Disability Program Navigator Training A Joint Initiative of the U.S. Department of Labor and the Social Security Administration

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Disability Program Navigator TrainingA Joint
Initiative of theU.S. Department of Laborand
theSocial Security Administration

• Identifying and Working with Individuals with
  Disabilities
• Judith Emery, Director, Colorado WIN Partners
• Patrick Loeber, Consumer Navigator, Pikes Peak
  Workforce Center
• Miranda Thompson, Consumer Navigator, Broomfield
  Workforce Center

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Module Objectives

• To better understand the various definitions of
  the term "disability"
• To build awareness of hidden disabilities
• To better understand the impact a disability may
  have on employment and the process of becoming
  employed
• To better understand the role of the One-Stop in
  serving Persons with Disabilities
• To communicate ways to determine if an individual
  may have a disability
• To communicate effective strategies for assisting
  a person with a specific type of disability (e.g.
  mental illness vs. learning disability)
• To better understand the role of Person Centered
  Planning in serving a person with a disability

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What do we mean by the term Disability?

• Wide range of conditions
• Impacts lives in a variety of ways
• Not always apparent
• Natural part of human existence
• Definitions vary considerably

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What does it mean under the ADA?

• A physical or mental impairment that
  substantially limits one or more of the major
  life activities of such individual
• A record of such an impairment or,
• Being regarded as having such an impairment

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Why serve individuals with disabilities through
One-Stops?

• Need assistance that One-Stops provide
• Meet employer needs
• Employers eager to hire people with
  disabilities
• National priority
• Workforce Investment Act requirements

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Hidden Disabilities

• Learning Disabilities
• Mental Illness
• Traumatic Brain Injury

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Learning Disabilities

• A disorder in one or more of the basic
• processes involved in understanding or
• using spoken or written language, that
• impacts an individuals ability in one of the
• following areas
• listening, thinking, speaking, reading,
• writing, spelling, and doing mathematical
• calculations.

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Mental Illness

• Disorders of the brain that disrupt a persons
  thinking, feeling, moods, and ability to relate
  to others. An illness that affects or is
  manifested in a persons brain that often results
  in a diminished capacity for coping with the
  ordinary demands of life. It may affect the way a
  person thinks, behaves, and interacts with other
  people.

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Traumatic Brain Injury

• People with Traumatic Brain Injury have had
  damage to the brain usually as the result of
  trauma, such as an accident or stroke.

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Hidden Disabilities clues for you

• Requests information written down
• Reaction to cleaning or perfume odors
• Requests material be read
• Does not complete application packet
• Others?

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Suggestions

• Minimize distractions
• Use notes
• Write down action steps
• Communicate clear expectations
• Ask them to repeat
• Minimize stress

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Disclosure

• The bottom line on disclosure
• The job seekers preference must be
• respected.

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• Letting the cat outta the bag is a whole lot
  easier than putting it back in.
• --Will Rogers

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Person Centered Planning

• Person a human being
• Centered to be focused on
• Planning a method of action

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Person Centered Actions Roles of the
Navigators

• Actively listen
• Adhere to person centered concepts
• Adhere to person centeredness in your planning
• Navigator supports and roles

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This training has been designed and developed by
theLaw, Health Policy Disability Center
(LHPDC) of the University of Iowa College of
Lawdisability.law.uiowa.edu