Policy Advisor, Rose Warner, ODEP

Rose Warner, Policy Advisor,
ODEP

Policy Advisor, Richard Davis, ODEP

Richard Davis, Policy Advisor,
ODEP

 

On August 8 and 9, 2018, the Office of Disability Employment Policy hosted 15 federal offices, including representatives from the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs, and Justice, the National Council on Disability, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Social Security Administration, to learn about and discuss the Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program. Presenters included representatives from Oregon, Iowa, Illinois, Tennessee, Georgia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, and consisted of state agency leaders, local service providers, subject matter experts, and people with disabilities. The topics of the briefings included school to work transition, provider transformation, interagency coordination, and mental health and employment. ODEP looks forward to continuing the relationships formed with these federal partners.

School to Work Transition

During the School to Work Transition Briefing, presenters from Maryland, Illinois, Iowa, Oregon, and District of Columbia explained Customized Employment and Guided Group Discovery. An individual with a disability who is competitively employed in an integrated setting told his story and explained the role Customized Employment played in helping him obtain employment.

Provider Transformation

During the Provider Transformation Briefing, providers, individuals with disabilities, and subject matter experts from Illinois and Iowa explained their transformation process and reasons for transforming. Additionally state agency representatives explained why they invest in provider transformation. Finally, a discussion of the cost benefits analysis of provider transformation took place.

Interagency Coordination

During the Interagency Coordination Briefing, presenters from Illinois, Iowa, Georgia and Tennessee explained the role that the Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program Vision Quest process played in helping the development of Memorandums of Understanding. They also discussed the importance of data collection and explained the cost savings that occur when public dollars are invested in people with disabilities.

Mental Health

During the Mental Health Briefing, presenters from Tennessee, Georgia, and Illinois explained why they focused on mental health and employment. An individual with a mental illness explained the positive impact employment had in her recovery journey. Furthermore, subject matter experts set the context, explaining that it is common for there to be individuals dually diagnosed.

Resources

View the resources provided to the participants in the EFSLMP Federal Briefings.