Here is today's Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns (KCDC) Disability News message. Please feel free to share.
Martha
Martha K. Gabehart | Executive Director
Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns (KCDC)
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly
900 SW Jackson, Suite 100 | Topeka, Kansas 66612
(785) 296-6525 (direct) | (785) 260-4027 (cell)
[email protected] | www.kcdcinfo.ks.gov
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Job Vacancy Announcements
Blue Cross/Blue Shield posted new vacancy announcements on their website.
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The Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy (KYEA) is looking for delegates and volunteers for their Kansas Youth Leadership Forum (KSYLF) next summer. Deadline for delegate applications is December 15, 2023. the deadline for volunteer applications is March 1, 2024. Applications can be downloaded on the KYEA website. For information about the KSYLF, please see their website or contact Carrie Greenwood at [email protected] or call 785-215-6655. When going to the website, please scroll down and look on the left side of the page to find links to more information and previous KSYLF.
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This message is from the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).
ODEP News Brief. Driving Change - Creating Opportunity
October 20, 2023
Section 14(c) Stakeholder Engagement Session
Recently, the U.S. Department of Labor announced it will hold a series of stakeholder engagement sessions to hear from members of the public, in particular workers with disabilities, about their experiences with the Section 14(c) program. The first session will take place virtually next week, on Thursday, October 26, 2023, from 5:30 – 7:00 PM ET. Anyone wishing to participate must register by October 25.
• Learn more
• Register for the engagement session
Mental Health and the Federal Workplace
ODEP recently released a new training video titled, “Mental Health and the Federal Workplace: What Can I Do?” It explores ways federal employees at all levels can help promote a mental health-friendly workplace, for themselves and their colleagues. Agencies can use the video and the accompanying guide (attached below) to raise awareness about this important topic and facilitate discussions about workplace well-being. The video was produced in collaboration with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Office of Personnel Management, as well as the U.S. Department of Education and Access Board.
• Watch the video
• Read the guide (attached below)
In Case You Missed It: NDEAM 2023 - Resources Now Available
National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is well on its way with employers, educators, services professionals, advocacy organizations and others implementing a wide variety of events across the nation. Learn more about NDEAM – including how you can get involved and find resources available to assist in planning observances. The NDEAM poster, social media stickers and video are also available in Spanish.
• NDEAM en español
• Get ideas for celebrating NDEAM
Reminder: Creating Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities
The Good Jobs Initiative, led by the U.S. Department of Labor, is focused on improving job quality and creating access to good jobs for all working people, including people with disabilities. Join the LEAD Center on Thursday, October 26, from 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET for the webinar “The Good Jobs Initiative: Creating Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities.” Attendees will hear from a variety of employers and the people with disabilities they employ in good jobs about their experiences, available supports and the ways that employees with disabilities have benefitted their businesses.
Reminder: New Way to Learn about FOAs
ODEP added a new topic link to its subscription feature that individuals and organizations can use to sign up to learn about ODEP funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) once they are announced.
• Subscribe to receive FOA updates
U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy
DRIVING CHANGE • CREATING OPPORTUNITY
View this newsletter on our website.
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This message is from the Kansas Office of Broadband Development.
Broadband Request | Speed Testing Updates
Broadband Champions,
Thank you so much for your help as we move into the beginning Challenge Process phase to expand broadband across Kansas.
Through BEAD, a $451 million investment has been allocated to Kansas for broadband infrastructure. These funds can only be used for or buildout at locations labeled "unserved or underserved."
If you participated earlier in the year our speed testing platform was available for data collection to help with BEAD planning. Now we are asking for your help, as we officially submit speed challenges regarding the list of Broadband Serviceable Locations (your home or business).
Testing is to be completed between Wednesday, Oct 18, and Tuesday, Nov 14.
• Must be a Business or Resident
• Go to www.broadbandks.com
• Complete 3 tests on 3 different days
• Tests must be completed between 7 pm and 11 pm CST
• Must Provide:
• Name/Address
• Speed of Service you are currently paying for
• Grab a copy of your bill, our federal partners require proof of the level of service paid for
• Service Provider
If you have any questions or need further clarification, feel free to reach out to me via email at [email protected] or (785) 480-8555.
Learn more about broadband planning efforts here.
Morgan Barnes
Kansas Office of Broadband Development
Kansas Office of Broadband Development | 1000 SW Jackson St STE 100, Topeka, KS 66612
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Administration on Community Living (ACL) Expands Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) to include Self-Service Features
To view this email as a web page, go here.
ACL Expands DIAL to include self-service features
New website offers 24/7 search-by-zip code option to find local services and resources
ACL’s Disability Information and Access Line has launched a new tool to help people with disabilities to find local services and resources to support community living. Through DIAL’s new website and its searchable database, users can now find the information they need, at any time of day, every day of the year.
DIAL is a first-of-its-kind contact center, initially established in 2021 as a national hotline to help people with disabilities access COVID-19 vaccinations. Today, DIAL connects people with disabilities to a broad range of services such as housing assistance, accessible transportation, legal assistance, and more to support independent living in the community.
In addition, DIAL continues to be a critical hub for information and resources to support people with disabilities in staying up to date with vaccinations. DIAL trained staff are available to help people:
• Find local vaccination locations
• Make vaccination appointments
• Arrange accessible transportation
• Order or use free at-home COVID-19 test kits, which are again available through a partnership between the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and the United
States Postal Service
DIAL’s staff are trained to work with people of various communications abilities and will spend as much time as needed to ensure effective communication. DIAL’s Information Specialists can assist people in all languages and are trained to work with callers who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. To connect with a DIAL Information Specialist from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Eastern), Monday–Friday:
• Call | Text Message | Videophone: 888-677-1199
• Email: [email protected]
• Have an online chat with an Information Specialist from DIAL. Start a live chat now!
• Connect directly to an agent in American Sign Language using ASL Now
As of September 15, 2023, DIAL had responded to nearly 90,000 calls, emails, texts, and online chats, and contact volume continues to increase as more people become aware of this resource.
Established through a partnership between ACL and the CDC, DIAL is operated as a collaboration between a consortium of organizations serving people with disabilities and USAging. The consortium includes:
• Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL)
• Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs (ATAP)
• Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)
• Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU)
• National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD)
• National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)
• National Disabilities Rights Network (NDRN)
• The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies
This collaboration benefits from the disability networks’ extensive knowledge and expertise in meeting the needs of people with disabilities across the U.S. and USAging’s decades of experience operating the Eldercare Locator, the only federally funded national information and referral resource that supports consumers across the spectrum of issues affecting older Americans.
ACL.gov
Advancing independence, integration, and inclusion throughout life.
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This message is from the Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE)
Dear Friends of the CDE,
Greetings from the CDE, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)-funded initiative that showcases supportive, inclusive workplaces for all workers.
We’re pleased to share the following campaign updates and announcements.
Celebrate NDEAM - National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) kicked off on October
How are you celebrating?
Held every October, NDEAM is a fitting time to educate about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities—and DOL’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) offers numerous tools and resources to help organizations take part. One example is an animated online video that explores the spirit of NDEAM and ways you can celebrate. The video appears on ODEP’s NDEAM website along with other outreach tools tied to this year’s theme, “Advancing Access and Equity.” These include key NDEAM messages and social media graphics for individuals and organizations to incorporate into their NDEAM observances, and the official NDEAM poster, which is available in both English and Spanish.
For the first time this year, the NDEAM poster is available in a format that allows businesses to insert both their name and/or logo and different photos, for example, of their own employees. (Please note that in this scenario, it is important to obtain consent to use each person’s image.) In addition, employers and employees can download a variation of the poster sized for use as a virtual background image throughout the month.
However you choose to take part in NDEAM, you’ll be playing an important role in fostering a more inclusive workforce, one where every person is recognized for their abilities—every day of every month. Here’s wishing you a happy and eventful NDEAM 2023!
50 Years of the Rehabilitation Act
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the first federal law to address civil rights for people with disabilities. To honor this major milestone, ODEP has been conducting a variety of activities throughout the year, all centered on the theme “Advancing Access and Equity: Then, Now and Next.”
The Rehab Act is often spoken of in terms of various sections, several of which affect employment and career readiness, and a new online video explores these sections and their impact. ODEP has also published a series of blog posts exploring the Rehab Act’s influence—then, now and next.
CDE Toolkit for State Agencies
State government agencies have a critical role to play in advancing disability inclusion and improving employment outcomes for people with disabilities—and it starts with public education and demonstrations of support for inclusive workplace practices. In that spirit, the CDE launched a new resource, What Can State Agencies Do? A Step-by-Step Implementation Guide for State Agencies. This guide provides concrete steps state agencies can take to raise awareness about disability-inclusive workplace policies and practices and CDE resources to assist in doing so.
Sincerely,
The CDE Team
Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, the Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE) is a multi-organization public education campaign that showcases supportive, inclusive workplaces for all workers. For more information, visit www.WhatCanYouDoCampaign.org.
United States Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy
200 Constitution Ave., NW, S-1313, Washington, DC 20210
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