Individual and Family Collaboration

The idea of moving from the familiar routine of employment in a sheltered Work Center can create anxiety and concerns for families and individuals. The resources offered here include information about managing benefits, becoming self-employed, and navigating a new social and vocational network, all which may be helpful in supporting families and individuals to consider transformation as an opportunity.

Webinars

• ​​​Navigating the Benefits Terrain Successfully 
  ​​​How many times have we said to a person with disabilities: "You can only work part-time or you will lose your benefits"? The stigma surrounding work and Social Security Disability benefits has been an ongoing issue for beneficiaries as well as people who provide services. This webinar, presented by Emily Tortorici of the Disability Employment Initiative, examines work incentives and supports designed to transition individuals from depending on disability benefits to self- sufficiency. 
• Becoming Your Own Boss: How to Start Your Own Business 
  Presented by Shameka Andrews
  An excellent resource for families and individuals with disabilities who are considering employment in general and starting their own business in particular. 

• The Employment Adventure: Finding New Tools for New Experiences
  Shameka Andrews is a successful entrepreneur who advocates strongly for the rights of individuals with disabilities to achieve their personal career goals. In this webinar, she shares her own experiences in identifying and developing her business and offers tools and resources for supporting others to pursue rewarding employment.
• Transformation Is A National Affair 
  Presented by Jennifer Monthie of Disability Rights NY
  Transformation Is A National Affair examines the history of Work Centers and the legal concerns that have fueled Work Center transformation. 
• Rights, Responsibilities, Entitlement, & Opportunities
  Work center transformation offers people increased employment opportunities but also challenges them in new ways. Using a person-centered focus, Jennifer Monthie of Disability Rights NY explores how people can successfully navigate the new employment terrain and become financially self-sufficient.

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Videos

• The Interviewer
  The Interviewer is a little film with a big message. Invite all stakeholders and members of your organization to view this film and discuss how its message can be used to transform the waysthey think about employment opportunities. 
  
  ​The Interviewer is used with the permission of Bus Stop Films, an organization that offers weekly film-making workshops for people with intellectual disabilities. This film has found its way onto screens across the globe and recently “went viral” in Europe after being shown on Arte TV, winning over 30 awards, and being screened at over 40 film festivals including Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, Cleveland, Flickerfest. Learn more about Bus Stop films by visiting their website at busstopfilms.com.au and their Facebook page at: facebook.com/busstopfilms. 

• A Plan, A Process, and Communication
  Ability Beyond, a non-profit agency located in Bethel, CT, initiated a successful transformation of their Work Center operations in 2003. In this video, Carrie O'Connell and Shaileen Brighton-Ortiz share the secrets behind their successful transformation. ​

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Additional Resources

• Toolkit: Working on Purpose
  Created by Carol Blessing of the Blessing Consultant Group and used by permission here, the toolkit offers individuals a step-by-step process for considering personal interests and skills and developing a person-centered approach to finding meaningful employment.

toolkit_working_on_purpose_six_steps_to_employment..pdf
File Size:	490 kb
File Type:	pdf

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• Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success
  ​Produced by the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), this workbook examines the importance of soft skills – such as the ability to communicate constructively, work as a team member, and maintain a positive mental attitude – and offers activities and tools for developing these skills as part of attaining employment.

softskills.pdf
File Size:	3522 kb
File Type:	pdf

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• Navigating the Benefits Terrain Successfully
  Prepared and presented by Emily Tortorici of the DEI Initiative. (This is the PDF of the slides Emily used in her webinar presentation and offers individuals and families access to the resources and information provided.)

ssa_disability_benefits_advisement_webinar.pdf
File Size:	2255 kb
File Type:	pdf

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• ​SSA: Debunking The Three Biggest Myths about Disability and Employment 
  A useful fact sheet about managing benefits while developing employment that provides a sustainable living wage.

ssa_3_biggest_myths_flyer-final-2.pdf
File Size:	196 kb
File Type:	pdf

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• Earned Income Disregard 
  ​Provided by Emily Tortorici as part of her webinar presentation, this worksheet offers a step-by-step process for estimating how earning income can affect benefits.

disallowanceincreaseincome.pdf
File Size:	112 kb
File Type:	pdf

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• Integrated Employment or Sheltered Workshops: Preferences of adults with developmental disabilities, their families, and staff 
  Used by permission of the authors and the publisher, this article examines attitudes and preferences of various stakeholders — including individuals and their families — involved with attaining and sustaining meaningful employment.

integrated_employment_or_sheltered_works.pdf
File Size:	153 kb
File Type:	pdf

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• Supporting Social Roles
  Employment is a crucial adult role for individuals. In this free download, John O’Brien examines how to support individuals to participate in adult roles in their communities.
  

ssr.pdf
File Size:	739 kb
File Type:	pdf

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• Benefits Management: Continued Medicaid Eligibility
  ​One of the biggest concerns that people receiving SSI benefits have about going to work is that they will lose their Medicaid coverage. This link provides information about 1619b of the Social Security Act and offers solutions.

social_security_online_-_continued_medicaid_eligibility__section_1619_b__.pdf
File Size:	117 kb
File Type:	pdf

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• Medicaid Buy-In
  Learn how working people with disabilities can earn more income without the risk of losing their Medicaid benefits.

medicaid_buy-in_program_for_working_people_with_disabilities.pdf
File Size:	52 kb
File Type:	pdf

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• Managing Benefits and Employment: Ticket To Work
  The Ticket To Work website provides multiple resources about getting a job and attaining financial independence. Information is provided in a variety of accessible format.
  
• Disability Employment Initiative
  The Disability Employment Initiative is a collaboration of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) to improve effective and meaningful participation of people with disabilities in the workforce. The website provides numerous tools and resources to support employment. 

dei_fact_sheet_info_brief.pdf
File Size:	501 kb
File Type:	pdf

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dei_fact_sheet_sept2016.pdf
File Size:	108 kb
File Type:	pdf

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• SSA Redbook 
  Published annually, the SSA Redbook is a general reference resource for employment-related information about Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI) benefits. ​

theredbook2017.pdf
File Size:	1632 kb
File Type:	pdf

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• Pathfinders: People with Developmental Disabilities and Their Allies Building Communities That Work Better for Everybody 
  Mount, Beth and O’Brien, John. Inclusion Press, 2015.
  An excellent resource for considering the important roles that individuals play in their communities. This may be ordered directly from Inclusion Press.

• New York State Department of Labor 
  The New York State Department of Labor provides a valuable tool for individuals to explore employment opportunities and careers related to their strengths, interests, and skills.
  
  ​The New York State Department of Labor offers JobZone, an interactive resource for adults. Using JobZone, adults are able to develop resumes, explore employment opportunities, and explore more than 800 careers.
  

• MyPathNY
  The MyPathNY website is a free and easy-to-use tool that is available to support New York State (NYS) students and young adults with disabilities who are ready to move from school and other places into competitive employment. It connectsindividuals to the resources and people who can help them develop meaningful jobs and careers.