December 2019 Newsletter
Indiana’s “Work to Include” Coalition
Advancing Employment for Individuals with Disabilities
Pat Rogan, Professor, IUPUI School of Education and Co-Director, Work to Include Initiative
Susan Rinne, MPA and Co-Director, Work to Include Initiative
Work to Include - Employment First Summit
The first-ever Work to Include Employment First Summit, held on November 20, was a huge success. We had 65 participants from across the state with nine Work to Include Coalitions represented. Policy leaders from almost all of the state agencies representing services to people with disabilities discussed how their agencies are approaching the Employment First mandate. Presenters included, Nancy Holsapple, Special Education Director, Department of Education; Kylee Hope - Director, Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services; Theresa Koleszar - Director, Bureau of Rehabilitation Services; Cathy Robinson – Director, Bureau of Developmental Disability Services; BreAnn Teague, Office of Medicaid Policy & Planning; Kelsi Linville, Division of Mental Health & Addiction; and David Douglas, Department of Workforce Development
The presentations about Employment First in Ohio and Michigan came from Todd Culver of INCompass, Yasmina Bouraui of the Michigan Governor’s Council, and Kelly Schuck of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Services. They gave us a number of ideas for how we can improve outcomes and services in Indiana based on their experience implemented Employment First in those states.
THE KEY TAKE-AWAYS
In both Michigan and Ohio, there were substantial state funds dedicated to implementing Employment First. This supports capacity building, training, technical assistance, data collection, and dissemination. Indiana does not currently have dollars designated at this time.
In Ohio there is a Task Force responsible for overseeing the implementation of Employment First with all agencies represented including the Department of Transportation.
In Ohio, all people receiving services are required to be on a Pathway to Employment. Everyone has an employment goal that drives service planning.
Michigan has a substantial focus on Individual and Family Engagement and Outreach. This includes an Employment Guide for individuals and families, education on benefits with videos for families and individuals and information about community safety.
Employer Engagement is key. The states are working on building business networks, educating employers on tax credits, certificates of completion, marketing jobs to individuals with disabilities, and more.
Finally, Ohio and Michigan initiatives provide support to community rehabilitation providers so they can transition facility-based services to the community, integrated employment. In Michigan, this has resulted in an additional 2,000 people getting jobs over the past 3 years.
We ended the day by discussing those most helpful and also how to address several areas. Those results can be found on our website. You can peruse all the handouts for the day by clicking the button below.
Employment First Planning Update
IT’S HERE.....Share your thoughts on Employment First Plan. Work to Include provided our recommendations, now see how they were incorporated. See the link below to the document and provide feedback. Comments are due December 13.
In April 2017, Indiana passed legislation regarding Employment First, meaning that employment is the first and preferred outcome for individuals with disabilities. The Employment First Act pertains to state agencies that provide services and support to help obtain employment for individuals with disabilities and requires those agencies to effectively implement this employment first policy to advance competitive, integrated employment outcomes, including self-employment, for individuals with disabilities of working age.
The Indiana Commission on Rehabilitation Services is responsible for developing a plan for advancing competitive, integrated employment as the first and preferred option.
The Indiana Commission on Rehabilitation Services has worked over the past year to draft an Employment First plan. This draft plan is now posted for public review and comment. The draft plan may be viewed by clicking here and the Commission on Rehabilitation Services welcomes comments from individuals with disabilities and their families, state agencies, schools, stakeholders, employers, provider organizations, advocacy groups, members of the public, and others.
COMMENTS MAY BE SUBMITTED
Email comments to VRCommission.vr@fssa.in.gov through Friday, December 13, 2019.
#INCLUSIONWORKS
Work to Include Final Report
Want to see ALL the comments and discussion about Employment First that happened through the Work to Include Employment First Town Halls. Here is the link to the final report and you just might see yourself. We learned a lot from you and as you can see from the Employment First Plan above, much was included in Indiana’s final plan. THANKS so much for all you did to make this possible.
Legislation to Watch
The following bills are in either the House, Senate or both right now. You can track the progress easily by clicking the button below, and search by name or bill number. It’s easy and a way to keep tabs on other legislation too.
HR 555 AND S 117 DISABILITY INTEGRATION ACT OF 2019 STATUS: IN COMMITTEE
This bill prohibits government entities and insurance providers from denying community-based services to individuals with disabilities that require long-term service or support that would enable such individuals to live in the community and lead an independent life.
Specifically, these entities may not discriminate against such individuals in the provision of community-based services by such actions as imposing prohibited eligibility criteria, cost caps, or waiting lists or failing to provide a specific community-based service. Additionally, community-based services must be offered to individuals with such disabilities prior to institutionalization. Institutionalized individuals must be notified regularly of community-based alternatives.
HR 873 AND S 260 TRANSFORMATION TO COMPETITIVE EMPLOYMENT ACT
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor
A bill to help people with disabilities get real jobs for fair pay has been introduced in Congress. This essential bill phases out the discriminatory practice of paying people with disabilities less than the minimum wage. It also provides funding to support industries that move toward a business model that encourages competitive employment for people with disabilities.
S255 DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT INCENTIVE ACT STATUS INTRODUCED 1/20/2019
Status: referred to the Committee on Finance.
This bill expands tax credits and deductions that are available for employers who hire and retain employees with disabilities. The bill expands the work opportunity tax credit to include the hiring of employees who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. For employers who hire vocational rehabilitation referrals, Supplemental Security Income recipients, or SSDI recipients, the bill also (1) increases the amount of wages that may be taken into account for the credit, and (2) allows an additional credit for second-year wages.
With respect to the tax credit for expenditures by eligible small businesses to provide access to disabled individuals, the bill increases the limits that apply to (1) the amount of expenditures that are eligible for the credit, and (2) the gross receipts and full-time employees of eligible small businesses.
The bill also expands the tax deduction for expenditures to remove architectural and transportation barriers to the handicapped and elderly. The bill modifies the deduction to (1) increase limitation on the amount of the deduction, and (2) allow the deduction to be used for certain improvements in the accessibility of Internet or telecommunications services to handicapped and elderly individuals.
CHECK US OUT…
Please help get the word out! Go to our Facebook and LinkedIN pages and share them widely. We hope you enjoy the access to employment-related content and are sure others will, too. Thanks!
HAVE AN EMPLOYMENT SUCCESS STORY YOU ARE WANTING TO SHARE?EMAIL SRINNE60@GMAIL.COM. SHORT, SWEET AND A PICTURE WOULD BE WONDERFUL!
Thank you!
For more information please contact our Co-Directors,
Pat Rogan, Professor, IUPUI School of Education at progan@iupui.edu
or
Susan Rinne, MPA at srinne60@gmail.com
