LEAD Center

#MLKDay2025

If you are working, you may be ready to: look at housing that is closer to your job, purchase your own home, or move out of your family’s home and live independently. Explore the LEAD Center resource on housing options that can help you figure out how much you can budget for housing costs, where to find support, and more. bit.ly/3ovxhbl

Learn about strategies to set youth on a successful path toward employment with an ABLE account! The U.S. Department of Labor’s Secure Your Financial Future Toolkit for Individuals with Disabilities is constantly updated with new resources, now including the ABLE Youth Toolkit, a resource designed for parents and family members, the special education workforce, vocational rehabilitation professionals, caregivers, and disability service providers. Explore the toolkit to discover how ABLE accounts can pave the way for financial independence and a brighter future! bit.ly/3ysrIKS

Advancing competitive integrated employment (CIE) through employer engagement involves actively partnering with businesses to create meaningful, sustainable job opportunities for people with disabilities. Join AoD Disability Employment Technical Assistance Center on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. ET for their first webinar of 2025, “Perspectives on Advancing Competitive Integrated Employment Through Employer Engagement.” Learn more and register at this link: bit.ly/3DSQRWB.

There are eight Good Jobs Principles, ranging from recruitment to career advancement. These Principles fit well with two important pillars of disability employment that benefit disabled people and employers: competitive integrated employment and universal design. Explore the LEAD Center’s Employment Success Stories page for stories that show the Good Jobs Principles in action and more! bit.ly/3TVA7DA

Find links to labor, health, vocational rehabilitation (VR), and other agencies from every U.S. state and territory for newly updated relevant policies, initiatives, services, and more! Explore the LEAD Center website’s “State Specific Policies and Data” section under the main “Workforce Development” tab. bit.ly/3lR13mU

"The nation's public workforce system strives to provide all of our neighbors—including individuals with disabilities—with pathways to opportunity through the power of work. The [National Association of Workforce Boards] NAWB deeply appreciates all that ODEP has done and continues to do to support workforce development boards in their work. This updated Section 188 Reference Guide is a valuable tool that provides new, impactful guidance and resources that build on previous ODEP offerings."— Brad Turner-Little, President and CEO, National Association of Workforce Boards Download the guide at: bit.ly/401sDCx.

Partner with local disability organizations and advocacy groups to reach individuals who may benefit from American Job Center (AJC) services. Establish trust with community leaders to significantly improve engagement and participation. LEAD Center is spotlighting best practices from the updated “Promising Practices in Achieving Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity: A Section 188 Disability Reference Guide.” On January 9, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. ET, join the webinar, “Effective Outreach and Recruitment of Underserved Populations,” to learn about engaging and serving individuals from underserved communities, including #PWDs, specific practices for outreach to people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, and more! Register at: bit.ly/3VxM0jA.

Does the new year have you or the people you serve thinking about a new job or career? Looking for practical tips, information, tools, and skill-building resources for #PWDs? The “Your Money, Your Goals” toolkit and the “Focus on People with Disabilities” companion guide are here to help! Access both resources and more in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Secure Your Financial Future Toolkit for Individuals with Disabilities. bit.ly/3ysrIKS.

On June 22, 1999, the United States Supreme Court ruled, in Olmstead v. L.C. & E.W., that states must provide services and programs for #PWDs in the most integrated setting based on their needs and preferences and that unjustified segregation was a form of discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 2024 Marked the 25th anniversary of the historic #OlmsteadDecision! @LEAD-Center is celebrating by sharing 25 policy innovations and milestones that include the stories of the people, agencies, and services that have been transformed by it. Read about the decision’s wide-ranging impact at: bit.ly/3Yrkzdo.