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Information, resources and research about work and disability issues
December 2009 | Visit Worksupport.com

Upcoming HVRP Conference Calls

Job Development in Tough Times
Presenter: Roger Shelley
Date: Dec. 15 or 16, 2009 (Time is based on Region)

During times of higher unemployment, and workforces shrinking in some sectors, employers are still seeking employees who are capable of making significant contributions to their businesses. This raises many questions like how to represent job seekers in light of their present and future value to the employer? Find Region & Register

Substance Abuse & Employment of Homeless Veterans
Presenter: Mary Huber
Date: Jan. 25 or 26, 2010 (Time is based on Region)

The presenter will discuss the prevalence of unemployed homeless veterans and the co-occurrence of mental health issues including TBI, SUD, and PTSD. Next, strategies and techniques in working with employers and homeless veterans in helping them find and retain employment will be provided. Find Region & Register

HVRP (Homeless Veterans Reintegration Project) Technical Assistance Center is funded by grant #HV-16488-07-75-5-51with the US DOL.


START-UP/USA Self-Employment Fact Sheet

Small Business Development Centers

Did you know that several business icons such as Nike, Federal Express, and Ben and Jerry’s got their start with assistance from the United States Small Business Administration (SBA)? These companies took advantage of invaluable resources that are offered through Small Business Development Centers (SBDC). Because running a small business is a large challenge, a SBDC can help a business owner or potential owner assess their skills and weaknesses, and then build a team of support that will allow the owner to focus on his or her skills and obtain assistance on weaknesses. Read the Fact Sheet

Start-Up-USA is funded by cooperative agreement # E-9-4-6-0111 from the U.S. DOL-ODEP.


VCU Webcourse - Mild Brain Injury Rehabilitation with a Military Population

(1/19/10 - 5/07/10)

VCU's Dept of Rehabilitation Counseling and the Veteran's Health Administration is offering an online course entitled Mild Brain Injury Rehabilitation with a Military Population. The course will be developed and taught by Dr. Brian McMahon and Dr David Cifu. The course consists of 3 modules offered from Jan 19 - May 7. Participants may register for 9-21 CEUs/CRC credits, $20 per credit hour.

Course Flyer (Word | PDF)

For details contact Jessica Hurley at hurleyje@vcu.edu


International Innovation Journal Article

Empowering Minority Group Research

VCU’S Department of Rehabilitation Counseling in the School of Allied Health Professions was established in 1955 as one of the first rehabilitation counseling programs in the United States. VCU now ranks among the top 20 rehabilitation counseling training programs in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report. The Project Empowerment grant project is being funded by a five-year National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research grant of $1.78 million and will be used to identify and evaluate current practice and methods in the conduct of minority disability research and to begin to increase capacity in this area. The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research is one of three components of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the U.S. Department of Education.

Read the full text article

Register Now for the Upcoming 2010 Online Courses

book iconOverview of Self-Employment for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities (2/15/10 - 3/22/10)

Self-employment is increasingly recognized as a viable employment option for people with disabilities. Self employment involves minimizing the fears of the prospective business owner, as well as the rehab & local small business development professionals who assist them. Details & Registration

book iconCustomized Employment (2/15/10 - 3/15/10)

Customized employment is a process for individualizing the employment relationship between a job seeker and an employer in ways that meet the needs of both. Details & Registration

book iconInto Adulthood: Transition to Work for Individuals with Autism (3/1/10 - 4/4/10)

Careful transition planning from secondary education is critical for young people with autism spectrum disorders to be successful in the community however; there is limited information on this topic. Details & Registration

book iconSupported Employment Web-based Certificate Series
(3/1/10 - 5/24/10)

Study the nuts and bolts of implementing supported employment. This online course provides an extensive overview of supported employment and how to facilitate competitive jobs for individuals with significant disabilities. Details & Registration

book iconSupported Competitive Employment for Individuals with Mental Illness (3/1/10 - 5/24/10)

This online course provides an extensive overview of how to facilitate supported competitive employment for individuals with mental illness. Details & Registration

VCU-RRTC is funded by grant #H133B040011 with the US DOE - NIDRR.


Assets for Independence (AFI) Fact Sheet

Understanding Asset Development for Individuals with Disabilities

There is growing emphasis on helping families exit poverty by focusing on asset building rather than providing monthly income supports such as cash payments. This approach is about encouraging people to save money and to make investments that increase in value over time. The assumption is that as individuals develop assets, they and their families will be able to move out of poverty and remain out of poverty. Read the AFI Fact Sheet

The Lewin Group & VCU are key collaborators in the Office of Community Services' initiative to increase IDA participation for people with disabilities.


Diocese Promotes Disability Awareness

The Catholic Diocese of Richmond recently highlighted the VCU ASD Career Link's Research Project # 2 in their publication, The Catholic Virginian. The purpose of VCU ASD Career Link is to conduct evidence-based research on vocational rehabilitation (VR) service models for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Read the full text article.

VCU-ASD is funded by grant #H133B080027 with the US DOE - NIDRR.


Service Intensity and Job Tenure in Supported Employment: A Final Report

Within the vocational rehabilitation field, one success story has been the emergence of the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of support employment for clients with psychiatric disabilities (Becker & Drake, 2003). The core principles of this model are (1) a focus on competitive employment (which refer to regular community jobs, with nondisabled coworkers, paying minimum wage or higher), (2) eligibility based on consumer choice, (3) rapid job search, (4) integration of mental health and employment services, (5) attention to consumer preference in the job search, (6) individualized job supports and (7) personalized benefits counseling (Bond, 2004). Because of the superior competitive employment outcomes for clients enrolled in these programs compared to other vocational services (Bond, Drake, & Becker, 2008), this model has been identified as evidence-based supported employment. Read the Report

VCU-RRTC is funded by grant #H133B040011 with the US DOE - NIDRR.

The contents of this newsletter were developed under a grant from the Department of Education, NIDRR grant # H133B040011. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.