PROJECT ACCESS: The Federal Work Incentive Grant in New Jersey – Fall 2006

Background

From 2003 to 2005, New Jersey Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services implemented Project Access, NJ’s federal Workforce Incentive Grant. The grant was designed to increase the physical and programmatic accessibility of One-Stop Career Centers to customers with disabilities. In serving these customers, architectural accessibility is not the sole issue; the goal is better consumer access to computers, software, and all placement activities.

Partners

Some of the partners in this effort include: the Work Incentive Boards of Bergen, Hudson, and Middlesex counties and the city of Newark; University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ (UMDNJ); Assistive Technology Advocacy Center (ATAC) from NJ Protection and Advocacy; Cerebral Palsy of NJ; Garden State Employment and Training Association (GSETA); the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) from University of Massachusetts; the State Employment and Training Commission (SETC); the Heldrich Center of Rutgers University.

Activities Overview

Over the two year life of the grant, activities included:

Ø pilot programs in the four One Stop Career Centers of Bergen, Hudson, Middlesex and Newark;

Ø training of One-Stop personnel to assist customers with various disabilities;

Ø assessment of each One-Stop’s physical and programmatic accessibility;

Ø provision of, or improvement in, technology-based services via $4500 allotments to each WIB;

Ø creation of Navigator-like positions to act as disability information resources in One-Stops;

Ø holding of “Best Practices” conferences to disseminate information on grant goals and activities.

Activities Details

A major focus of this grant was training of One-Stop Career Center staff, an effort coordinated by the Garden State Employment and Training Association (GSETA). Several One-Stop Career Center staff applied for college-level courses in disability, rehabilitation, and workforce development, offered at state-approved junior or four year colleges. Most staff training was provided by the University of Massachusetts’ Institute for Community Inclusion on topics related to serving WIA customers, including: understanding various disabilities, appropriate and effective interpersonal skills, identifying and accommodating customers with disabilities. Training specific to mental health and learning disabilities was also given, based on staff feedback.

Some staff members were recruited to act as Disability Program Navigators (DPNs) within each One-Stop. To help these individuals with their special duties, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), via its Integrated Employment Institute, conducted in-depth training in types of disabilities and their employment impact.

Cerebral Palsy of New Jersey (CPNJ) trained the DPNs and other One-Stop staff in completing site accessibility surveys, provided guidance in the selection of Assistive Technology (AT), coordinated the AT purchases and deliveries, worked closely with LWD’s Information Technology unit to facilitate AT installation, and instructed DPNs and selected staff in operating the equipment, so they could assist customers needing to use it. NJ Protection and Advocacy coordinated and tracked completion of the Accessibility Checklists and the AT orders sent by the One-Stops and generally supported CPNJ’s multiple activities.

WIB and One-Stop directors from the four Pilot Project offices assigned staff to design and/or help implement demonstration programs. The focuses for each site were:

Ø Bergen – making the One-Stop’s procedures, materials and services more “user friendly” to people with disabilities, especially to students transitioning from school to work;

Ø Hudson – reaching out to recipients of Ticket To Work, to educate them about the One-Stop Centers’ employment services and to encourage Ticket assignment to the One-Stop as the placement vendor;

Ø Middlesex – developing materials, presentations and other and community outreach activities that promote the One-Stop Career Centers as vocational resources for people with disabilities wanting to become employed;

Ø Newark – creating a program to provide skills training, vocational and work-readiness counseling, and placement assistance to TANF recipients with disabilities, especially those with learning problems.

Other grant-related projects: workshops offered at the 2004 and 2005 GSETA Conferences and the 2005 SETC Conference; a quarterly newsletter sent to all grant participants and to LWD administrators; presentations about New Jersey’s grant activities at several statewide and federal conferences; a summary of the grant’s accomplishments and specific sustainability recommendations distributed to all WIB directors, SETC members, and LWD administrators.

This collaboration of educational, governmental, and private non-profit agencies and programs was a major step on the road to expanding employment services to the Garden State’s citizens with disabilities.