Clients will need employment-related information and support at all stages of considering work, both from HIV-specific service providers and from the larger service network. The following resources can help.
Federal/State Resources
Overview:
Federal/state vocational rehabilitation (VR) and workforce development resources provide the national foundation for employment services. Your clients are theoretically already eligible for federal and state services because of their status as people with disabilities. Tax dollars support federal and state programs, so they do not carry additional costs for service providers or for clients.
Names of programs:
Programs include employment and VR services:
- State/federal VR (funded through Department of Education/Rehabilitation Services Administration)
- Workforce Development/One-Stop Career Centers (funded by Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration)
- Ticket to Work (funded by Social Security Administration)
Services offered:
Services may include:
- Vocational assessment/evaluation
- Career counseling
- Career workshops
- Job training
- Computer workshops
- Job search skills/employment preparation
- Resume development
- Computer/Internet access
- Job placement/employment counseling
- Job search resources
- Phones, faxes and copiers
- Access to employers
- Benefits counseling
Where to find more information:
- State vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies
- One-Stop Career Centers
- Ticket to Work Program
- Ticket to Work Employment Network (EN) directory
- O*NET career exploration tools
- My Next Move career research tool
- Quick Reference for Jobseekers: Resources to Help You Find Work if You Have a Disability
- The Abilities Find: Entrepreneurship Resources
- Job Accommodation Network: Entrepreneurship Resources
- Disability-related job banks, such as Ability Jobs, GettingHired.com, and One More Way
- Business Responds to AIDS/Labor Responds to AIDS (BRTA/LRTA)
- AIDS.gov
- National Working Positive Coalition
Local Resources
Overview:
Agencies in your community may already have expertise and experience. Explore strategic partnerships and collaborations for referrals and joint programming, and partner with them for mentoring of your program development, or their direct provision of the employment services you need in your program.
Types of service providers:
- Workforce Development/One-Stop Career Centers
- Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
- Independent Living Centers
- Re-entry (post-incarceration) services
- Youth services
- Aging services
- Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender services
- Immigrant services
- Benefits counseling
- Legal services
- Credit and debt counseling
- Housing services
- Mental health services
- Drug and alcohol treatment services
- Microenterprise and small business development services
- Community college system
Services offered:
- Tax counseling
- Small business training and consulting
- Small business loans
- Adult basic education/GED
- English as a second language
- Financial aid counseling
- Certificate programs and degree programs
- Apprenticeships
- Volunteering opportunities
- Anti-violence services
Where to find more information:
- State vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies
- One-Stop Career Centers
- Ticket to Work Employment Network (EN) directory
- Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program Fact Sheet
- HIV/AIDS Service Locator and Health Services Directory
- Employment programs specifically targeted at people living with HIV/AIDS in your area
- Local providers of assistance with the development of Individual Development Accounts (IDAs)
- Registered Apprenticeships
- Job Corps, an education, training, and employment program for low-income young people
- YouthBuild, an initiative for low-income young people who work toward their GEDs or high school diplomas while learning construction job skills
- The Abilities Find: Entrepreneurship Resources
- Job Accommodation Network: Entrepreneurship Resources