UNT WISE e-News Bulletin The UNT WISE e- News Bulletin is published monthly through a grant awarded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration to the Department of Rehabilitation, Social Work & Addictions at the University of North Texas. Editorial Staff Editor Martha Garber Project Director Contributing Authors Margaret J. Cortez Marcy Haag Jim Humes Yvonne Raffini Zach Sneed Principal Investigator Linda Holloway Any comments about the content or design of this e- Newsletter should be directed to Martha Garber UNT WISE: Ideas that create opportunity. UNT WISE, our new name, the vehicle that takes us into the future. What are we about? We are all about employment – jobs, jobs with good wages, jobs that you like, jobs that treat you right, jobs that hold promise for the future. The bottom line: We provide ideas that help create good jobs and better lives for people with disabilities. Grounded in evidence-based practices, we deliver training, consultation, and technical assistance in areas that affect the creation and sustainability of employment. Whether it is staff training, service delivery, or program development, we provide the ideas that can get you to your ultimate goal of creating employment. Take a few minutes to view our new website at http://wise.unt.edu. We believe you will like the way it is taking shape. Tell us what you think…as ever, we count on your feedback! From the desk of: Martha Garber Recently I accompanied my husband Ron for his bunion surgery, I never dreamed what I would see would be revisited on this page. Don't worry, I will not recount the gory details of surgery because what captured my attention was a natural display of workplace supports! As I entered Ron's prep room, a large felt tip pen was taped to the door – I learned it was a reminder for the surgeon to mark the correct foot that was to have the surgery. On the wall hung a laminated sign with the word HAND boldly printed on it, another workplace support for nurses to remember to wash their hands. We all need workplace supports; they are a natural part of the workplace. Some of my workplace supports, I create for myself; others have been suggested to me. Whenever a workplace support is considered, it needs to be effective. Remember: only the person using the support can determine if it is working for them. This month we consider workplace supports. Workplace Supports Resources on the Web Training Schedule May 20-21, 2008: Building Employer Relationships: Marketing, Shreveport, LA May 27-29, 2008: Certificate in Employment Services, El Paso, TX June 20, 2008: Resiliency, Online Webinar June 24-26, 2008: Certificate in Employment Services, Baton Rouge, LA July 10, 2008: Workforce Reentry & the Ex- offender, Dallas, TX July 16-17, 2008: Supported Employment Basic Skills Clinic, Lubbock, TX CES: Employment Training Extraordinaire You can now register in one of 3 locations to attend the sought-after Certificate in Employment Services training. This 40-hour file://C:\Sites\Unnamed Site 2\crptraditional\Design\publications\enewsletter\index.htm 5/22/2008 4:36:18 PM UNT WISE e-News Bulletin Click here to go to our Subscription Page where you can add or remove your name from our email list. Comments Send your comments and story ideas to e- News Bulletin Project Director & Editor, Martha Garber. Rehabilitation Research and Training Center focuses on workplace supports and job retention. The Center is located at Virginia Commonwealth University . Their website www.worksupport.com is full of ideas about work supports. Job Accommodations Network (JAN) http://www.jan.wvu.edu/ provides suggestions for workplace supports by disability group. Other online resources that discuss natural supports: http://www.pacer.org/tatra/resources/naturalsupports.asp ttp://www.t-tap.org/strategies/factsheet/workplacesupports.html Model Workplace Supports Corporate Voices for Working Families issued “Model workplace supports for lower-wage employees." This document discusses strategies to provide community supports and the companies that created them. Strategies that could also be useful for persons with disabilities. Download the entire Toolkit at the link below: Model Workplace Supports for Lower-wage Employees Natural Supports Reduce Costs The use of natural supports reduces the annual per capita costs by more than half according to a study published in Research & Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities. The article suggests substantial fiscal and programmatic implications by using natural supports in training. Source: Cimera, R. (2007). Utilizing Natural Supports to Lower the Cost of Supported Employment. Research & Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, Vol. 32, No. 3. “Make it Matter” Grants Reader's Digest Foundation is searching for stories of people who are taking action and giving back to their communities. Each month a story will be selected to be published in the Reader's Digest and a donation of $100,000 will be given to a non-profit in honor of the individual. The Foundation plans to donate a total of $1 million. To learn more, go to http://www.rd.com/foundation. course integrates knowledge with skills-based learning to produce graduates that understand employment like they have never known it before! It's all about acquiring the skills to get folks the jobs they want. Participants learn how to do quality assessments, master the tool of job match, approach employers effectively, and so much more! Register today to secure your place in an upcoming CES: • El Paso: May 27-29 & July 8-10. • Baton Rouge: June 24-26 & July 29-31. • Dallas: Aug. 12-14 & Sept. 16-18. Lone Star APSE has a new website. The Texas organization is using the launching of its website to promote its membership drive. While still under construction, the website's sleek design promises links and information about supported employment in Texas. file://C:\Sites\Unnamed Site 2\crptraditional\Design\publications\enewsletter\index.htm 5/22/2008 4:36:18 PM UNT WISE e-News Bulletin Upcoming Conferences National ADA Symposium & Expo, May 12-14, 2008, St. Louis, MO Region 6 Revitalization Conference, June 2-4, 2008, Austin, TX Workforce Innovations 2008, July 15-17, 2008, New Orleans, LA 2008 Annual Conference on Independent Living, July 21-24, 2008, Washington, DC 2008 NRA National Training Conference, October 23-26, 2008, St. Louis, MO CSAVR Fall Conference 2008, November 16-19, 2008, San Diego, CA file://C:\Sites\Unnamed Site 2\crptraditional\Design\publications\enewsletter\index.htm 5/22/2008 4:36:18 PM UNT WISE e-News Bulletin This project is in part supported under a grant from the Department of Education. However, the contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education and endorsement by the Federal Government should not be assumed. file://C:\Sites\Unnamed Site 2\crptraditional\Design\publications\enewsletter\index.htm 5/22/2008 4:36:18 PM