Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Council (PaRC) Newsletter: October 3, 2023

It's finally Fall! Are you primed for the foliage, all things pumpkin spice, and NDEAM?

Featured in our newsletter each October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) celebrates the contributions of America's workers with disabilities past and present. Show your support and start a new autumn tradition, by inviting others to sign up for our bi-monthly newsletter. The PaRC Newsletter is intended to broaden the conversation about the diverse issues affecting employment of people with disabilities. Those interested in receiving our newsletter may send an email to parc@parehabilitationcouncil.org with their contact info or fill out the contact form provided on the new PaRC website at the following link: https://parehabilitationcouncil.org/contact/

How can you show your support

and share your success?

PaRC is expanding its Social Media outreach as part of the continued effort to fulfill our mission to inform and educate on the diverse issues affecting employment of people with disabilities. Please show your support by following us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Just in case you missed it over the summer, OVR's first edition of 'The Story' features success stories from students involved in Project Search. 'The Story' also provides great information about other success stories throughout the Commonwealth including those from Project Career Launch, BVRS, and BBVS.

PaRC Social Media / Outreach Committee would like to continue to highlight additional OVR Employment Success Stories on the PaRC website, social media, Annual Report, and other communications. If you or someone you know would be interested in sharing an important employment related milestone achieved with the assistance of OVR services, please let us know. Such achievements may include attaining a dream job, a promotion, an important anniversary of successful integrated competitive employment, or other successes.

Spotlighting the important work and successful attainment of employment that is made possible through OVR services is the foremost mechanism for the PaRC to fulfill its mission. Please feel free to contact us with your information, questions, or comments at parc@parehabilitationcouncil.org

This year the National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) theme is "Advancing Access and Equity" and showcases supportive, inclusive employment policies and practices that benefit employers and employees. 

Ideas for employers and employees https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/initiatives/ndeam/

Increasing your disability employment awareness is one way to embody the values of accessibility, inclusion, and belonging required to create meaningful change for professionals living with disabilities and beyond.

https://www.inclusionhub.com/increase-your-disability-employment-awareness

The InclusionHub Podcast takes listeners and readers on an insightful, at times enlightening journey through the many facets of digital accessibility and inclusion, from the early days of the disability rights movement to the present day state of the internet.

https://www.inclusionhub.com/podcast

Join Getting Hired on October 26th at 12pm EST for "NDEAM: In Action!", an empowering event showcasing top employers' commitment to driving inclusivity and building diverse talent pipelines. 

https://learn.gettinghired.com/ndeam-national-disability-employment-awareness-month-october-2023

In the first part of RespectAbility’s three-part Road to NDEAM webinar series, learn from three medical professionals with disabilities about how you can access this talent pool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCeR0Mx3riE

Judy Heumann was a lifelong leader of the international disability rights movement, contributing to important legislation including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. #NDEAM Spotlight

Check the PaRC Social Media pages regularly this month for more NDEAM 2023 Spotlights or visit the following link to learn how to spread the word.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/initiatives/ndeam/spotlights

Is advocacy for Disability Rights

and employment for people with disabilities

something you are passionate about?

Please help spread the word! 

The PaRC is accepting applications for candidates to fill the following categories of representation that are currently open:

• Business/Industry/Labor
• General Advocacy
• State Workforce Development Board
• Veteran
• Young Adult

As of July, 2024 the categories of representation listed below will also be available. PaRC encourages all applicants to apply as early as possible to ensure a timely transition of membership:

• Mental Health
• Sensory Disabilities

If you are interested or know of someone who is interested in becoming a member of the PA Rehabilitation Council, please go to our new website (https://parehabilitationcouncil.org/get-involved/become-a-member/) and fill out an application.

What's coming up later this Fall?

Disability Pride's DJ Dance Party at Disability Pride Capitol Region

Scheduled for October 7th from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Soldier’s and Sailor’s Field at the Capitol Complex, 500 Commonwealth Blvd, Harrisburg, PA

https://www.disabilitypridepa.org/dpcapitolregion

Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH) 2023 Hearing Loss Expo,

Scheduled for October 11th and 12th at the Penn Harris Hotel in Camp Hill, PA

https://www.dli.pa.gov/Individuals/Disability-Services/odhh/Pages/Hearing-Loss-Expo.aspx

World Sight Day 2023 is Thursday, October 12th

https://www.iapb.org/world-sight-day/

Commonwealth Technical Institute at the Hiram G. Andrews Center's 18th Annual Career & Transition Fair is scheduled from October 18th to 20th. For more information and how to register, please visit their website at www.dli.pa.gov/CTI-HGAC on their events tab.

Or access the event flyer at the following link:

https://www.dli.pa.gov/Individuals/Disability-Services/CTI-HGAC/Documents/Events/October-2023-CTF-Flyer.pdf

October is Blind Equality Achievement Month

https://nfb.org/programs-services/blind-month

Veteran's Day is November 11th! To learn more about PA Veterans services, employment, events, donations, and more you may visit the following link: https://www.dmva.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx

Or check out the PaRC's website Resources Page for additional Veterans resources:

https://parehabilitationcouncil.org/resources/

In Pennsylvania November is Assistive Technology Awareness Month

https://www.paproviders.org/november-is-assistive-technology-awareness-month/

November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month (NEAM)

https://www.respectability.org/inclusion-toolkits/epilepsy/

Tanara shared that working with OVR has been a “life changing experience” and that it helped her reach her highest personal and vocational goals. Her challenge and encouragement to others with disabilities who may feel like they cannot work is to make contact with their local OVR office and start working with a VR Counselor today!

Learn more about Tanara's journey by checking out the 2022 OVR Annual Report. The report highlights several success stories from BVRS, BBVS and CTI at HGAC, as well as data, all reflecting the great work OVR does to help residents of Pennsylvania with disabilities meet their employment and independent living goals and employers meet their hiring needs.



https://parehabilitationcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2022-OVR-Annual-Report.pdf

Benefits Corner

Benefits Counseling can be one of the most important tools for the successful attainment and maintaining employment for individuals with a disability. It can also be complicated but very much worth the effort. That is why members of the PaRC have created a ‘Benefits Corner’ which is a compiled list of helpful resources of both benefits counseling topics and OVR services included below. Please reach out with any questions you may have at parc@parehabilitationcouncil.org

Benefits Counseling Resources,

Videos, Webinars, and More

Work Without Losing Benefits, Check out the PA Department of Human Services resources which include information for Ticket to Work, Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA), Medical Assistance for Workers with Disabilities (MAWD), PA ABLE Savings Program, and more.

https://www.dhs.pa.gov/WeCanWork/Resources/Pages/Work-Without-Losing-Benefits.aspx

WISE 2023: How Will Work Affect My Social Security Disability Benefits?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoSp9zbx5SU

Ticket to Work: Answering Common Questions and Banishing Misconceptions About Working While Receiving SSDI or SSI Benefits

https://www.disabilityservicesofamerica.com/library/ticket-to-work-disability-specialists-debunk-common-myths.cfm

Ticket to Work Success Stories:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc9Y6cCoTgpvauR1zUQxeg_OBxS33zzKX

What is Ticket to Work?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXiiFIjrBMk

WISE Webinars

Are you interested in learning about how work will affect your Social Security benefits? Social Security hosts free online Work Incentive Seminar Event (WISE) webinars. WISE webinars can help you and your family members learn about the Ticket to Work Program and other Social Security work incentives. They’re generally held on the 4th Wednesday of each month.

https://choosework.ssa.gov/wise/

Ten ways to foster the NDEAM Spirit year round!

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/initiatives/ndeam/year-round