Think Beyond The Label

 

Think Beyond the Label began in January 2010 as a campaign to raise awareness about the business case for hiring people with disabilities. Through our humorous, award-winning print, TV and digital advertisements and website, we work to counter attitudes and myths about people with disabilities—as well as demonstrate to businesses how to "think beyond the label" when it comes to hiring this group. Our message is simple: labels get in the way, disabilities rarely do.

Click Here For More Information.

Click here to access Louisiana's Think Beyond The Label Page

(Find information on tools, jobs, success stories and more.....)

Become a SmartWorks Enportal User!

Louisiana’s Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG) 

in collaboration with the Work Pays Coalition is 

seeking interested Employment Networks (EN’s)

for participation and utilization of a Free web-based 

software application to help your EN work more 

efficiently and effectively.

 

EN’s interested in being considered as SmartWorks 

partners can register for a webinar hosted by SmartWorks 

On May 25, 2012 at 9AM.  

 

Please click here to register online. 

 

For more information on SmartWorks 

Click here. 

Advocacy Center Employment Programs

In the areas of employment and rehabilitation, the Advocacy Center may be able to help Louisiana residents with issues related to:

• Ticket to Work/SSI/SSDI and Employment Incentives
• Requests for reasonable accommodations in hiring, employment or post-secondary education
• Louisiana Rehabilitation Services
• Transition from school to work
• The four core services (advocacy, information & referral, peer support, independent living skills training) provided by Independent Living centers
• Employment issues for people working in sheltered workshops
• Representative Payee investigations

Employment Programs Include:

Client Assistance Program (CAP)- Provides advocacy services to clients of Louisiana Rehabilitation Services

Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS)- Provides advocacy to SSI and SSDI beneficiaries with barriers to employment

Work Incentives Planning & Assistance (WIPA)-Provides benefits advice and counseling to SSI and SSDI beneficiaries who have questions on how work can impact their Social Security and other benefits

To Access WIPA Services Call: 1-888-942-8104

Call 1-800-960-7705 for more information on AC's employment programs

EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVES, MEETINGS, COMMITTEES

Work Pay$ Coalition Meetings

The Work Pay$ coalition supports a coordinated system of employment initiatives and services for people with disabilities in Louisiana. Open meetings are held in Baton Rouge every other month. If you are interested in attending a Work Pay$ meeting contact David Gallegos with the Advocacy Center.

 Meeting minutes can be found on the employment tab under documents.  

 Contact: David Gallegos dgallegos@advocacyla.org

 2012 Meeting Schedule:

May 18^th – LMA Building, 700 N. 10^th St., Baton Rouge; 9am – 3pm

July 11^th – Location TBA, 9am – 3 pm

Sept. 13^th – Location TBA, 9am – 3pm

Nov. 15^th – Location TBA, 9am – 3pm

 

October Statewide Job Fairs

Businesses and Job seekers looking to create a diverse workforce are encouraged to participate in the 2012 WORK PAY$ Job Fairs taking place during National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October.

The job fairs, which are free to both employers and job seekers, will be held in Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Houma, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, New Orleans, Slidell and Shreveport.

This year’s job fairs will also feature mini symposiums for participating employers. These events will offer networking and valuable information on a variety of workplace topics. Participating job seekers who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) will be offered Work Incentive Seminar Events (WISE) to understand how work impacts SSA benefits and how work incentives can improve their success in employment.

The job fairs are being led by the Louisiana Workforce Commission, Office of Workforce Development, and sponsored by the Department of Health and Hospitals through its federal Medicaid Infrastructure Grant.

The WORK PAY$ Coalition, a consortium of agencies working together to increase the employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in Louisiana, is responsible for coordinating the events.

For more detailed information on the job fairs including dates, locations, times regional and state steering committee meetings, please contact Georgette K. Wallace via email gwallace1@lwc.la.gov or by phone at 225-342-2936.

 Specific information about times and locations to come.

 

2012 Employment Summit- Pending

 The Work Pay$ Summit provided perspectives on the national pulse regarding employment for workers with disabilities, best employment practices, Louisiana employment initiatives, building capacity among agencies, Employment First Initiative and overcoming barriers to employment. Updates will be provided. 

 

“The Winning Grant Writer!” - Grant Writing Seminar- Pending

“The Winning Grant Writer!” workshop will focus on grant writing basics, elements of a successful proposal, data collection, and how to not only write an appropriate proposal for your organization, but put it into the proper format for the funder. The workshop will be innovative, interactive and filled with practical components for writing an extraordinary grant.

Contact: David Kiviaho david@kiisacorporation.com

Location, date, and time TBA.

 

Medicaid Purchase Plan Council Meeting

Current statistics show that three out of every four individuals with significant disabilities are not working. One of the major barriers for individuals with disabilities is the fear of losing comprehensive health coverage if they work.

To eliminate these barriers, Louisiana has implemented the Medicaid Purchase Plan (MPP), which allows enrollees with disabilities to pay a premium and obtain or retain health care benefits. MPP allows individuals with disabilities to contribute tax dollars by returning to the workforce.

The MPP Advisory Council contributes to significant improvements in Medicaid and other services to support people with disabilities in their competitive employment efforts.

 Contact: MPP Chair - David Gallegos dgallegos@advocacyla.org for more information.

Next Meeting-September 2012 (Time and location TBA)

OCDD Employment First Initiative

The Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD) implemented the Employment First Initiative on July 1, 2011.  OCDD has established an Employment First Work Group that meets on a regular basis in order to provide guidance and input to OCDD as policy and procedural changes are made around employment.

OCDD has defined Employment as “the primary outcome for all persons receiving OCDD services who are of working age.” 

Employment is characterized by typical jobs with competitive compensation that are fully integrated in the workforce.

For additional information and updates on Employment First within OCDD, please go to this website:  http://new.dhh.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/newsroom/detail/1778

Contact: Rosemary Morales rosemary.morales@la.gov

 

Statewide Independent Living Council Meetings

The Louisiana Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC) was established to support the efforts of our citizens with disabilities to live independently in the community of their choice. All meetings of the SILC are open to the public.

Contact: SILC chair Jennifer Bollinger, jennifer.bollinger@gov.state.la.us

Statewide Independent Living Council 2012 Meetings

April 12^th, location/ time TBA

May 10^th, Tentative

July 12^th, location/ time TBA

Oct. 11^th, location/ time TBA

Jan 10^th, 2013, location/ time TBA

 

Governor’s Advisory Council on Disability Affairs (GACDA) 2012 Meetings

Jan. 24^th – State Office Building on 3^rd St., Baton Rouge,10am – 2pm

April 24^th – State Office Building on 3^rd St., Baton Rouge, 10am – 2pm

July 24^th – State Office Building on 3^rd St., Baton Rouge, 10am – 2pm

Oct. 23^rd – State Office Building on 3^rd St., Baton Rouge, 10am – 2pm

 

LSU- Human Development Center Training

Trainer:  Sue Killam

Offering two trainings: 1) a 40 hour CORE supported employment training and 2) a 15 hour BASIC employment training.

Trainings:

The 40 hour training incorporates APSE’s CORE Supported Employment competencies and will include;

8 hours of online instruction and resource information

 Three days (20 hours) of classroom instruction

 1 additional half day (4 hours) of small group activity in which participants will complete case study examples that are incorporated throughout the classroom instruction and

Portfolio fieldwork assignment completion and submission (8 hours).

The 15 hour training is a 2-day training session on the BASICS of providing supported employment services.  This training is partially funded by the Louisiana Developmental Disability Council and is presented in partnership with Louisiana APSE.

Visit LSU’s Human Development Center employment page for more information - http://www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu/employment/index.html

 Contact: empsup@lsuhsc.edu

 40 hour CORE supported employment training

Training Dates and Locations:  8:30 am – 4:30 pm

New Orleans  January 25, January 26 and 27th, 2012 + February 8th, 2012 (1/2 day follow-up)

Lafayette April 10, April 11, April 12 and April 25, 2012. (1/2 day follow-up) Affiliated Blind of Louisiana 409 W. St. Mary Blvd Lafayette, LA  70506 (337) 234-6492

Baton Rouge * March 28, March 29 and March 30, 2012 + April 18th, 2012 (1/2 day follow-up) Upliftd 1979 Beaumont Dr. Baton Rouge, LA  70806 (225) 928-3808

Shreveport CANCELLED DUE TO LOW RESPONSE

Houma June 19, June 20 and June 21, 2012 + July 5th, 2012 (1/2 day follow-up) LWC/LRS   1442 Tiger Drive Thibodaux, LA  70301

New Orleans August 7, August 8, August 9 and August 22, 2012 (1/2 day follow-up) LSUHSC Human Development Center   1900 Gravier St New Orleans, LA  70112 (504) 556-7564

* Interpreters will only be available for this training event.

15 hour BASIC employment training

Note: All Trainings are from 9:00am to 4:30pm

January 17-18, 2012 Lincoln Parish Library 910 N Trenton St Ruston, LA

January 19-20, 2012 Volunteers of America 520 Olive Street Shreveport, LA

February 13-14, 2012 Miller Memorial Library 108 Pine Street Hammond, LA

February 16-17, 2012   LSU Health Sciences Center 1900 Gravier Street New Orleans, LA

March 21-22, 2012 Goodwill of Arcadia 1225 Kaliste Saloon Rd Lafayette, LA

April 10-11, 2012 Volunteers of America 520 Olive Street Shreveport, LA

April 12-13, 2012 Alexandria, LA Location to be Determined

May 9-10, 2012 Baton Rouge Red Cross 4655 Sherwood Commons Blvd Baton Rouge, LA

June 13-14, 2012 LSU Health Sciences Center 1900 Gravier Street New Orleans, LA

July 17-18, 2012 Lincoln Parish Library 910 N Trenton St Ruston, LA

July 19-20, 2012 Monroe,  LA Location to be Determined

August 14-15, 2012 Goodwill of Arcadia 1225 Kaliste Saloon Rd Lafayette, LA

August 16-17, 2012 Natchitoches, LA Location to be Determined

September, 18-19, 2012 Thibodaux, LA Location to be Determined

September 20-21, 2012 Baton Rouge Red Cross 4655 Sherwood Commons Blvd Baton Rouge, LA

 

Louisiana APSE

APSE is a growing national non-profit membership organization, founded in 1988 as the Association for Persons in Supported Employment, now known as APSE.  APSE is the only national organization with an exclusive focus on integrated employment and career advancement opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

Membership includes online access to the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation (JVR), a $400 value, APSE’s quarterly newsletter, the Advance monthly electronic publications of JTPR and APSE Connections, a $99 value, action alerts, discounted rates at conferences and webinars, access to the Members Section of the APSE website, and a vote in elections and other voting issues.

Louisiana APSE was formed in 2009.  Current activities of Louisiana APSE include sponsoring a 40-hour intensive training for job coaches. 

To join APSE, get more information on meetings or to learn more about Louisiana ASPE , please go to http://laapse.org/.

Contact: Derek White derek.white@la.gov or visit: http://laapse.org/

Upcoming APSE meetings:

June 15^th

September 7^th

December 7^th

Times and locations TBA