Delaware Code Title 19, Chapter 7: Employment First
“An Employment First Oversight Commission, under the purview of the State Council for Persons with Disabilities, shall be established and “shall facilitate the full, effective and timely implementation of this Act.” This “Commission shall consist of 11 members, who are residents of this State,” including:
(1) Four members who are persons with a disability and who are knowledgeable of disability issues and who are not state employees, one of which shall be a veteran and one of which shall be a member of the State Council for Persons with Disabilities, …(2) one member who is experienced with employment service programs and who is not a state employee and who shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; (3) a representative of the Division of Industrial Affairs, appointed by the Secretary of Labor; (4) a representative of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, appointed by the Secretary of Labor; (5) the Secretary of Education or a designee appointed by the Secretary; (6) the Secretary of Health and Social Services or a designee appointed by the Secretary; (7) the Director of the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services or a designee appointed by the Director; and (8) the Chair of the Developmental Disabilities Council or a designee appointed by the Chair.”
The Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) was a three-year federal grant-funded program to improve education, training, employment opportunities, and employment outcomes for youth who were unemployed, underemployed, and/or receiving Social Security disability benefits. In 2010, the Delaware Department of La or Division of Vocational Rehabilitation was awarded a Round 1 DEI grant from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment Training Administration.
The departments allocating staff to this project included the Department of Education, Division of Employment and Training, Department of Health and Human Services, Divisions of Developmental Disabilities Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health, and Technical &Community Colleges. The project ended in 2013.
Delaware CAI and Specialisterne Partnership (2013)
“Computer Aid, Inc. (CAI), a global IT consulting, outsourcing, and systems integration company, announced a National Founding Partnership (facilitated by the state of Delaware) in 2013 with Specialisterne to train and hire people who have autism in technology roles. “With over 800 associates in the Delaware Valley, and 3,300 in the U.S., CAI plans to employ over 3% of its consultant workforce with people who have autism in technology roles in software testing, data quality assurance, programming, data mining and data entry, before the end of 2015.”
In response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) promulgating a rule which for the first time defines the standard of being “community-based,” Delaware – and the individuals and families we serve – is committed to the goals of enhancing the quality of home and community-based services (HCBS) and ensuring full access to the benefits of community living. The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) is driven by core values that enhance individuals’ access to the least-restrictive environments, promotes individual choice, and engages families and significant others. DHSS has and will continue to engage stakeholders, and will continue to facilitate and promote a robust stakeholder process as the State conducts activities toward implementation of the final rule.
“The Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council has been working to improve the lives of children and adults with developmental disabilities since 1971.
We are a state agency, but we are independent. That means we make all our own decisions. People with developmental disabilities and family members of people with developmental disabilities lead our work alongside other Council members.
Every 5 years, the Council develops a plan called the State Plan. The Council’s State Plan includes our most important goals and how we will accomplish them. A federal law guides our work. It is called the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000, better known as the DD Act. The Council’s money to do the work described in the State Plan comes from the federal government.”
“The Guide to Services for Older Delawareans and Persons with Disabilities contains a wealth of information about services and programs around our state.
The guide is organized into numerous sections, each of which provides information on a specific subject, such as a type of service or program. Most sections contain a short description of the service and a list of service providers along with their contact information. The sections are presented in alphabetical order, starting with Accessibility and ending with Volunteerism followed by a list of libraries and State Service Centers locations. A full list of subjects may be found in the Table of Contents.”
“As part of our Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requirements, we are providing career guidance and employment opportunities to students with disabilities who may want to enter sheltered employment as well as those who are already employed in these situations. All students and qualified workers will have the opportunity to be referred to DVR and seek community-based employment. It is an exciting time to help others navigate change and it is also the beginning of a transformation of employment services for people with disabilities away from subminimum wage jobs.”
“CDS’s week-long class, the only of its kind nationwide, prepared students with disabilities and Disability Studies minors to set goals, engage in advocacy and become leaders.”
“The Lifespan Waiver provides eligible Delawareans access to Medicaid-approved services through the 1915(c) Home and Community Based Services Waiver. Individuals on the waiver are supported to live more independently in their homes and communities through services that promote and support community living.”
GUIDE TO SERVICES For Older Delawareans and Persons with Disabilities
~~“This guide includes information on employment services for persons with disabilities such as Pathways to Employment, the Senior Community Employment Program, and agencies that can help with employment counseling, placement and referral.”
