences during the past few months: the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP) Youth Symposium and APSE’s inaugur
December 15, 2015 | Story
As the states continue to release home and community-based services (HCBS) transition plans, it has become clear that each state interprets the HCBS regulations in a different manner.
December 14, 2015 | Resource
These Employment First Technical Briefs are for anyone working to implement Employment First in their state, region or agency.
December 3, 2015 | Blog
This July 2014 report, issued by the National Disability Institute, shines light on the financial health, capability and situation of adults living with disabilities.
December 2, 2015 | Story
The Kansas Department of Children and Families (DCF), a state agency charged with helping people with disabilities find employment, has returned over $15 million dollars in unspent funds to the Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Adm
December 2, 2015 | Story
On Friday, October 30, 2015, the U.S.
November 12, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
November 6, 2015 | Resource
The video series highlights the importance of work and work-based experiences in the transition to adulthood and was created by the Youth Transitions Collaborative, a community of more than 45 organizat
November 3, 2015 | Resource
This policy brief examines the correlation between employment, health status and health care costs of people with disabilities. Employment can improve health by increasing social capital, enhancing psychological well-being, providing income, and...
October 29, 2015 | Story
test
October 29, 2015 | Story
Kansas’ Department of Health and Environment and Department of Aging and Disability Services, after receiving feedback from stakeholders in the community (e.g., health care providers, people with disabilities, family members of people with disabil
October 29, 2015 | Story
Witnesses at a recent public hearing in Wisconsin expressed concerns about changes made to the state’s bu
October 29, 2015 | Story
On September 29, 2015, United States District Judge Donovan Frank, pursuant to an existing settlement agreement, approved a plan detailing Minnesota’s strategy to achieve compliance with Olmstead. Under the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v.
October 29, 2015 | Story
As of October 2015, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has sent 42 states Clarifications and/or Modifications Required for Initial Approval (CMIA) letters in response to each state’s published Statewide Transition Plan.
October 29, 2015 | Story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Community Living (ACL), building on a partnership between the two organizations that began in 2012, recently signed a memor
October 29, 2015 | Story
On September 15, 2015, the Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (ACICIEID) released its Interim Report to Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, L
October 29, 2015 | Blog
He’s 28, on the autism spectrum, and just got a job with a large company in Silicon Valley.
October 27, 2015 | Blog
This month, I have been inspired by the collaboration and cooperation between businesses, service organizations and individuals who have made these events happen.
October 23, 2015 | Blog
It can be easy to overlook a few key questions that we should all ask when we are job hunting, before accepting a job, and once hired.
October 21, 2015 | Resource
On July 26, 2010, President Obama issued Executive Order (E.O.) 13548 on Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities, to mark the historic 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). E.O.
October 21, 2015 | Blog
People who are successful in work (and life) use the people who know them to open doors to jobs, careers, work experiences and opportunities.
October 15, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
October 9, 2015 | Blog
As we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), it is important that we take account of the incredible progress that has been made in the fight to ensure all people, including people with disabilities, have access to gainful...
October 8, 2015 | News
The platform provides a unique comprehensive resource for policymakers, researchers and external stakeholders to learn about national trends and activities in Employment First
October 1, 2015 | News
The entire month of October, we will join countless nonprofits, organizations, all levels of government, and individuals with disabilities, their family and friends, as well as disability advocates raising awareness about disability employment...
October 1, 2015 | Resource
Asset Building Strategies for People with Disabilities, A Guide to Financial Empowerment covers all topics that are important for people with disabilities in their quest for strong finances and asset building.
September 30, 2015 | Story
Integrating Financial Capability and Asset Building Strategies into the Public Workforc
September 30, 2015 | Story
September 30, 2015 | Story
On September 18, LEAD Staff returned to Louisville, Ky.
September 30, 2015 | Story
The new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) offers State Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) and local American Job Centers (AJCs) the opportunity to play a critical role in ensuring that youth and adults, with and without disabilities,
September 30, 2015 | Story
LEAD Center, in partnership with Griffin-Hammis Associates, LLC, recently launched a pilot program offering training and on-site technical assistance on Self-Guided Discovery to assist American Job Center (AJC) staff and their partners to learn an
September 30, 2015 | Story
LEAD Center’s Employment Policy Advisor, Lisa Stern, was invited to give the keynote address at Accommodation for Success, a seminar for employers held by the St.
September 30, 2015 | Story
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) entered into a proposed settlement agreement earlier this month with Oregon that provides adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities with the support to achieve competitive integrated employment in...
September 30, 2015 | Story
LEAD Center presented at three different national conferences in the last few months: the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) Equal Opportunity Committee Meeting, the 2015 HCBS National Conference and the NCIL Conference.
September 30, 2015 | Story
The Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (ACICIEID) recently released its interim report.
September 30, 2015 | Story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the National LEAD Center, is launching a new Internet-based platform on Thursday, October 1.
September 30, 2015 | Story
The official theme of the U.S.
September 30, 2015 | Story
The U.S.
September 30, 2015 | Story
The Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (ACICIEID) recently released its interim report.
September 30, 2015 | Story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the National LEAD Center, is launching a new Internet-based platform on Thursday, October 1.
September 30, 2015 | Story
The official theme of the U.S.
September 25, 2015 | Story
Disability rights advocates in Utah are expressing concern about a failed plan to expand Medicaid coverage by the end of this past July.
September 25, 2015 | Story
Minnesota attorneys, representing a group of plaintiffs with disabilities, are arguing that Minnesota’s Department of Human Services mismanaged money set aside for Medicaid HCBS waivers, leading to the plaintiffs’ placement on waiting lists for wa
September 25, 2015 | Story
On September 8, 2015, the U.S.
September 25, 2015 | Story
On September 8, 2015, the U.S.
September 25, 2015 | Story
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in partnership with the National LEAD Center, is launching a new Internet-based platform that will allow policy-makers, researchers, and stakeholders to learn about national trends, policies and a
September 25, 2015 | Story
At the annual Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Conference, hosted by the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced new performance-based option
September 25, 2015 | Story
On June 19, 2015, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) posted in its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) its recommended approach for implementing the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2014.
September 24, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
September 17, 2015 | Resource
The U.S. Department of Labor has developed this Reference Guide to assist AJCs by providing promising practices that correlate with specific nondiscrimination requirements in Section 188 and the current Section 188 regulations.
September 16, 2015 | Resource
What is the bottom line? Workplace accommodations are low cost and high impact, and JAN can help employers make them, free of charge.
September 16, 2015 | Resource
This brief describes major national and regional career pathways initiatives and provides lessons learned for states considering the development and implementation of statewide career pathways programs.
September 10, 2015 | Blog
Today's "In the Know" features the website section of the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), U.S. Department of Labor.
September 8, 2015 | Resource
A just-released brief from the American Institutes for Research casts new light on a perennial problem: the one-third of people with disabilities who haven’t sought work or stopped trying to find it.
August 27, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
August 26, 2015 | Story
Following 29 other states and the District of Columbia, Alaskan Governor Bill Walker has announced that the state will be accepting additional federal funds to expand Medicaid, which will bring $146 million to the state in its first year and provi
August 26, 2015 | Story
Governor Chris Christie has announced a proposal to curtail federal funding for Medicaid as part of a per capita cap that would remove $15 billion in federal funds over eight years.
August 26, 2015 | Story
The University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Commonwealth Medicine Disability, Health and Employment Policy unit hosts a program that assists people with disabilities seeking employment.
August 26, 2015 | Story
Over the past several months, the National Quality Forum (NQF) has convened a stakeholder committee to develop recommendations to improve quality measurement for Medicaid Home and CommunityBased Services (HCBS).
August 26, 2015 | Story
The National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) has published the July 2015 Edition of the State Medicaid Integration Tracker.
August 26, 2015 | Story
Since the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule on Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) took effect in the beginning of 2014, each state has had to produce a transition plan outlining a schedule and strategy for bringing
August 13, 2015 | Blog
With the 80th anniversary of Social Security tomorrow, nothing is more fitting for this month's first "In the Know" blog as the 2015 Social Security Red Book.
July 31, 2015 | Story
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and the state legislature are in the middle of a dispute over whether State employees can receive partial or full wage payments in the absence of a State budget created by the legislature and signed by the governor.
July 31, 2015 | Story
During a public listening session hosted by the National Council on Disability (NCD) earlier this month, disability rights advocates, including representatives from the Disability Rights Center of Kansas, spoke on concerns about the capacity of Ka
July 31, 2015 | Story
In the wake of national advocacy to raise minimum wage to $15 per hour across all labor sectors, home health workers who provide care for seniors and people with disabilities, as well as the clients they serve, have been at the forefront of low-pa
July 31, 2015 | Story
Earlier in 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a proposed rule amending the agency’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations for employer-sponsored wellness plans.
July 31, 2015 | Story
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell on same-gender marriage, advocates with disabilities in the LGBTQ community have raised concerns about continued barriers to marriage for couples who rely on Supplemental Security Income (S
July 31, 2015 | Story
The Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities, established under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) in 2014, held its fourth meeting on July 13-14, 2015 in Washington, D.C
July 31, 2015 | Story
States have continued to submit transition plans to bring their Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver programs into compliance with new rules for community integration of HCBS settings.
July 31, 2015 | Story
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has published a new guide to assist American Job Centers (AJCs) in serving people with disabilities.
July 30, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
July 26, 2015 | Resource
This information is for youth and young adults, including those with disabilities and chronic health conditions, from ages 12-30.
July 23, 2015 | News
On July 21, U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Tom Perez, joined by Delaware Governor Jack Markell and South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard, sent a letter to governors of every state highlighting their commitment to advancing the Employment First...
July 15, 2015 | Resource
The development of financial capability strategies are critical for sustaining financial security. This paper describes some of the replicable models that AJCs have established to provide financial capability services.
July 2, 2015 | Blog
In January 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final regulations on acceptable and unacceptable home and community based services (HCBS) settings.
June 30, 2015 | Story
Governor Mark Dayton is lobbying the state legislature for a reconciled budget to add a new $5 million allocation for a program that will help people with disabilities find jobs and assist people with mental illness with housing to avoid homelessn
June 30, 2015 | Story
Ohio state law began to mandate county boards for developmental disabilities in 1967 in order to create options for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to receive community-based services instead of being placed in state-run in
June 30, 2015 | Story
The budget deal between Connecticut’s Democratic legislators and Governor Dan Malloy will cut millions from healthcare programs serving people with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses, but aims to decrease the overall amount of cuts or
June 30, 2015 | Story
The Kaiser Family Foundation announced a new analysis and interactive maps showing the potential impact of a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs in King v. Burwell, the case currently before the U.S.
June 30, 2015 | Story
On Friday June 19th, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released the highly anticipated Notice of Proposed
June 30, 2015 | Story
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released draft rules on network adequacy for privatized Medicaid, also known as managed care.
June 30, 2015 | Story
Late last week, a bipartisan group of lawmakers, led by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, introduced a measure to provide financial incentives to states for increasing communitybased services for people with disabilities.
June 30, 2015 | Story
· Summary Description of Title IV of the Workforce Innovat
June 30, 2015 | Story
Marie Parker wears many hats. Ms.
June 30, 2015 | Story
The LEAD Center recently published a new resource, "Frequen
June 30, 2015 | Story
LEAD Center Project Director, Rebecca Salon, presented a session on Knowledge Translation to staff from more than 20 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) at the 2015 UCEDD Leadership Institute at the University
June 30, 2015 | Story
This spring, LEAD Center staff and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) piloted Guided Group Discovery (GGD) sessions with job seekers in Topeka, KS and Rockville, MD, and collaboratively with area American Job Centers (AJC) and vocational rehabilitation
June 30, 2015 | Story
The LEAD Center has been promoting the use of Discovery and Customized Employment (CE) through partnerships with American Job Centers (AJCs) for the past two years.
June 30, 2015 | Story
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA) places expanded emphasis on funding activities for youth, including in-school youth, out-of-school youth and youth with disabilities.
June 30, 2015 | Story
LEAD Center Assistant Project Director, Elizabeth Jennings, presented at the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals'
June 30, 2015 | Story
For the first time, the LEAD Center participated in the National Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 23-25, by providing two presentations on strategies to improve the employment
June 30, 2015 | Story
The Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (the Committee) will hold its fourth meeting of the year on July 13-14, 2015 in Washington, D.C.
June 18, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities. To find even more useful resources, visit the LEAD...
June 9, 2015 | Resource
This research investigates what companies are doing to build a disability-inclusive culture and encourage employees with disabilities to voluntarily self-identify, as many organizations with government contracts are now required to do under recent
June 5, 2015 | Blog
The America's Heroes at Work project is designed for employers and the workforce development system to help address the employment challenges of our nation's service members and veterans living with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or...
May 29, 2015 | Story
The Kennedy Shriver Center received a grant from the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) to examine data from MassHealth (the Massachusetts Medicaid program) on what types of health care are used by people with intellectual di
May 29, 2015 | Story
New Hampshire has convened a special commission to study the potential consequences of expanding the state’s Medicaid budget. Preliminary evidence indicates that expansion would benefit around 58,000 low-income residents7 .
May 29, 2015 | Story
In April, Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe signed into law the state’s Achieving A B
May 29, 2015 | Story
On May 11 and 12, 2015, the Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities, which was created under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), held its third meeting since first conve
May 29, 2015 | Story
On April 20, 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that would allow employers to use significant financial incentives to encourage worker participation in employer-sponsored workplace welln
May 28, 2015 | Blog
What can we do? As parents, we’ve learned there are no guarantees and no magic solutions that work for everyone.
May 21, 2015 | Blog
May is Mental Health Month, an annual oberservance to raise awareness and help erase the stigma associated with mental health and individuals living with mental ill
May 18, 2015 | News
Earlier this month, LEAD Center Assistant Project Director, Elizabeth Jennings, presented at the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals’ (NAWDP) 2015 Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.
May 13, 2015 | Resource
If you haven’t heard of Customized Employment or you think it has little relevance to helping today’s job seekers in the nation’s American Job Centers (AJC), think again.
May 7, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
May 1, 2015 | Resource
In October 2011, the Administration on Developmental Disabilities awarded grants to lead agencies in six states: California, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, and Wisconsin.
May 1, 2015 | Resource
This report highlights the latest strategies and best practices to better support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) living and working in their community.
April 30, 2015 | Story
The Montana legislature passed a bill that will expand Medicaid eligibility to people with incomes up to 138 percent of the Federal poverty level (FPL), as outlined by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
April 30, 2015 | Story
The New York Governor’s Medicaid Redesign Team has proposed a new bill to permit home health aides to perform certain tasks that they are currently prohibited from providing, such as administering medications.
April 30, 2015 | Story
The new budget recommended by New Hampshire’s House Finance Committee includes a proposal to end the New Hampshire Health Protection Program (NHHPP), which is the state’s Medicaid expansion program created through bipartisan legislation last year.
April 30, 2015 | Story
In response to a 2011 settlement agreement over violations of the 1999 Olmstead decision requiring services to be offered in the most integrated setting possible, the State of Minnesota created an Olmstead Sub-Cabinet to produce a statewide plan f
April 30, 2015 | Story
In 2014, the state of Rhode Island entered a consent decree with the U.S.
April 30, 2015 | Story
Mathematica Policy Research released its fifth annual evaluation of the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
April 30, 2015 | Story
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule in April 2015 that applies mental health parity requirements to publicly-funded health plans.
April 30, 2015 | Blog
As someone who has spent over 35 years working and partnering with people with disabilities who are pursuing equal opportunities so that they can live the lives they choose, I can say confidently that the disability field is doing a disservice to...
April 23, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
April 20, 2015 | Resource
The purpose of this policy brief is to provide a summary of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
April 20, 2015 | Resource
This policy brief outlines, from the disability perspective, key provisions of two Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) pertaining to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), i.e., those provisions in title I of WIOA pertaining to wor
April 16, 2015 | Blog
To kick off April’s National Financial Literacy Month, Louisville Metro Community Services and Bank On Louisville presented our second annual Financial Fitness Day on March 31, open to the entire community. All in attendance were invited to meet one...
April 12, 2015 | Resource
Whether you have a middle schooler (11–14), a high schooler (14–18), or even a young adult (18–26), this is a tool for you to use as you begin planning your child’s transition into adulthood.
April 9, 2015 | Resource
This presentation addresses the following topics:
April 9, 2015 | Blog
In the Know is a bi-monthly feature on the LEAD Center blog that highlights important resources and information about the employment, policy and economic advancement of people with disabilities.
April 3, 2015 | News
On April 2, 2015, the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) issued five notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRMs) on the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
April 2, 2015 | Resource
Building Financial Capability: A Planning Guide for Integrated Services is aimed at community-based organizations which serve low- and moderate-income clients.
March 31, 2015 | Story
· Kansas Employment First Oversight Commission 2015 Report to Governor and State Legislatur
March 31, 2015 | Story
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) establishes several new and exciting mandates aimed at increasing the participation of individuals with disabilities in the American workforce.
March 31, 2015 | Story
David Mank, Ph.D., is the Director of the Indiana Institute on Disability
March 31, 2015 | Story
On January 22nd, experts from LEAD Center presented at the 14th Annual Kansas Workforce Summit. The theme was Preparing Tomorrow’s Leaders in a Rapidly Changing Workplace.
March 31, 2015 | Story
Consistent with the various timelines stipulated in WIOA, we can expect the release of related materials developed by various federal agencies and departments articulating how states should begin implementing the law. One such piece was recently r
March 31, 2015 | Story
Although the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act has been law for more than three months, there remains a significant amount of work to be done before individuals with disabilities and their families can begin to benefit.
March 31, 2015 | Story
On March 25, 2015, the U.S.
LEAD Center Launches Four-Part Webinar Series on the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
March 31, 2015 | Story
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), signed into law by President Obama last July, maintains a primary focus on assisting job seekers and workers with and without disabilities to succeed in the labor market, and matches employers w
March 31, 2015 | Story
At a time when people with disabilities earn 63 cents for every dollar earned by people without disabilities, LEAD Assistant Project Director Elizabeth Jennings joined a panel of leading
March 31, 2015 | Story
On February 3rd, the Obama Administration hosted the "Summit on Disability and Employment.” Focused on providing businesses, advocates and the general public with information on new and existing federal resources to improve employment opportunitie
March 30, 2015 | Story
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has proposed a new budget that will dedicate $105 million to raise the current $7.50 average hourly pay for personal attendants by five percent to around $7.87 per hour, on average.
March 30, 2015 | Story
Florida lawmakers have introduced dozens of bills on employment and educational programs for people with disabilities.
March 30, 2015 | Story
The Minnesota legislature is considering a bill that would allow more individuals with psychiatric disabilities and behavioral health issues to access Individual Placement and Support (IPS) emp
March 30, 2015 | Story
New Jersey’s state transition plan, to bring programs and services for people with disabilities into compliance with the CMS Final Rule on
March 30, 2015 | Story
The U.S.
March 30, 2015 | Story
Professional staff from the Mathematica Policy Research’s Center for Studying Disability Policy has published a new article in the Social Security Bulletin explor
March 30, 2015 | Story
The Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) has published a new report on mental health in the workplace, based
March 30, 2015 | Story
The National Council on Disability (NCD) and the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDS) released a joint report on home and co
March 26, 2015 | Blog
This fact sheet desribes various best practices for employers when making job modifications to enable employees with disabilities to stay on the job or return to work.
March 25, 2015 | Resource
In this March 2015 report, disability experts announce research that found 80 percent of people with disabilities achieved their career goals at an acceptable level or higher when they had individualized support from employers.
March 20, 2015 | Blog
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) represents new opportunities for job seekers with disabilities to access employment, education, training and support services to succeed in the labor market. This blog post features edited excerpts...
March 13, 2015 | Blog
A groundbreaking survey conducted by National Disability Institute and the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) revealed three out of four people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) have difficulty covering their monthly expenses and...
March 1, 2015 | Resource
As detailed in this report, Kansas has undertaken several initiatives regarding employment for people with disabilities. The Commission believes these initiatives are positive developments and can be a catalyst for additional changes that can create...
February 27, 2015 | Story
During remarks on his policy agenda for 2015, Delaware Governor Jack Markell has announced a statewide plan for Delawareans to thrive amidst a changing economy that strengthens statefunded education and employment initiatives.
February 27, 2015 | Story
Three California agencies and the state protection and advocacy system have announced a new collaboration on a six-month blueprint to encourage competitive integrated employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
February 27, 2015 | Story
Five families settled a class-action suit against North Carolina’s Department of Health & Human Services and Piedmont Behavioral Health (now Cardinal
February 27, 2015 | Story
The National Council on Disability (NCD) released a new report in January that examines the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI) progra
February 27, 2015 | Story
The Partnership for Workplace Mental Health released a new guide on employer compliance with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act.
February 27, 2015 | Story
National Disability Institute (NDI) announced a new Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Resource Center to consolidate information, resources and adv