April 2021 Newsletter
Indiana’s “Work to Include” Coalition
Advancing Employment for Individuals with Disabilities
“Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
HOLD THE DATE!
The Work to Include Will Hold a Virtual Employment First Summit
May 25 - 27, 2021
The Work to Include Coalition is planning our second Employment First Summit on May 25-27, 2021. The Summit will focus on Year 3 grant activities and will serve as a capstone experience for Coalition members. Nationally recognized featured speakers, as well as Indiana state leaders will inspire participants to continue efforts to advance competitive integrated employment for Hoosiers with disabilities. In addition, participants will be engaged in discussions and action planning regarding how to enact ‘best practices’ in Indiana. This information will inform Year 4 Work to Include plans and activities.
The Employment First Summit will be free and virtual and take place from 1:30 to 4:30 each day. Participants can attend one or all of the sessions. We will use the Zoom platform for live and pre-recorded presentations, and for breakout room (small group) discussions. Each presentation will be recorded and made available via YouTube and our Work to Include website for those unable to attend.
Day 1 focuses on the Employment First initiative in Indiana, as well as national examples from other states, including Colorado.
Day 2 focuses on Organizational Transformation, with examples from Indiana and Vermont.
Day 3 focuses on Benefit Barriers, including MedWorks/Medicaid Buy-in updates from Indiana and Oregon.
Below are a couple of our featured speakers for Day one who will provide an overview of Employment First across the country and in Colorado.
Robert “Bob” Lawhead
Bob serves as Policy Advisor for the Colorado Developmental Disability Council, advocating for systems change promoting independence, productivity and inclusion for people with disabilities. Previously he was employed as CEO for Community Link, a non-profit agency supporting the inclusion of people with disabilities. Bob and his wife Anastasia have one child Jess, who experiences Down syndrome and who graduated high school in 2019 and works in the community!
Julie J. Christensen LMSW, PhD
Julie is the Director of Policy and Advocacy and Interim Director at APSE – the Association of People Supporting EmploymentFirst. Prior to joining APSE, she was the Director of Iowa’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD), at the University of Iowa. Julie’s background encompasses work in schools, not-for-profits, government and higher education. She currently maintains an adjunct faculty appointment in the University of Iowa School of Social Work and serves as the Senior Disability Policy Fellow for the Harkin Institute at Drake University.
The primary audience for the WTI Employment First Summit is individuals with disabilities, families, employment service providers, advocates/advocacy organization members, legislators and state agency personnel, and educators. This is a “by invitation only” event and registration should be available to Coalition members in April. Join us to learn how we can continue to move our state forward.
#INCLUSIONWORKS
2021 General Assembly Update
This year’s session may be done early. The committee deadline has been moved up to April 8th and legislators are looking to be out of the Statehouse and done with session by April 21st. According to Hannah Carlock at the Arc of Indiana, “This is unusual for the General Assembly, as most sessions come down to the midnight wire of having to be done by April 29th. If legislators are anticipating being done a week early, then some bills could end up dying as the time ticks down to the end of session.“ Some of the bills still in process include the budget bill that will allow for an increase in DSP wages, a bill establish Education Savings Accounts for students with disabilities, children in Foster Care and children of Active Duty and Hoosier Veterans, and a bill that Requires Dept. of Workforce Development to reach out to students who lefts school with a Certificate of Completion or IEP since 2003 with diploma and education opportunities. Schedule a time to talk to your representative about any of these or just to connect. They really do want to hear from you.
To find your Indiana General Assembly or Federal legislators, go to iga.in.gov and enter your information. You can also call your local voter registration office located in your county government office to find out your district and representative.
Senate Resolution
Senator Shelli Yoder (D) and Senator Dennis Kruse (R) are among the authors of a Senate Resolution to conduct a Summer Study Committee to look more closely at the barriers. While the Resolution is still in draft, it is calling for the legislative council to assign an appropriate interim study committee the topic of examining barriers to competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities. The resolution points out that despite the Employment First Law passed in 2017, there remain significant barriers and more discussion is needed to identify resources to effectively eliminate them. This will be a wonderful opportunity to look at some of the more difficult barriers, like transportation, Medicaid eligibility, MedWorks, and more while educating our legislators on the opportunities Talent with disabilities bring to the workplace.
Work to Include has been working with Senators Yoder and Kruse on the language and hope to have your help in making sure the Resolution is passed and then a committee is assigned. Watch our Facebook and Twitter pages for updates. Thanks for your help!
Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities launches new website - Unite2Include.org
The Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities recently launched its new website, Unite2Include.org during March’s Disability Awareness Month. The website includes links and resources on important subjects ranging from disability justice, access, and inclusion in schools, to the differences between person-first and identity-first language and why people prefer each one.
#INCLUSIONWORKS
Tangram Business Services Launches Virtual Disability
Inclusion Training Series
Tangram is happy to announce that our popular disability inclusion training is now available in video format to meet the needs of remote workforces! This series covers topics such as disability awareness and etiquette, support and management strategies, and increased job accessibility, among others. The videos are available for purchase by contacting Angela Vandersteen via email here.
To learn more about this video series and other offerings available through Tangram's Business Services, please watch the video below:
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
