NYWe-works: Issue No. 12

April 2005

(See all NYWe-works Issues)

This issue:

Education

• The Coalition
• NYWE
• SAMHSA
• TRN
• USPRA
• University of Illinois/Chicago

• DOL
• NYC HRA
• National Alliance for the Ticket to Work

News Briefs/Events

• Access for Women
• Community Service Society of NY
• CONTAC
• DOHMH
• DOL
• Employer Assistance and Recruiting Network
• NAMI
• Ticket to Work

• Disability Research Institute
• Health Affairs
• Human Rights Watch
• Kaiser
• NCWD
• National Employment Law Project
• SAMHSA

Education:

• The Coalition (Coalition of Behavioral Health Agencies, Inc.) is offering a seminar on April 28th from 9:30 AM- 12:30 PM at 90 Broad Street from the Professional Learning Center's Shift Happens Series. This session will include issues pertaining to Human Resources, performance appraisals, and recruitment techniques. This seminar is designed for mid-level managers and registration information can be obtained by calling 212-742-1600, ext. 106.
• NYWE is offering the ongoing Benefits Breakfast series on May 5th from 9 AM- 11:30 AM at 90 Broad Street. Ed Lopez-Soto, Esq. will help participants to trouble shoot difficult SSI and SSDI cases, update on current benefits information, and discuss strategies to overcome systemic barriers. To register call 212-742-1600, ext. 235
• Coalition of Behavioral Health Agencies will be offering the New Manager Series, Training Session I - Introduction and Overview on March 14th from 9:30-5:30 at 90 Broad Street, 8th floor.  This session will provide an overview of the three sessions in the Professional Development Series and will focus on key issues and challenges faced by mid-level managers in behavioral health agencies.  This is open to both members and non-members.  Fee and registration information can be obtained by calling 212-742-1600, ext. 106.
• SAMHSA is providing a training series through web-casts on models of self-direction. The next one is scheduled for May 25th from 1 PM- 2:30 PM. Various models of self-direction are currently being used by individuals with physical and developmental disabilities. This web-cast is intended for mental health consumers, providers, and advocates. Call 301-589-4020 ext 211 for more information and for directions on web-cast connection.
• TRN is offering a 2 week web training course called "Job Coaching and Consulting" from May 18 - June 1, 2005. This course will cover job training and design and natural supports for people with disabilities. "Marketing and Job Development for Youth and Adults with Disabilities" will be offered as a web based training August 9 - 23, 2005. This course will examine job development strategies and principles with hands-on tools for people with disabilities. Each course is $149. To learn more go to: http://www.trninc.com/entry/welcome2.asp
• USPRA's fall exam has been scheduled for October 22, 2005 in 13 sites around the U.S. and Canada including NYC. The application deadline for the fall exam is July 1, 2005. For more information including access to practice tests go to: http://www.uspra.org/certification/          

Funding and Grant Opportunities:

• (4/28) DOL will award a total of 40-50 grants between $20,000-$25,000 to 'grassroots' community organizations providing employment and training services for individuals with disabilities not fully covered through the One Stop Career Centers. Proposals are due April 28th. Obtain information at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-5907.htm
• (7/13) DOL will award initial grants of $660,000 to cover the first year of operations to faith based community lead organizations as part of the Prisoner Re-entry Initiative to help strengthen communities that have a high number of returning prisoners. Lead organizations can provide direct services, provide sub-grants to other faith based community organizations, or do both. Proposals are due July 13th. Obtain more information at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-6484.htm
• (6/1) NYC HRA is soliciting proposals to provide direct and/or indirect services to help prevent the need for public assistance and prepare employable individuals in their transition from welfare to work. Programs will focus on work and retention skills. A pre-proposal conference will be held on April 19th at 1 Centre Street, Mezzanine Level from 10:30 AM- 12:30 PM. Proposals are due June 1st. For more information call 212-331-4831.
• (5/6) National Alliance for the Ticket to Work has announced a competitive RFP for NYC eligible individuals and organizations to become Sustainability Champions and support existing Employment Networks (ENs) under the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program. Applications are due May 6th and are accepted from current ENs, EN applicants and potential ENs. Application materials are available at: http://www.nawb.org/alliance

News Briefs/Events:

• Access for Women will be sponsoring a Women in Technology workshop event on April 16th from 8:30 AM - 1 PM at Voorhees Hall, 186 Jay Street (at Nassau St.), Room 111, Downtown Brooklyn. This workshop is for women in the middle of career change and/or wanting to enter non-traditional fields. Presenters include SUNY, Brooklyn Educational Opportunity Center, and JUMP Program @ NYC Tech. Information on job placement services will be available. For more information, please call (718) 552-1134.
• Community Service Society of New York will provide a workshop entitled "Transition to Work Provisions for SSI and SSDI" on April 27th from 9:30 AM- 12:30 PM at 105 E. 22nd Street. This workshop is sponsored by the Public Benefits Resource Center and will include topics on transitions to work, break-even points for SSI earnings, and the trial work period for SSDI recipients. The workshop costs $40 and information can be obtained at: http://www.cssny.org/pbrc/training.html
• CONTAC (Consumer Organization & Networking Technical Assistance Center) of SAMHSA's CMHS will be presenting "Providing Trauma-Informed Peer Support: Peer Programs to Peer Specialists" April 28 - May 1, 2005 in Charleston, W. Virginia. The conference will highlight trauma informed peer support as one of the cornerstones of a recovery oriented system. For more information call 888-825-8324.
• DOHMH: "Achieving Recovery: Current Approaches in MICA Treatment", an all day conference co-sponsored by the Bronx MICA Committee of the Bronx Mental Health of Council, DOHMH, OMH, and the Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, will take place April 19th at the Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center at 234 East 149th Street. Admission is free. Pre-registration is required. For information and to register please call 718-904-8927
• DOL: pre-registration for the Workforce Innovations 2005 Conference can be accessed online. Over 2,500 workforce investment professionals are expected to attend. The conference will be held in Philadelphia on July 11th-13th and will carry a theme of "Integration, Transformation, and Innovation". Go to: http://www.workforceinnovations.org
• Employer Assistance and Recruiting Network or EARN is a resource for employers recruiting applicants with disabilities. Employers may request proof of disability upon hiring individuals responding to EARN's postings. Employment specialists and service providers who have enrolled with EARN can forward client's qualifications for employers' review through this service. For more information go to: www.earnworks.com
• NAMI will be hosting "Imagining Robert: My Brother, Madness, and Survival" a one hour film based on the book by Jay Neugeboren about 2 brothers, one who has been in and out of mental institutions for 38 years. This free screening with discussion will be on Saturday April 23rd at Fordham University at 12:30 PM. For more information call 212.684.3264 or e-mail [email protected]
• Ticket to Work/MAXIMUS will be sponsoring the Ticket to Work National Alliance Community Outreach Forum on June 7-8 at the Affinia New York Hotel at 371 Seventh Avenue. This free forum will provide a panel of local ENs and offer free partnership development training and resources. For more information and to pre-register go to: http://www.dtiassociates.com/nationalalliance/logistics5.cfm

Publications:

• Disability Research Institute: "The Adequacy of Incentives Advisory Group Final Technical Report" (September 2004) summarizes and integrates interim reports on the efficacy of the Ticket to Work program and specifically looks at the issue of "involuntary nonparticipation". To access go to: http://www.dri.uiuc.edu/research/p03-08h/default.htm
• Health Affairs published a report of an analysis conducted by SAMHSA called "U.S. Spending For Mental Health And Substance Abuse Treatment, 1991-2001" (March 2005). Data is provided on all national expenditures for mental health and substance abuse treatment. To access go to: http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/hlthaff.w5.133
• Human Rights Watch has released a summary of HR 4676, the Second Chance Act of 2004. This bill will focus on jobs, mental health, housing, and substance abuse treatment for the ex-offender population. To access go to: http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2004/06/24/usdom8947.htm
• Kaiser's policy brief "Health Coverage for Low-Income Adults: Eligibility and Enrollment in Medicaid and State Programs, 2002" (February 2005) provides information on the number and characteristics of non-elderly adults eligible for Medicaid examining high uninsured rates for these individuals. To access go to: www.kff.org/uninsured/7285.cfm In addition, Kaiser has added new links to their State Health Facts page including a breakdown of SSI recipients by age and state, aged SSI beneficiaries, and SSDI beneficiaries. To access go to: http://www.statehealthfacts.org/r/whatsnew.html
• NCWD (National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability), Youth Division, is offering Quick Reference Guides on topics such as workplace success, assessment, and hidden disabilities all geared for youth. To access go to: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/resources_&_Publications/quick_Reference_Guides/index.html
• National Employment Law Project has released "Setting the Wrong Course: Personal Re-Employment Accounts Fail to Address the Real Needs of Jobless Workers" (February 2005). This report examines the Bush Administration's push to replace employment services and real job training for personal re-employment accounts or PRAs. To access go to: http://www.nelp.org/docUploads/PRAS2005.pdf
• SAMHSA has three publications available. 1)"Getting There: Helping People with Mental Illness Access Transportation" (2004) addresses transportation barriers with possible resolutions for mental health consumers: www.mentalhealth.org/publications/allpubs/sma04-3948/ 2) CMS and SAMHSA have developed a series of papers to clarify specific Medicaid policies pertaining to mental health: www.cms.hhs.gov/promisingpractices/mentalhealth.asp 3)"Building Bridges: Co-occurring Mental Illness and Addiction: Consumers and Service Providers, Policymakers, and Researchers in Dialogue" (2004) is a summary of a dialogue among 23 consumers and stakeholders focusing on person-centered factors and improved service delivery: http://www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpubs/SMA04-3892/

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NYWe-works is a monthly electronic newsletter for mental health and rehabilitation providers in New York City. NYWe-works contains news briefs, information on publications, funding information, and educational resources.

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