NTAC e.News — October 15, 2007

Asian/Pacific Islander Words of Wisdom

‘Aloha’ and ‘mahalo’ are Hawaiian words that people generally use as ‘hello/goodbye’ and ‘thank you.’ The derivation of those words is noteworthy:

Aloha
[Alo = presence, front, face] + [hā = breath]
“The presence of (Divine) Breath.”
Mahalo
[Ma = In] + [hā = breath] + [alo = presence, front, face]
“(May you be) in (Divine) Breath.”

Those two words should be thought of as single-word blessings or prayers. Source: http://www.geocities.com/~olelo/shelties/mahalo-aloha.html

Announcements: Local

NEW! Mentees needed for Disability Mentoring Day (Now Being Managed by a Mentoring Class at UH Mānoa)

Sorry to be giving such short notice, but if you’re interested in being mentored on Disability Mentoring Day this year, Oct. 17th, please send an email expressing your interest to dmdhawaii@gmail.com. A mentoring class (EDEF 399/DIS 699) at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa is managing Disability Mentoring Day in Hawai‘i this year. The class is recruiting persons who would like to participate as mentees.

NEW! Eight Professionals Earn Continuing Education Credit

The seventh online offering of “Introduction to Disability/Rehabilitation with Asian/Pacific Islander Americans” is now over. For a nominal tuition payment of $20, eight professionals each earned ten Continuing Education Units (CEUs) that they will apply to their CRCs. NTAC-AAPI has facilitated each offering, conducted by Paul Leung, Professor and Director of the Department of Rehabilitation, Social Work, and Addictions at the University of North Texas, and Nan Zhang Hampton, Associate Professor of the Department of Administration, Rehabilitation, and Postsecondary Education at San Diego State University.

NTAC-AAPI has found a way to continue offering the course, even though federal grant-funding has ceased. If you would like to be on the mailing list for the eighth offering—tentatively starting January 14th, 2008—please send an email to James D. Brightman, NTAC-AAPI’s Vocational Rehabilitation Coordinator, at jamesdb@hawaii.edu. The eighth course will again involve a nominal tuition payment and feature the same professors. Like the last offerings, the eighth edition can earn you ten CEUs and is a wonderful way to increase your cultural competence and enhance your counseling abilities. For more information, or to preview the required readings before the next course begins, please go to the following Web site: http://www.ntac.hawaii.edu/AAPIcourse/. Thank you, and see you online.

NEW! PacificRim Cinema Night at the Honolulu Design Center

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month, so please join us at the Honolulu Design Center on October 17th for the premier of the DVD “Abilities at Work.” The DVD highlights stories of four Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with disabilities who have successful lives and careers. Enjoy an evening of Cinema, Live Music, and Culinary Delights from 5:30–8:00 PM. The event is free and open to the public. Please see: http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/ad/cinema_nights/october/ for more information and the order form to purchase the DVD. The Honolulu Design Center is located at 1250 Kapi‘olani Blvd. You can enter the parking garage from Pensacola Street just mauka of Kapi‘olani.

Announcements: National and International

Workers with Disabilities: Talent for a Winning Team

Throughout October, during National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the Office of Disability Employment Policy will profile individuals who have personally benefited from agency-sponsored programs aimed at eliminating the chronic underemployment of people with disabilities, as well as employers and organizations that have hired, supported and empowered employees with disabilities. http://www.dol.gov/odep/talent/index.htm

Report from the National Council on Disability Recommends Best Practices for Employers and Policy Makers in Creating Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities in America

Only 38% of people with disabilities are employed in America and two-thirds of those unemployed say they prefer to be working. A new report from the National Council on Disability (NCD) summarizes current knowledge on the employment of people with disabilities in a series of 12 issue briefs based on feedback from employers, people with disabilities, and disability specialists. The report also includes findings from two focus groups and public forums. http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2007/NCDEmployment_20071001.htm

Acting assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy available for interviews during National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Karen M. Czarnecki, acting assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), is available for media interviews throughout October, which is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. http://www.dol.gov/odep/media/press/interviews.htm

Positions Available

AUCD Fellowship Opportunities

The overall purpose of the Fellowship is to offer a significant experience in national level activities related to policy and legislative development, advocacy, program development, technical assistance, and association administration. The Fellowship in Disability Policy Leadership is envisioned as a mutually beneficial arrangement whereby the participating individual, the home UCEDD/LEND/DDRC program and the AUCD central office benefit. The individual will benefit from the experiences and contacts developed during the fellowship period. http://www.ntac.hawaii.edu/downloads/announcements/10152007/Policy Fellowship Full Description 2008.doc

Recent Products

Empowerment for Americans with Disabilities: Breaking Barriers to Careers & Full Employment

This report from the National Council on Disability (NCD) reviews issues and barriers relating to the employment of people with disabilities. http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2007/NCDEmployment_20071001.htm

Resources

Disabilityworks: Increasing Employment with Supply and Demand

The disabilityworks project uses a business model targeting both the supply and demand sides of employment. The project works with companies to develop employment opportunities, engages educational programs for youth and adults with disabilities, and builds awareness about work incentives and workforce development services. http://www.disabilityworks.org/

National Disability Employment Awareness Month “Workers with Disabilities: Talent for a Winning Team”

Throughout October, which is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the Office of Disability Employment Policy will profile on its Web site individuals who have personally benefited from agency-sponsored programs aimed at eliminating the chronic underemployment of people with disabilities, as well as employers and organizations that have successfully implemented strategies to hire, support, empower and otherwise value employees with disabilities. http://www.dol.gov/odep/talent/10122007.htm

Accessible Employment Web site to be Launched October 12

The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Foundation launched a new national job site dedicated to including individuals with disabilities in today’s workforce. The website is designed to provide employers with one central place to post employment positions and search resumes of qualified candidates with disabilities and potential job candidates to post resumes for prospective employers. http://www.accessibleemployment.org

Institutes / Conferences

For a complete list of conferences, please visit the Conferences section of our Web site.

2007 DiversABILITY Employment Summit

October 18th 2007: 8am - 5pm at The Ohio State University—Fawcett Center.
This innovative summit will educate employers, human resource personnel, supervisors, and managers on the benefits of including people with disabilities into their diversity initiatives. Early registration till October 10th, deadline for all registrations is Oct 15th. http://www.wrightchoice.org/events/

White House Faith-Based and Community Initiatives National Summit on Prisoner Reentry

On Tuesday and Wednesday, November 27-28, the White House Faith-Based and Community Initiatives National Summit on Prisoner Reentry will be held. Each year more than 650,000 inmates are released from Federal and State prisons and return to their communities and families. According to the Department of Justice, more than two-thirds of inmates will be rearrested within three years of their release from prison. Addressing the tremendous human needs associated with recidivism requires that Federal, state, and local decision-makers partner with nongovernmental organizations—for-profit and nonprofit, faith-based and secular—to promote jobs, transitional housing, education, substance abuse treatment, positive mentoring relationships, and other valuable transitional services.

The summit is free, but pre-registration is required. Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Visit www.fbci.gov to register online. Please register by Thursday, November 15th. If you must cancel your registration, please send an email to fbci@dtihq.com. For more information, call 202-456-6708, send an email to fbci@dtihq.com, or visit www.fbci.gov.

International Forum on Disability and Development: Caring, Participation, and Action

December 10-15 2007: Beijing, China
This year’s International Forum on Disability and Development, jointly sponsored by the China Disabled Persons’ Federation, Peking University, University of Southern California, and Griffith University, will take place in Beijing, December 10-15 2007. Representatives from the United Nations, World Bank, World Health Organization, the National Development and Reform Commission of China, the Ministries of Civil Affairs, Finance, Health, and Labor and Social Security, and both domestic and foreign well-known scholars are invited to attend the forum. View the announcement | Download the registration form

International Forum 2008: Securing the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

April 12 & 13, 2008: Sheraton Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii
Select speakers including experts with regional and UN experience, advocates and community leaders will present and participate in panels and lead discussions around the posed questions. The forum will also provide a space for dialogue and informal conversations. We invite you to host a dialogue session and to share your insights and expertise. Those interested in speaking and or participating at the Forum, please contact Robert A. Stodden at stodden@hawaii.edu

24th Annual Pacific Rim Conference on Disabilities

April 14 & 15, 2008: Honolulu, Hawai‘i
Even though it is not until next year, now is the time to start planning to attend PacRim. The 24th Annual Pacific Rim Conference on Disabilities will be held April 14 & 15, 2008 at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel and Resort in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. For more information about Pac Rim, please see http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/.

2008 National ADA Symposium and EXPO

On May 12-14, 2008 at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri the National ADA Symposium and EXPO will be held. It is a comprehensive three-day conference on the Americans with Disabilities Act and related disability laws sponsored by the National Network of Disability and Busines Technical Assistance Centers. Visit http://www.adasymposium.org to find out why the National ADA Symposium has become the conference to attend on the ADA.

Research / Publications

Tax Incentives for Providing Business Accessibility

There are tax incentives available to help employers cover the cost of accommodations for employees with disabilities and to make their places of business accessible. http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/tifpba.htm