Start-Up-USA
Web site: http://www.start-up-usa.biz
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in partnership with Griffin-Hammis and Associates, LLC has been awarded a cooperative agreement #E-9-4-6-0111 from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). Congress designated the cooperative agreement funds to ODEP for the further development of self-employment policy for individuals with disabilities. ODEP's mission is to provide national leadership by developing and influencing disability-related employment policy and practice affecting the employment of people with disabilities.
A critical element of this endeavor will be the generation of data and information to validate systems capacity-building strategies and systems change models for successfully increasing self-employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. In addition, START-UP / USA will document the systems-related difficulties and challenges that may be encountered and develop and test mechanisms for addressing these challenges. The data, obtained as a result of research and technical assistance efforts, will be used by ODEP and other stakeholders in developing policy recommendations across multiple public and private systems for increased self-employment options as an alternative to more traditional types of employment.
