ODEP works to ensure meaningful access to employment, training programs and services for people with disabilities through public systems as well as private organizations and employers. Recognizing the need for a national policy to promote a workforce that includes people with disabilities, ODEP works collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders to promote capacity building and systematic changes that increase the employment and economic status of youth, adults and mature disabled people. This collaborative work promotes the development of policy based on validated practices to support a workforce system that is highly coordinated, broadly effective for the widest possible range of career-seeking customers, and a meaningful source of diverse human resource talent for businesses.
As part of these efforts, ODEP works closely with DOL's workforce development system, funded by the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and delivered through the nationwide network of American Job Centers. These are community centers that provide employment, education, and training services all in one place, offering a wealth of information and assistance for job seekers and employers. The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), which became effective July 1, 2000, established the One-Stop Career Center system.
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Resources
WIOA Resource Page
The ETA has established a WIOA Resource Page to provide information and resources for states, local areas, non-profits and other grantees, and other stakeholders to assist with implementing the Act. It contains information about and links to proposed rules, guidance, frequently asked questions, and other technical assistance materials. The page will be updated with new guidance and technical assistance materials as they become available.
LEAD Center WIOA Resources
The ODEP-funded National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD) has developed several technical assistance products focused on implications within WIOA for individuals with disabilities.
- Summary of Major Policies Included in Titles I and IV of the WIOA (PDF) - The LEAD Center has created a summary of the major amendments to Titles I and IV of WIOA from a disability perspective.
- Summary Description of Final Rules Implementing Title I of the Rehabilitation Act (PDF) - The purpose of this policy brief is to provide a summary description of the Department of Education’s Final Rule implementing Title I of the Rehabilitation Act (State Vocational Rehabilitation Program), as amended by Title IV of the WIOA.
- Summary Description of Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (PDF) - The purpose of this policy brief is to provide a summary of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding Title IV of WIOA.
Other WIOA Resources
- 5 Things You Should Know about WIOA - This blog post from the U.S. Department of Education describes the many benefits of WIOA, which include better access to job training and education opportunities for individuals with disabilities, and many others.
- WIA is Now WIOA: What the New Bill Means for People with Disabilities (PDF) - This issue brief explains what WIOA is and what it changes. The law defines competitive integrated employment as full-time or part-time work at minimum wage or higher, with wages and benefits similar to those without disabilities performing the same work, and fully integrated with co-workers without disabilities.
- WIOA Technical Assistance Resources and Tools - Provides resources on program updates, indicators of performance, reporting requirements, policy guidance, performance results and data, and other performance reporting information related to WIOA and the workforce development system.
ODEP Technical Assistance Initiatives and Resources
- Disability Employment Initiative - Aims to improve education, training, and employment opportunities and outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities who are unemployed, underemployed, and/or receiving Social Security disability benefits. ODEP jointly funds and administers the Disability Employment Initiative with DOL's ETA.
- System Change Definitions in the Workforce System (PDF) - ODEP's Customized Employment Demonstration Program underwent an external evaluation to review system changes. This document provides the definitions used, such as capacity, coordination, customization (consumer choice and employer support), development, adaptation and evaluation of new practices, dissemination of effective practices, and sustainability.