CRP-RCEP

CRP-RCEP News

What's Happening in Delaware?

Throughout our first year of CRP-RCEP training in Delaware, VCU staff surveyed CRP professionals who attended our training events to determine their highest priority training needs for the coming year. Top training needs identified by participants in the training events are as follows:

More on contacting employers/disclosing disability/job carving/negotiating with employers to customize jobs - job development for people with multiple severe disabilities
Information on meaningful vocational assessment techniques for people with significant disabilities - getting to know people in relation to jobs -how to figure out what kinds of jobs make sense for individuals
Information on job site training -dealing with problems on the job after placement - MORE training on behavior challenges!
Training on disability specific issues (autism, TBI, mental illness) related to employment retention (5 responses)

DE CRP staff who completed our survey also gave us very helpful information about training logistics and other issues such as:

The events must be AFFORDABLE with low registration fees. Some programs have literally no funds for training!
Training sessions need to be accessible – within a manageable drive. Wilmington and Dover have worked well so far and those surveyed suggested we stick with these two locations for now.
Participants prefer face-to-face training as opposed to distance learning such as web-casts, internet course, satellite broadcasts, or teleconferences.
Participants prefer intensive sessions lasting a whole day to make good use of time. However, we received many suggestions that the “Behavioral Challenges” training be more than one day in length to cover more information in greater depth.
Participants seem to like “hands-on” training with lecture interspersed with activities. Participants have been very pleased with the trainers we have used because they come from a real life direct services background.

The VCU CRP-RCEP liaison to Delaware, Lucy Miller, met with numerous CRP representatives in Wilmington in October of 2006 to review these survey results and discuss next steps in terms of developing a training calendar for the coming year. Based upon that discussion, the following action items were determined;

The Region 3 CRP RCEP planned a minimum of 4 one-day events in DE, although more events could dbeprovided if the need arose. This is in addition to web-casts, internet courses, and larger conferences we provide through the CRP RCEP project to the region as a whole.
The first training event recommend was at least a day-long session on “Negotiating with Employers to Custom Tailor Jobs” and another session on “Strategies for Getting to Know People in Relation to Jobs. These were the top two training priorities identified by CRP staff in DE.
VCU asked CRP representatives to provide additional input on other training events. Several ideas were mentioned including training on self-employment for people with disabilities and how to work with staffing agencies in employment of people with disabilities.

The ideas we gathered at this October meeting were instrumental in validating what the surveys indicated. This information was used to develop training calendar with a total of 6 events. The first event was a two-day training event on Getting to Know People in Relation to Jobs scheduled for February 14-15 in Wilmington. Unfortunately, Mother Nature conspired against us as a severe ice storm forced us to cancel the event. We apologize again to all those who registered for that event. At this point, we are not sure whether or will be re-scheduled for later in the year or not. Our second training event in DE is scheduled for May 8 in Dover. This event will be on “Negotiating with Employers to Custom Fit Jobs”. Registration for this event has been excellent so far and we expect to be filled to capacity!

For more information on the other events scheduled for DE, please refer to the DE CRP-RCEP training calendar. We look forward to another exciting year and continue to gather input from participants about what future events are needed to meet their training and informational needs.

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What's Happening in Maryland?

Lucy Miller provided two sessions at the MACS conference on Oct 5 & 6 on Creative Job Development. The session was well received and many of the participants responded by sending notes of appreciation for Lucy’s presentation and content. One individual stated that it got him thinking about ways to “push the envelope” a little at his program regarding employment. The reaction from the group was they wanted more from Lucy!

The CRP-RCEP attended DORS (Maryland Department of Rehabilitative Services) CRP Advisory Committee on Oct 24^th in Baltimore. Christine Johnson coordinates this quarterly meeting where CRP’s have an opportunity to hear from various resources as well as discuss issues facing community rehabilitation programs and their efforts in providing supported employment.

Howard Green, VCU-CRP-RCEP liaison to Maryland attended and presented a session at the DORS/MRA workshop on November 2 & 3, 2006 in Ocean City Maryland. Howard’s session on Building Partnerships with Business was well attended and created an interest in additional training for others in Maryland.

The SE 101 training has completed two of the three days training with the third day scheduled for November 30^th. 30 participants enrolled and 25 completed the course. Howard Green presented a half day training event for all of the staff at Ardmore Enterprise Inc in Mitcheville, Maryland on October 16^th. Ardmore is in the process of building its community employment program. Howard presented an overview and values of Supported Employment.

A training calendar was prepared for Maryland. Topics include Partnering with Staffing Industry, Creative Job Development, Customized Employment, Job Site Instruction, SSA work Incentives and SE 101 course.

Several training events have been completed in Maryland as of April. Partnering with Supplemental Staffing Organization was held in February 2007 along with a three session training titled Supported Employment 101. This was held in Annapolis on March 9, 16, and 23, 2007. 40 individuals enrolled and completed the three day event.

Customized Employment training was held in Columbia on April 19^th where 29 individuals attended and learned new and exciting employment techniques. Also, on April 19^th, Paul Wehman representing the VCU-CRP-RCEP spoke at the Maryland MACS conference in Ocean City, Maryland.

Additional training activities for Maryland are: Marketing and Job Development in Columbia scheduled for May 9^th and Autism training on June 26^th featuring Dr Peter Gephardt. This training will be co-sponsored by VCU and Maryland DDA.

Howard Green is scheduled to present two sessions at the Raising the Bar 2007 Workforce development Conference in Ellicott City Maryland on June 12-13, 2007.

On June 14^th, Howard Green has been asked by the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration’s Southern Region to facilitate a focus group session for about 12 executive directors exploring ways to increase community employment within their programs. Lucy Miller will provide 4 one day trainings in June 2007 for the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration. This job placement training will be held in the four DDA regions and will be so-sponsored between Maryland DDA and VCU-CRP-RCEP.

The CRP-RCEP has been asked to submit a proposal to provide a training session at the Annual MRA/DORS Training Conference in Ocean City Maryland ob November 8-9, 2007.

VCU-CRP-RCEP staff has agreed to participate in several planning sessions with the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration. The first meeting will be in Baltimore on May 11, 2007. In addition VCU-CRP-RCEP staff have been involve with the Maryland Mental Health Administration planning committee for their annual meeting in Baltimore on June 23^rd. VCU-CRP-RCEP staff will attend the one day meeting.

If you have any questions or learn more about “What Happening in Maryland” please contact Howard Green who is the State’s TA Liaison at 804-828-9548 or write at jhgreen@vcu.edu

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What's Happening in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania News and Resources

Employment Specialist training opportunity*
Virginia Commonwealth University and the Berks Personnel Network are co-hosting “Supported Employment 101: Employment Specialist Training” on October 10-12, 2007 at the Berks County Intermediate Unit in Reading, PA. This announcement was included in the July/August Employment Update alert. There is still time to register for this training. For more information, please see the brochure attached to this update.

“Leap into the Future Projects” Employment Mini-grants Available*
Philadelphia Vision for Employment is offering “Leap into the Future Projects” employment mini-grants to five area projects as a way to “jump start” successful practices through encouraging local innovation that effect the employment of Philadelphians with mental retardation. Proposals must be submitted no later than September 14, 2007. For more details, please see the announcement attached to this update.

Jobadelphia Career Fair to be Held September 11*
The Jobadelphia Career Fair will be held on September 11, 2007 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. Over 80 companies are expected to participate. There is free admission, free parking, and free resume critiques. To view the participating companies, please view the attached flyer; to pre-register or for more information, go to www.Jobadelphia.com.

Competence and Confidence: Partners in Policymaking (C2P2) Transition to Adulthood Training Series*
The Institute on Disabilities at Temple University has announced that it is accepting applications for this year’s Competence and Confidence: Partners in Policymaking (C2P2) Transition to Adulthood Training Series. Sessions begin September 28 & 29, and will be held at the Holiday Inn City Line, 4100 Presidential Boulevard, Philadelphia. The deadline for registration has been extended to September 14, 2007. C2P2 is offered at no cost to individuals with disabilities, ages 16 to 21 and their family members. An informational flyer and registration form are attached to this update.

Medical Assistance for Workers with Disabilities Enrollments*
The numbers of workers to receive Medical Assistance for Workers with Disabilities (MAWD) as of July 2007 are attached to this update. One sheet breaks the numbers down by the type of employment, and the other sheet breaks them down by Administrative Entity.

Chester County Intermediate Unit Offers Post-21 Classes*
The Chester County intermediate Unit (CCIU) is offering courses to adults with special learning needs. The evening courses represent a series of life long learning courses designed to meet social, leisure, and academic needs of adults with disabilities. The courses being offered for the fall of 2007 are listed below are Cooking and Games, Fitness and Wellness, and Independent Living. Registration is due by September 21, 2007. Payment can be paid in advance of the first class or payment can be made at the first class. For more information on these classes, please see the attached letter.

Bedford County to Host a Day of Sharing on October 25*
Bedford County is hosting a Day of Sharing on October 25th from 10-2 p.m. for directors and staff of adult development centers to gather and describe their programs. The location is the Arena Restaurant at 4407 Business 220 in Bedford. For more information, please view the letter attached to this update.

Commonwealth Technical Institute to Hold 4th Annual Career and Transition Fair*
The Commonwealth Technical Institute at the Hiram G. Andrews Center (CTI@HGAC) extends an invitation to its 4th Annual Career and Transition Fair. The fair will be held Wednesday and Thursday, October 24 & 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Friday, October 26, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Hiram G. Andrews Center Gymnasium in Johnstown, PA.

This event is being held in recognition of October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Displays will feature 21 vocational training programs in addition to numerous support services designed to offer our students, individuals with disabilities, the skills they will need to live, work and contribute in the community. Tours of the dorms, recreation and training areas are provided throughout the day. A hot buffet lunch is available.

Questions regarding the 4th Annual Career and Transition Fair can be directed to Kathy Schrader at (814) 255-8282 or (800) 762-4211, at extension 8282 or by e-mail to kschrader@state.pa.us.

Social Security Administration Offers Seminar on Demystifying the Plan for Achieving Self Support (PASS)*
A free Social Security Administration (SSA) seminar, "Demystifying the Plan for Achieving Self Support (PASS)", will be held on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 at the Rose Tree Corporate Center, 1400 N. Providence Road, Building II, 6th Floor, Media, PA. 19063. The program will begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude at 12:00 noon. During this interactive session, disability professionals, social service agency staffers, employment specialists, vocational rehabilitation coordinators, and others will receive first hand information regarding the Plan for Achieving Self Support from the PASS Cadre. An invitation flyer including all registration information is attached to this update. As seating is limited, early registration is encouraged.

Parent Education & Advocacy Leadership Center Newsletter*
The Parent Education & Advocacy Leadership Center, which serves Western and Central Pennsylvania, publishes its newsletter to provide resources for persons with disabilities and those who support them. The attached issue lists several resources relating to employment, including the 2007 PA Community Transition Forum, the National Youth Leadership Network (NYLN), and the Client Assistance Program (CAP).

Online Fish Farmer Locates Firm in Downtown Allentown article*
This article was featured in the Eastern Pennsylvania Business Journal in the New Ventures section. It describes how an Allentown man with developmental disabilities started his own business of selling fish online. Read the article attached to this update.

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What's Happening in Virginia?

This spring we have begun our trainings in the state. Our first training was held in Richmond on March 27^th on the topic of Customized Employment. Cary Griffin presented at this training to a maximum capacity crowd. He challenged participants to think differently about employment. Cary shared strategies for customized employment and self employment. Following the Richmond training, Cary traveled to Northern Virginia on March 29th and presented on the same topic again to a full house. Evaluations for both of these trainings were excellent.

In April, training was scheduled in Northern Virginia on Job Site Training. Unfortunately, due to contract issues with the training site we had to cancel this training. On May 23rd, we held training in Northern Virginia on Negotiating with Employers for Tailor Fit Jobs. This training focused on demonstrating how standard jobs in community businesses can (and should) be custom designed to fit individuals with significant disabilities. Participants stated that they thoroughly enjoyed the event and would utilize the strategies presented with their customers.

Over the summer, we have a lot of trainings lined up for other areas of the state. In June, we will be providing training in the south west on Job Site Training and Job Retention. On June 19^th, this training will be held in Abingdon, VA, at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center. The same training will be held on June 20^th in Roanoke, VA, at the Roanoke Higher Education Center. At these trainings, participants will be given the opportunity to brush up on their skills to teach individuals with disabilities their job tasks. Participants will learn about effective ways to teach individuals how to perform their job duties to meet their employer’s standards as well as examine ways to enhance job retention. To register for either of these trainings, go to: http://www.crp-rcep.org/training/training.cfm?state=VA

Following this training, we will head to Norfolk on August 9^th and then Richmond^th and offer training on Positive Behavior Supports/Managing Challenging Behaviors. In both of these trainings, we will discuss supporting individuals with challenging behaviors in the workplace. The training includes how to do a functional analysis of behaviors, self-management strategies, as well as involving coworkers in providing supports. Case studies from supported employment programs will be used to illustrate these strategies. on September 10

As we approach the beginning of our next fiscal year at the end of September, we will begin looking at what training CRP and ESO’s want in the coming year. Please contact Jennifer McDonough with comments and suggestions about what you would like to see in Virginia in the 2007 – 2008 calendar!

Other state happenings this summer and fall include the 2007 Collaborations Conference. This conference will be held September 30 - October 2, 2007 at the Ramada Plaza Resort Oceanfront in Virginia Beach, VA. For more information on this event, go to: http://www.vaaccses.org/html/collaborations.htm

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What's Happening in Washington DC?

On June 27th the DC Liasion provided technical assistance on how to develop employment opportunities for individuals with severe disabilities. The audience included staff from area supported employment programs and the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. Prior to the session, providers were asked to send in profiles of individuals who were deemed as "difficult to place". During the session, the case studies were presented by the program representative. Afterwards, the group brain stormed ideas and discussed ways that might help overcome the jobseeker's potential barriers to work. A follow up meeting was planned for July.

On July 11th the DC Liaison returned to DC to continue job development technical assistance. Once again, the audience included staff from area supported employment programs and the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. Additional case studies were presented. Afterwards, the group shared experiences and discussed possible ways to overcome barriers to work.

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What's Happening in West Virginia?

It has been a busy Spring in WV. VCU kicked off our trainings in WV on March 30^thCharleston where we discussed Diversified Funding: How to Write a Grant. Katty Inge gave participants suggestions and hints on how to write an outstanding proposal that was sure to get funding. Participants were guided through writing an actual proposal. in

On April 17^th, Dave Hammis and Nancy Brooks-Lane traveled to Morgantown and discussed Customized Employment. They challenged participants to think differently about employment and shared strategies for customized employment and self employment. Dave and Nancy shared multiple stories of real life examples of how customized employment can be successful.

In May, Lucy Miller presented in Charleston on the 21^st and Morgantown on the 22^nd. She discussed Marketing and Job Development at both events. Lucy covered everything a supported employment professional needs to successfully develop quality jobs for individuals with disabilities in community businesses. Participants left with practical tips to use when making employer contacts.

There are more trainings on their way to West Virginia! On July 27^th, Vicki Brooke and Jennifer McDonough will speak in Morgantown on Job Site Training and Job Retention. This training will help employment specialists and job coaches brush up on their skills to teach individuals with disabilities their job tasks. Participants will learn about effective ways to teach individuals how to perform their job duties to meet their employer’s standards as well as examine ways to enhance job retention.

On September 18th, Jennifer McDonough will speak in Charleston on the Effect of Income on Social Security Disability Benefits. This workshop will look at an overview of the SSA disability programs and work incentives as well as point out resources in local communities for additional help.

We would like to send a special thank you to LuAnn Summers (WV Department of Rehabilitative Services) and PACE Training and Evaluation Center for letting us utilize their offices space for our trainings.

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