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One-Stop career centers and job seekers with disabilities: insights from Kansas

Journal of Rehabilitation, Oct-Dec, 2005 by Jean P. Hall, Kathy Parker

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Our fifth recommendation is that local Workforce Investment Boards become more educated on the issues of persons with disabilities by including them as members. Vocational Rehabilitation is frequently included as a mandated partner in the One-Stop, but other disability agencies should also be represented on local boards. Similarly, increasing the number of One-Stop staff members with disabilities can increase agency awareness of disability issues in addition to making the Centers seem more welcoming to customers with disabilities.

Finally, we recommend that One-Stop staff receive more training about disabilities and disability related topics. This training needs to be on-going due to staff turnover and a changing policy landscape. Making information available on-line facilitates quick access by staff.

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Although our study was limited to Kansas One-Stop centers, the issues identified are widespread. At a national forum on the reauthorization of WIA (DOL, 2002), consumers, disability service providers, One-Stop partners, and even One-Stop staff from across the country highlighted in more general terms many of the same concerns identified by our study. More recent testimony before the U.S. Senate (Reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act, 2003; Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, 2003) confirms that problems exist nationally for people with disabilities attempting to utilize the One-Stop system. Our recommendations are intended as specific first steps One-Stops and their partners can take to begin to better meet the needs of job seekers with disabilities.

References

Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities. (2003). Hearing on WorkJorce Investment Act Employment, Safety and Training Subcommittee Hearing: Statement .for the record. Retrieved July 8, 2004, from http://www.aucd.org/legislative_affairs/ testimonywia.htm

Funaro, A., & Dixon, K. (2002). How the One-Stop system serves people with disabilities: A nationwide survey of disability agencies. Piscataway, N J: The State University of New Jersey, John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers.

Hoff, D. (2001). Access for all: A resource manual for meeting the needs of One-Stop customers with disabilities. Boston: Institute for Community Inclusion.

Holcomb, P., & Barnow, B. (2004). Serving people with disabilities through the Workforce Investment Act's One-Stop career centers. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute.

Human Resources Development Canada. (2002). Promising Practices in Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities (EAPD) Funded Programs and Services. Retrieved June, 17, 2004, from http://wwwll.hrdcdrhc.gc.ca/pls/edd/SP_AH_196_08_02_356006.htm.

Kansas Department of Human Resources. (2000). State of Kansas strategic five-year state workforce investment plan. Retrieved January 28, 2004, from http://entkdhr.state.ks.us/ wia/FiveYearStrategicPlan.htm.

National Center on Workforce and Disability/Adult. (2004). NCWD/A News 3(13): Good customer service is no mystery. Retrieved March 17, 2005, from http://www.onestops.info/ article.php?article_id=248.

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One-Stop career centers and job seekers with disabilities: insights from Kansas

Journal of Rehabilitation, Oct-Dec, 2005 by Jean P. Hall, Kathy Parker

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