Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Council (PaRC) Newsletter: August 23, 2024

What are you most interested in learning about as the new school year approaches?

Back to School Resources:

Transition from School to Work OVR Programs and Services

https://www.dli.pa.gov/Individuals/Disability-Services/ovr/Pages/Transition-from-School-to-Work.aspx

PaTTAN Essential Bulletin for Educators

https://secure.smore.com/n/pyr69-essential-bulletin-for-educators

PA Secondary Transition Event Calendar

https://www.pasecondarytransition.com/event/

Individual Development through Experience, Assessment, and Learning (IDEAL) Transition Program

https://cbvi.net/services/youth-services/ideal-program/

PA’s PROMISE for Children: Supporting Children’s Mental Health and Community Inclusion

https://papromiseforchildren.com/supporting-childrens-mental-health/

https://papromiseforchildren.com/community-inclusion/

PA Planning for the Future Transition Checklist

https://www.pealcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/PEAL-Transition-Checklist-Final_03.04.24.pdf

Commonwealth Technical Institute at the Hiram G. Andrews Center

https://www.dli.pa.gov/Individuals/Disability-Services/CTI-HGAC/Pages/Home.aspx

PaRC members attending the CSAVR Conference

How do you organize a solar eclipse party? You planet!

PaRC members and OVR staff had the chance to admire the solar eclipse together on April 8, 2024 while attending the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation Conference in Bethesda, Maryland. During the month of August, the PaRC had a resource table available during the PA Community of Practice Conference and Expo in State College. Members and OVR staff also had the opportunity to collaborate in Harrisburg recently during a PaRC Full Council meeting.

Also happening over the summer:

OVR My Work program: Students spend part of summer break working in Rider Park

https://www.sungazette.com/news/top-news/2024/07/students-spend-part-of-summer-break-working-in-rider-park/

MY Work program provides summer work for blind and visually impaired

https://www.wvia.org/news/local/2024-06-28/my-work-program-provides-summer-work-for-blind-and-visually-impaired

Shapiro Administration Welcomes 25 College Students With Disabilities For Summer Internship Program At Commonwealth Agencies

https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/Administration_details.aspx?newsid=140

Secretary Walker Visits L&I Summer Academy Preparing Students Who Are Blind and Visually Impaired for College and Employment

https://www.explorejeffersonpa.com/state-news/2024/06/29/secretary-walker-visits-li-summer-academy-preparing-students-who-are-blind-and-visually-impaired-for-college-and-employment-148371/

Secondary-Transition Summer Programs

https://www.pattan.net/Disabilities/Deaf-Blind/Transition/Secondary-Transition-Summer-Programs

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. Check the PaRC's Benefits Corner regularly for more updates and resources at https://parehabilitationcouncil.org/benefits-corner/

Benefits Counseling Resources,

Videos, Webinars, and More

Training - Learn How the Ticket to Work Program Can Work for You

https://choosework.ssa.gov/training/

Video - WISE Webinar: How Will Work Affect My Disability Benefits?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_5_ZeAJZeY

Video - WISE Webinar: 5 FAQs About Working While Receiving Disability Benefits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCPHmW9dfjM

Video - WISE Webinar: Exploring a New Career with Ticket to Work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vwK8SMyb5M

Video - WISE Webinar: How Will Work Affect My Medicare and Medicaid?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G-C5BrqnKg

WISE 2024-05: Expanding Your Job Search with Ticket to Work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYtp4lTKJDY

Video – Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) 5 Tracks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49eWvGitLPw

Video - WISE Webinar: Ticket to Work for America’s Veterans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH3RoK2XXiw

Webinars - PA ABLE and Social Security Disability Programs

https://paable.gov/webinars/

PA CareerLink Resources for Individuals with Disabilities

https://www.pacareerlink.pa.gov/jponline/Persona/PersonaPage/IndividualDisabilities

PA Department of Human Services - Work Without Losing Benefits

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

Ticket to Work Service Provider Outreach Toolkit

https://yourtickettowork.ssa.gov/related-resources/service-provider-outreach-toolkit.html

Ticket to Work Success Stories

https://choosework.ssa.gov/success-stories/

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/

cloud shapes of many different colors with the word share in the middle of each one

Do you like what you read?

Share it with a friend

PaRC has continued to expand its Social Media outreach as part of fulfilling 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, the OVR 2023 Annual Report can be accessed at the following link and provides the most recent VR Highlights. The report also highlights many successes from this past program year from CTI at HGAC, BBVS, BVRS, Project SEARCH program, on-the-job training (OJT), MY Work program, DHH Summer Academy, BBVS Summer Academy, and the Commonwealth Internship Program.

OVR 2023 Annual Report

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

Help spread the word about the PaRC Newsletter by inviting your friends and colleagues to sign up!

Our 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 PaRC website at the following link: https://parehabilitationcouncil.org/contact/

Word cloud of two blue hands forming a heart with words included advocate equality social justice

Is advocacy for Disability Rights

and employment for people with disabilities

something you are passionate about?

Please help spread t he word!

The Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Council (PaRC) is accepting applications for candidates to fill the following categories of representation that are currently open:

Business/Industry/Labor
Mental Health
Parent Training and Information (PEAL Center)
Sensory Disabilities
State Department of Education
State Workforce Development Board
Veteran
Young Adult (*Applicant must be between the ages of 18 and 26)

As of July, 2025 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:

Business/Labor/Industry
Physical 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.