Maine's CHOICES CEO Project
Working Together News
A newsletter about Maine's efforts to increase work opportunities for people with disabilities
In Focus
Think Beyond the Label Campaign Connects with Businesses Via Digital Ads
As reported in our December 2009 newsletter, CHOICES CEO joined with nearly 30 other Medicaid Infrastructure Grantees across the country to create a national media campaign to encourage businesses to hire more workers with disabilities.
Think Beyond the Label is a national marketing campaign targeting employers. Launched in February, this humorous and edgy campaign uses television, radio, print, and the Internet to change attitudes about hiring people with disabilities, raise awareness of the need for diversity in the workplace, and counter stereotypes about workers with disabilities.
Digital media is an important component to the Think Beyond the Label campaign. [An example of a digital ad can be seen here - these ads are available for use on your web site - contact Larry Glantz if you are interested].
Digital advertisements were placed on various search engines including, Google, Bing and Yahoo. The online versions of the Wall Street Journal, CNN, CNN Money, Fortune Magazine, BBC and ESPN also ran campaign ads and videos to reach business decision-makers.
Through May 24, over 49 million people were exposed to the online ad, and 76, 600 actually clicked on an ad to connect with further content. The digital media campaign resulted in 91,677 visits out of a total of 130,459 visits to the Think Beyond the Label website during this time period.
All participating states have a presence on the Think Beyond the Label website through state-specific resource lists. Maine’s page lists business resources in our state such as the CareerCenters and the Working Together networking group; the page has received a total of 391 views by 302 unique visitors since the start of the campaign.
National performance data on the television, radio, and print aspects of the campaign should be available in the future. To visit Think Beyond the Label go to http://www.thinkbeyondthelabel.com.
Disability.gov Gets Personal
Disability.gov, a web resource for people with disabilities, has added personalization features to its site as part of a year-long effort to use social media and information-sharing technology to engage visitors. Visitors can vote and comment on resources, participate in group forums, and have additional resources recommended to them based on their previous visits to the site.
The website is managed by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy in collaboration with other federal agencies. It provides information about disability-related programs, services, laws and benefits. New content is added daily. Subject areas include benefits, education, employment, health, housing, technology and transportation.
Disability.gov underwent a complete redesign in July 2009. Social media platforms—Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn—were added to encourage interaction and feedback. Visitors can also access RSS feeds and social bookmarking capabilities, read weekly guest posts on Disability.Blog, sign up for customized e-mail alerts about news and updates and suggest new resources to add to the site.
State Affairs
EmploymentforME.org is Launched!
After months of hard work and anticipation, a new website , which offers one-stop search access to a range of information related to the employment of workers with disabilities in Maine, is live — EmploymentforME.org!
Job seekers with disabilities will find: information that will help their search for work; links to training opportunities that will help improve job-related skills; and information about their rights under laws related to employment and disability.
Employers, particularly those in charge of recruiting and hiring, will find information on: recruiting qualified workers in Maine; making adaptations or adjustments to work stations or processes to help workers with disabilities; and the benefits of hiring, training, and retaining workers with disabilities.
Staff of organizations that provide services to people with disabilities, particularly those providing employment support services, will find information on: services for job seekers and workers with disabilities; how job seekers' benefits might be affected by their employment or increased hours; and benefits to employers for hiring people with disabilities.
If you haven’t already, please visit www.EmploymentforME.org and offer your thoughts on the site and suggest resources that should be added.
Training Held in Advanced Job Development Skills
In May, two one-day training sessions for employment specialists and job coaches were held. In total, 130 people attended.
The goal of the training was to help employment specialists, job coaches, supervisors and others to better serve both their clients and employers. The focus of the training was customized employment. The morning session reviewed the customized employment approach, including the discovery process, and planning and developing a portfolio. The afternoon session focused on identifying employer needs and strategies to establish jobs.
Trainers were Phil Chase, MPA, CRC, and Adele Patrick, Ph.D., CRC, of the University of Georgia, Human Services
Management Institute. Phil and Adele both have over 30 years of experience inthe rehabilitation field, and brought expertise in training, consultation and management of employment programs. Participants had the opportunity to work in small groups where they shared what they knew with their colleagues as they worked on case scenarios.
The events were organized and sponsored by Maine’s DHHS Office of Adult Mental Health Services, Maine’s DOL Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Muskie School of Public Service.
Maine’s DPN Activities Continue With a New Name
As announced in our February newsletter, federal funding for the Disability Navigator Program was cut effective June 30, 2010.
In April, Maine DOL Commissioner Laura Fortman held a meeting to discuss how to sustain the positive results achieved by the program over the past several years. The meeting was attended by DOL staff, as well as representatives of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Commission on Disability and Employment, and the CHOICES CEO project. Additional resources were offered from the CHOICES CEO project, which began providing funding support for the DPN program last fall.
Following the meeting, money to support limited, continued DPN activity was made available to Maine by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Currently, an agreement is emerging to continue time-limited DPN staffing (1.5 FTE, for positions to be called “Disability Resource Coordinators”). If the agreement moves forward, the positions would be funded for one year starting July 1, with the hope that longer-term support could be found. These activities will be coordinated by the Maine Bureau of Employment Services by Auta Main, manager of the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program and the Maine Lifelong Learning Accounts Program.
Mark Your Calendar
ADA at 20: State and National Anniversary Celebrations Planned
On July 26, 1990, President George H. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure the civil rights of people with disabilities. The ADA has expanded opportunities for Americans with disabilities by reducing barriers and changing perceptions, increasing full participation in community life.
On the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, many events are being planned to celebrate the progress that has been made to reach full ADA compliance. Maine events include the Governor's signing of an Executive Order celebrating and recommitting Maine to the ADA's mandate and other events, as described below.
State Events
Executive Order Signing
Commemorating 20th Anniversary of the ADA, and Reaffirming the State of Maine’s Commitment to Accessibility and Inclusion of People with Disabilities
Contact: Eric Dibner, 623-7950
Disability Rights Center Contingent at the Old Hallowell Day Parade
July 17, 2010 10:00 am
Hallowell Riverfront, Hallowell, ME
Contact: Kristin Aiello, Disability Rights Center, (800) 452-1948
Axis Dance Company at the Bates Dance Festival
Rehearsal: July 26 and July 27
Performance: July 30 and July 31, Friday and Saturday, 8:00 pm
Bates College, Lewiston, ME
AXIS Dance Co., one of the world’s most acclaimed and innovative ensembles of performers with and without disabilities, will be in-residence for one week, conducting workshops and developing a community participation piece with choreographer David Dorfman.
Contact: www.batesdancefestival.org
Accessibility Awards Presentation by the Maine ADA Coalition
July 26, 2010, 11:00 am
Gracie Theatre, Husson University, Bangor
Contact: Denis Pratt, Alpha One, (207) 619-9281
National Events
Boston Celebration
Monday, July 26 from 12-3pm at Boston Common
The National ADA Symposium
June 20-23
at the Hyatt Regency Colorado Convention Center, Denver, Colorado
American Association of People with Disabilities and National Council on Independent Living 20th Anniversary ADA Bash in Washington, DC
Mark Your Calendars! Fall 2010 Events Focused on Disability and Employment
September 28: Annual Working Together business-to-business networking conference.
October 20: Maine Disability Mentoring Day, an opportunity to engage with young people about workplace opportunities.
October 27-28: Maine “Employment Summit” at the Augusta Civic Center. This is still in the planning stage, but the first day will likely include coordinated annual meetings of the five state-level advocacy groups, including the Commission on Disability and Employment and the four BRS Advisory Councils (the State Independent Living Council and three rehabilitation councils), and workshops on advocacy, policy priorities, and legislative strategies.
The second day is planned to include a roll-out of a new DHHS Policy on Employment for People with Disabilities, workshops for agency and service-provider leadership on implementation of the new policy, and training for case managers and community inclusion workers in several different service systems.
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.
Manpower Announces Project Ability
Manpower, Inc. has launched a national program called Project Ability to transition people with disabilities into sustainable employment with leading employers nationwide.
“Bringing people into the workplace and connecting them to careers is Manpower’s core mission," said Priscilla Azcueta, Manpower regional director. "We focus on people’s capabilities, not disabilities. It’s about talent, and matching the right person with the right position.”
Project Ability is a national program that was created to find a solution to the impending talent shortage that will cause employers to look at talent pools that have traditionally gone untapped.
People with disabilities experience significantly higher unemployment rates, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. U.S. disability employment statistics for May 2010 revealed that the percentage of people with disabilities in the labor force was 22 percent, compared with 70 percent for people with no disability.
A key component of Project Ability is the partnership with local community-based organizations that have the access to candidates with required skill sets. Through local recruitment strategies, Manpower can work with local employers to identify and place candidates with disabilities.
Manpower looks to expand the reach of Project Ability by continually adding participating employers to the team. Companies looking to participate in the Project Ability program should contact Martha Artiles, Manpower’s global chief diversity officer at (408) 269-4019.
Martha Artiles was the Keynote Speaker at the 2009 Working Together Symposium: Capitalizing on Maine's Changing Demographics. At the event, she provided an interesting perspective that combined human resources, engineering and community experience from her 27-year career at Manpower where she oversees global strategic diversity and workforce development.
Accommodations Discussed at the 2nd "Engaging Employers Networking Breakfast"
Next breakfast will be September 16th.
Maine’s CHOICES CEO Project is sponsoring a series of networking breakfasts for businesses and organizations that provide employment services to people with disabilities.
The second breakfast was held on June 10, and focused on accommodations in the workplace. Presentations were made by Jennifer Simpson, Director of Human Resources at Custom Disability Solutions, and Marc Rodrique, Disability Program Navigator from Western Maine Community Action and the Lewiston Career Center.
Simpson and Rodrique addressed issues about accommodations, including:
- Who needs accommodations?
- What does an employee need to do regarding accommodations?
- What are human resources managers' concerns about accommodations?
- What does the company think overall about employee accommodations?
The presentations sparked plenty of discussion among the attendees and presenters about accommodation issues, ranging from the application process, to modifying a job or work station, to ensuring successful job performance for a worker with a disability. This event provided a format to share personal experiences in working with people that have disabilities and need an accommodation to get the job done.
To increase the number of employers at the breakfast, any service provider who came with an employer representative was entered into a drawing for a door prize. Marc Chillemi of Goodwill NNE won a door prize for bringing representatives of PowerPay, a Portland-based provider of integrated eCommerce and point-of-sale payment processing solutions.
Learn more about the Breakfast Series and watch short videos from past series events here.
The next Breakfast Event will be Thursday, September 16, from 8:30-11:30 at the Sable Oaks Business Park (near the Marriott), South Portland. The event will be hosted by Custom Disability Solutions. REGISTER HERE!
Workplace Diversity & Innovation in the New Economy: the Next Working Together Conference
Wednesday, September 28, South Portland; 7:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
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.
The keynote speaker for the conference is Romy Riddick of TD Bank. In 2009, Ms. Riddick joined the bank in a newly created diversity leader position. She has worked for diversity and inclusion in both the public and private sectors. Ms. Riddick has managed national diversity recruitment and retention efforts for Pricewaterhouse Coopers and, as a former trainer in the organizational development department for Merrill Lynch, she delivered diversity training to management across the organization.
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 the Working Together Conference page.
Call for Business Award Nominations
Each year, Working Together gives out three awards to businesses that have shown outstanding commitment to employing people with disabilities. This year, the awards will be presented at the September 28 Working Together conference. 
Do you know of a business that deserves to be recognized? Please let us know. We encourage businesses to self-nominate. Award categories are:
Business Leadership Award—this award is for larger Maine businesses (50 or more employees) that have demonstrated a company-wide commitment to furthering employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Previous recipients include MEMIC, Hannaford Brothers, and Kohls (Biddeford).
Small Business Leadership Award—this award is for Maine companies (fewer than 50 employees) that have shown innovation and commitment in employing people with disabilities. Previous recipients include Wild Oats Bakery and Cafe (Brunswick), Al's Auto (Medway), and Aroostook Center Mall (Presque Isle).
Workforce Achievement Award—This award is given to Maine businesses that show a strong commitment to either 1) significantly increasing the number of people with disabilities within the workforce; or 2) employing people with disabilities for the first time. This award is also known as the "Just Do It" award and is intended to credit an employer that eagerly and enthusiastically begins diversifying its workforce by employing people with disabilities. Previous recipients include Stonewall Kitchen, Bates College, and Access Auto & Lincoln Rental (Lincoln).
Nominations must be submitted by September 7, 2010. Please nominate an outstanding employer today!
Updates
ADA at 20: Activities and Resources
The 2010 by 2010 Campaign is collecting 2010 "Proclamations of Recommitment" to the mission of the ADA by the 20th anniversary date of the ADA—July 26, 2010. Go here to join!
Also in anticipation of the 20th Anniversary, the ADA National Network by DBTAC has developed an Anniversary Toolkit that “offers informative materials designed to help you plan and publicize ADA activities during the ADA Anniversary and throughout the year.”
JAN Launches a New Web Site
In March, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) launched AskJAN.org. Visitors to the site can enjoy a new Training Hub and Newsroom area with access to JAN Consultant trainings, interviews, and quotes. Visitors can also follow JAN on all the social networking sites or initiate a quick, live, online chat with JAN staff.
Want to learn more about Website accessibility? JAN provides technical assistance on how to make websites accessible. Dive into the details with Recipe for Success: Website Accessibility and JAN's Accommodation and Compliance Series: Tips for Designing Accessible Webpages. Access more technical resources at JAN's A to Z: Online Applications and Web Accessibility.
Disability Employment Awareness Month Theme Announced
The U.S. Office on Disability and Employment has announced the theme for this year's Disability and Employment Month: "Talent Has No Boundaries: Workforce Diversity INCLUDES Workers With Disabilities."
The theme was designed to convey that workers with disabilities represent a diverse and vibrant talent pool for hire.
Early announcement of the theme helps communities nationwide plan events, some of which will continue throughout the year beginning in October, such as proclamations, public awareness programs, and job fairs that showcase the talents of workers with disabilities.
Maine Ticket Institute for Employment Networks Event a Success
A Ticket to Work Training Institute was held at the Augusta Civic Center on June 2. The Institute provided technical training for organizations providing job preparation and placement services under the Ticket to Work program.
Twenty-five people from 15 separate service organizations participated. Most were from Maine agencies that have already been approved by the Social Security Administration to operate as Employment Networks (ENs). Several attendees were from agencies that are considering applying for EN status; after the training, all were motivated to complete the application process to become ENs.
The Institute featured trainers from the National Employment Network Association (NENA), including Peter Mead, the owner of CareerConnect, an Employment Network in Eugene, Oregon, and a co-founder of NENA; Susan Webb, director of employment services at Arizona Bridge to Independent Living, one of the most successful ENs in the country with over $1 million in revenues from the program; and Karen Davidson, the manager of "A Ticket to Success" nonprofit EN based in the Tulare County Office of Education in Visalia, California, which has more than 700 Ticket assignments.
The reaction to the information was very positive, as summed up by this evaluation comment: "Very good training! Answered lots of questions in a language I could understand. Lots of materials to bring back, but more important—new contacts to help when stuck with an assignment or payment problem."
There will be follow-up support for participants with the NENA presenters, periodic teleconferences with Maine ENs to discuss issues, and coordinated marketing of Ticket and EN services among state agencies and local ENs.
Details on the Institute and the training modules that were offered, and on other Ticket resources, including future training events can be found at www.MaineTicket.org
