Maine's CHOICES CEO Project
Working Together News
A newsletter about Maine's efforts to increase work opportunities for people with disabilities
In Focus
Walgreens: Private-Sector Employer of the Year for People with Disabilities
Walgreens has received recognition as “Private-Sector Employer of the Year” by CAREERS & the disABLED Magazine for its commitment to recruiting, hiring and promoting people with disabilities.
“At every level, we do all we can to emphasize people’s abilities and strengths,” said Walgreens senior vice president Randy Lewis, who leads of the company’s disability employment initiative at its distribution centers (DCs).
In 2007, Walgreens opened the first of its newest generation of distribution centers in Anderson, S.C. Today, people with disabilities make up 43 percent of the facility’s workforce and have been trained to work side-by-side with other team members—with the same productivity goals, earning the same pay. Walgreens also mentors other companies to share valuable insights and help them shape their own disability inclusion efforts.
Last month, Walgreens launched a pilot program aimed at hiring people with disabilities for 10 percent of service clerk openings at its Dallas/Fort Worth-area stores. The Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), has agreed to help prepare candidates for Walgreens staff positions, and other jobs in retail or customer service positions that require similar skills.
Walgreens recently started a major expansion of retail operations in Maine – at least two new stores have been built in Portland in the past few months. If the Dallas/Fort Worth retail pilot is successful, perhaps a similar approach could be used in Maine.
Healthcare Reform
Last month, President Obama made history by signing comprehensive health reform into law. This legislation brings health reform to the nation through changes such as: expanded Medicaid eligibility, insurance coverage options for those without access to affordable employer coverage, and new regulations to prevent insurers from denying coverage to people. The changes in the law will occur over the next couple of years, with most people having health insurance coverage by 2014. 
Since the law just passed, specific analyses of its effect on Medicaid buy-in programs such as Maine’s Workers with Disabilities Option, have not yet been released. Some areas to watch will include:
- Expansion of Medicaid eligibility: In 2014, Medicaid will be expanded to all those under age 65 with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). Thus applicants would not have to be determined to have a disability for Medicaid, but would still have to be disabled to receive MaineCare through the Workers with Disabilities Option, which allows enrollees to remain eligible if they work and earn more than the 133% level (up to 250 percent of the FPL). Thus this change might negatively impact enrollment in the Workers with Disabilities Option.
- Improved care coordination for dual eligibles: A new office within CMS will be created to improve the integration of Medicare and Medicaid benefits to people who receive both benefits (called dual eligibles). Improved access and quality of care for dual eligibles is also expected through increased coordination between the federal government and states.
- Employer-sponsored insurance coverage: While there is no employer mandate requiring employers to offer health insurance, there are some incentives. Tax credits will be available for employers with less than 25 employees, who have average wages less than $50,000. In 2014, small business owners can use a health insurance exchange to compare health insurance plans. For businesses with over 50 employees, fee will be assessed if they don’t offer coverage , or if they offer coverage that is "unaffordable" or does not meet certain minimum requirements. These incentives may lead more employers to offer coverage, which could mean that more workers with disabilities will have an option for employer-sponsored health insurance.
Coverage of healthcare reform analysis will be highlighted in upcoming newsletters. More information on the specifics of healthcare reform can be found on the Kaiser Family Foundation website.
State Affairs
Save the Date: Training for Employment Specialists in May
A one-day training session for employment specialists, titled “Advanced Skills in Customization and Job Carving” will be offered at two locations this May.
The training will help employment specialists offer better support to employers and employees who want to customize jobs so as to better meet the needs of both parties. Both trainings will provide ample opportunity for networking.
The trainings are being sponsored by the Maine Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services and the Muskie School of Public Service. The trainings will be held on May 19 at the Freeport Hilton Garden Inn and on May 20 at Spectacular Events in Bangor. Registration information can be found here.
Training and Certification Opportunity for Employment Staff of VR Provider Agencies
Job coaches, job developers, employment specialists, and others who help people with disabilities find and retain jobs may be interested in an upcoming training. The New England TACE Center is offering a six-and-a-half-day training on Innovative Employment Strategies. Trainees who complete the entire training series and complete and submit all fieldwork will earn an ACRE (Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators) Certificate in employment services. Only agencies/individuals who work with a Maine state VR agency may register.
The training will cover developing customized approaches to job placement services, understanding and marketing to employers, negotiating with employers about accommodations, and other topics of interest. Training occurs in June and July at the University of Southern Maine, Lewiston Campus; you must register by May 20. Go here for more details and registration form.
Using Labor Market Information to Help Job Seekers with Disabilities
Labor market information (LMI) is public data about local labor markets that can be used by job seekers choosing a career path, or rehabilitation counselors developing new job opportunities for their clients. LMI can help answer important questions, such as:
- What job tasks or jobs are (or will be) available and in line with a job seeker’s skills, interests and experience?
- What are the education and skill requirements for particular jobs?
- What are the wages, benefits and potential for job flexibility in particular industries?
- Where can a job seeker obtain needed education or training? What resources are available (e.g. loans, grants, other financing based on eligibility requirements) to access these programs or services?
In 2008, several state agencies and private rehabilitation providers in Maine formed a partnership to improve access to information about local job opportunities, career prospects, and the shape of the Maine business community. The purpose of the partnership is to better connect the resources of Maine’s Center for Workplace Research and Information with staff who provide employment assistance to people with disabilities, including vocational rehabilitation counselors, employment specialists, and many others
Much more information on how to find and use LMI, and on the Maine LMI partnership can be found in this article: Using Labor Market Data to Improve the Job Prospects of People with Disabilities. (PDF Download.
Mark Your Calendar
Veterans & Older Workers: How to Put Their Skills & Experience to Work for You
Tuesday, June 22, Bangor; 7:30-10 a.m.
Wednesday, June 23, Brunswick; 7:30-10 a.m.
Compared to the rest of the states, Maine has one of the highest percentages of veterans, and the oldest population overall. Both these groups have a wealth of work-ready skills that make them valuable employees. This seminar will give businesses an overview of Maine’s demographic make up and the bottom-line benefits of employing veterans and older workers.
Hear from John Dorrer, Director of the Center for Workforce Research and Information for the State of Maine, on what Maine’s workforce and demographics will look like in the future, and from a panel of Maine businesses why employment of older workers and veterans has been good for them.
Discussions will include topics such as:
- The most common injuries our veterans are returning with and what this can mean;
- Employment practices that help veterans, with or without disabilities, transition back to civilian life;
- What it means to employ veterans with disabilities and older workers who may develop disabilities; and
- Employment practices that make a business a more attractive to older workers.
Please click here for more information and to register for one of the events.
Workplace Diversity & Innovation in the New Economy
September 28
Portland, ME
7:45 a.m.- 3:45 p.m.
The recession has changed the way we think about the workplace. Working Together has partnered once again with the Diversity Hiring Coalition to bring you another sensational conference exploring how a diverse workforce can help businesses get ahead in the post-recession economy.
This collaborative Conference will give Maine employers and businesses the tools to transform their workforce and expand their bottom line. Topics and speakers will provide concrete, practical and business-oriented presentations.
This conference is aimed at business leaders and decisions makers, as well as the human resource community. We anticipate between 200 and 250 attendees. Continuing education credits will be offered for human resource professionals. This Conference will generate significant earned media, as it has in past years.
For more information contact Merritt Carey at (207) 828-4882, or visit this page.
Call for Business Award Nominations
Working Together is seeking nominations for its annual Business Awards, and encourages businesses to self-nominate! Please visit the Working Together awards page to nominate an outstanding employer!
Go here for more calendar items
Ideas for Stories
Please help us… we are seeking stories! Do you know of a worker or employer that we can feature in our newsletter? Please contact Leslie Pohl.
All in a day's work
Tom Davis applies business acumen to employ the developmentally disabled in Maine
This article appeared in the March 22, 2010 issue of Mainebiz and is being reprinted with the permission of Mainebiz.
Tom Davis leans over the conference table in his St. Albans office, perching on his seat to pose a question that illustrates the business philosophy behind his successful nonprofit: “Do you like the circus?” Well, honestly, not so much. “OK,” he says, “Do you like Shakespeare plays?” Sure, from time to time. Circus fans, Davis goes on to explain, often steer clear of productions of King Lear or Macbeth, while Shakespeare admirers tend to avoid circus clowns and elephants. “Now,” Davis says, “what do you get when you combine the two?” He waits. Much Ado About Juggling? “Cirque du Soleil,” he says — something truly unique that appeals to circus fans, Shakespeare buffs and, importantly, a whole new crowd. Read the entire article here
It’s the 20th Anniversary of the ADA!
It’s been nearly 20 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed by President George H. W. Bush on July 26, 1990. Twenty years later, people are still finding new ways to make programs accessible and integrating people with disabilities into activities and services. Consider signing on to a proclamation campaign reaffirming the principals of equality and inclusion and recommitting your organization’s efforts to reach full ADA compliance.
A New Day: We’re Listening
In 2010, the U.S. Office of Disability Employment Policy held events, called listening sessions, in each of its six regions. The sessions were an opportunity for policymakers to listen to a variety of people, representing different constituencies, share their thoughts on the employment of people with disabilities.
The session for our region was held in Boston on March 3. A number of people offered testimony on practices that were leading to success in the employment of people with disabilities.
Promising practices that were highlighted included the use of Disability Program Navigators in the CareerCenters. A Massachusetts man with multiple disabilities spoke about how the DPN program had helped him; as a result of this assistance, he was able to obtain employment, purchase a home, and no longer needed SSDI benefits.
The business community was also represented at the Listening Tour. A representative from ATT shared examples of how the company’s diversity policies and practices were resulting in a stronger workforce. The importance of offering opportunities for veterans with disabilities was also a theme that was repeated during the day.
Maine representatives who participated in the Boston event were Jill Duson, Director of the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, Karen Fraser, Director of Systems Improvement and Quality Assurance for BRS, and Libby Stone-Sterling, Maine’s Lead Disability Program Navigator.
Ms. Duson highlighted new initiatives and collaborative work including: Maine’s success in receiving Section 121 funds to increase vocational rehabilitation services to Native Americans; the state’s inter-agency work to braid funding, which led to collaborative planning, shared infrastructure, and technology resources; and Vocational Rehabilitation’s extensive restructuring to eliminate the waiting list for services.
Ms. Stone-Sterling spoke about outreach to veterans and the successful 2009 Summer Youth Employment Program, as well as how the work of the DPN’s in the CareerCenters had increased outcomes for job seekers with disabilities.
Read summaries or listen to podcasts of the Boston event and other events archived at http://www.dol.gov/odep/disabilitylistening.htm.
Updates
Networking Over Breakfast: A new initiative for service providers
Do you help people with disabilities find employment? Do you employ people who need on-the-job support from an agency? Then you may be interested in our new “Engaging with Employers” Breakfast Networking Series that began in April!
Join us every other month to network and learn from speakers. The events are open from 8:30-11, with presentations running from 9-10:30. The next breakfast will be held on Thursday, June 10, at the Sea Dog Brewing Company in South Portland. Please RSVP as space is limited!
To give you a sense of what to expect, here’s what went on at the April breakfast:
The topic was “Business Basics: A few things you should know about your ‘other’ clients.” The presentation focused on helping employment service providers improve their interactions with prospective employers. While providers are experts in terms of the ins-and-outs of funding mechanisms and client support, many employers have no idea how provider agencies work and are put off by the number of providers contacting them. This presentation reviewed what the social services world looks like
from the business perspective as well as information about how the for-profit world operates on a daily basis. Attendees learned ways to more effectively communicate with businesses to address their needs.
Attendee feedback reported:
“A great opportunity for providers to network, as well as providers and employers to come together to have some dialogue between each other. The panelists were helpful and discussions interesting. It was also refreshing to see new provider staff in attendance.”
“I appreciate the 30 minutes or so to talk to others in attendance before we actually began. Some events do not factor in this important aspect. I exchanged many ideas, business cards and information. I was able to catch up with a couple of people I have not had time to see and I was also able to exchange and share job leads.”
Materials from the session can be found here. Ideas for future topics, speakers, and locations are welcomed; please email to glantz@usm.maine.edu.
Join Maine APSE
APSE is a national organization that focuses exclusively on integrated employment and career advancement opportunities for people with disabilities.
Maine APSE is pleased to announce that its state chapter held their first board meeting. New board members were elected and recruitment efforts were discussed.
For more information on joining Maine APSE or becoming a board member, please contact board president Debbie Gilmer at gilmer@maine.edu . Maine APSE will have materials available at the May 19 and 20 training on customized employment.
CHOICES CEO Staff Attend 2010 National Medicaid Infrastructure Grant Meeting
CHOICES CEO receives its funding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as part of the Medicaid Infrastructure Grant program (MIG). Each year CHOICES CEO attends a meeting for all MIG grantees.
Learning from the Past – Looking to the Future was the theme of this year’s MIG Employment Summit held in Pittsburg. The event was a great opportunity for all MIG grantees to learn from each other and to hear from federal leaders in disability employment policy.
Kathleen Martinez, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Disability Employment Policy at the U.S. Department of Labor, spoke on efforts to increase hiring of workers with a disability at the federal level including within the Department of Labor itself and by businesses that have contracts with the federal government.
Looking to the workforce of the future, Martinez predicts that many aging American workers may not identify as having a disability and used a quote from her mother as an example: “I’m not blind, I just can’t see anything”.
The keynote address, delivered by Andrew Imparato, President & CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities, was focused on the importance of a multi-faceted approach to disability employment policy. Both Secretary Martinez and Mr. Imparato spoke of their involvement in the Campaign for Disability Employment, which is encouraging employers and others to recognize the value workers with disabilities bring to the workplace.
Specific workshop sessions allowed states to exchange tips and best practices that were relevant to many issue areas that Maine CHOICES CEO project partners are working on, including Medicaid Buy-In programs (MaineCare’s Workers with Disabilities Option), Customized Employment, Ticket to Work, Benefit Counseling Services, and Transportation.
There was a lot of focus on the recently enacted Health Care Reform law, and how it might affect the employment of people with disabilities (see related article). Also, representatives from Health & Disability Advocates gave an update on the national media campaign Think Beyond the Label.
Training for Ticket to Work ‘Employment Networks’ to be Held in June
Three trainers from the National Employment Network Association (NENA) will conduct a training for organizations and businesses that provide services to job seekers with disabilities under Social Security’s Ticket to Work program (called Employment Networks, or ENs).
NENA’s training is based on the understanding that:
- Before committing to the Ticket to Work program, service providers want reliable proof that they can become a financially viable ENs.
- ENs trust other experienced ENs who are also "in the trenches" to present and answer questions; therefore, experienced and successful EN representatives will do most of the training.
- Program developers need one set of information to design and fund an EN organization, while operations people need different information; sessions for both audiences will be offered.
The training will be help on June 2, 2010 at the Augusta Civic Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. More details on registration and other activities will be coming soon. Please contact Larry Glantz to register.
