US Labor Department announces availability of $1.1 million grant to establish technical assistance center for increasing employment of people with disabilities

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy today announced the availability of a $1.1 million grant to establish the National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Advancement of People with Disabilities, a national technical assistance center that will focus on improving employment outcomes and promoting the economic advancement of people with disabilities.

"People with disabilities bring innovation to the workplace critical to the nation's future," said Kathy Martinez, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy. "The new center will identify and promote successful retention and return-to-work strategies for individuals with disabilities, particularly mature workers, and also serve as a central repository of information on best practices necessary to increase employment opportunities."

The LEAD Center will conduct policy and research initiatives on improving employment outcomes, including job retention, for job seekers with disabilities. Additionally, a key component of the center's work will be translating emerging and successful solutions, as identified through demonstration projects and research, into policy and practice. The center also will support ODEP in encouraging innovative practices and facilitating their implementation at both the workforce system and individual levels, which includes providing technical assistance and training to workforce-related entities.

The full announcement for this grant opportunity can be found at http://www.grants.gov. Applications will be accepted until Aug. 31, 2012.