Here in Connecticut we are a Community Rehab Provider (CRP) for the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS).  We also partner with the Department of Developmental Services (DDS)  and CT Works/DOL (Department of Labor).  There are acronyms for everything, I know.

It’s a lot to keep track of, but there is a great resource which NEBA uses that describes the wide range of services and providers available to the people of Connecticut. This website is: http://www.connect-ability.com. 

Take a moment to see what this website has to offer. It has personal success stories, a Career Center, an informational section for potential employers for commonly asked questions regarding hiring people with disabilities, and much more.

Happy reading!

- Timothy Blonsky, Senior Employment Specialist, Connecticut

In Massachusetts, the stated goals of Employment First are as follows:

•  Achieve Integrated Individual Employment. Integrated employment has always been the focus of NEBA’s service model.
• Offer Comprehensive Self-Employment Support Services: NEBA’s Business Development Center, one of the most extensive self-employment programs for individuals with disabilities in the country, enables individuals who are serious about starting their own businesses to write a business plan and receive ongoing support for up to three years.
• Achieve Employment Based on Individual Preferences and Needs: NEBA’s individualized approach helps the individuals we serve find and remain in the job they desire. If the individual lacks a core competency that is required for the position they want, NEBA’s job skills training program helps them build their necessary skills.
• Place an Emphasis on Natural Supports: NEBA works with employers to identify natural supports that will enable the individual to successfully complete their job duties.
• Maximize Work Hours: NEBA believes that the optimal employment status should be one where individuals are working the maximum number of hours they are capable of working.
• Use Community Settings for Non-Work Hours: In additional to employment services, NEBA works with a variety of community centers to provide opportunities for volunteerism and other activities that can result in greater inclusion in community life.

Implementing these goals results in measurable increases in employment of individuals with disabilities within the general workforce who are earning minimum wage or higher with benefits. NEBA is currently working with our legislature, employers, and community partners so that we can all more effectively make the goals of the Employment First policy a reality.

 OK , OK  it’s only February and the tax filing deadline is still two months away. 

 But do you have everything you need to complete your tax return? By this time you should have received your W-2 from your employer. If you have not received this document, give your employer a call. If you are an employer those statements were due to employees by January 31^st.  You have a little more time with 1099 statements.

  This is an excellent time to look at all income and allowable deductions for the past year.  For persons who are self-employed determining all of your business deductions as well as allowable medical deductions is a first step in managing your finances and reducing taxable income. If you are employed, your allowable deductions are stated on the 1040 form.

 Some of you use the EZ form and deductions are not a consideration.  Since most Social Security beneficiaries do have medical deductions, using the standard tax return may be a better option.   Doing both forms may tell you which way provides a refund or reduced taxes.

 Individuals with income from Social Security (SSA) for a disability should be reporting earned income to SSA on a regular basis.  Doing this every month means there is an up to date history of your earnings on file. If the answer is anything but yes start now to report your earnings to SSA, this should be a priority for this year. 

 If you are employed mail copies of your pay stubs each month to the local SSA office.  Keep the original copies for your files.  Send the pay stubs registered mail so that it is signed for by a Social Security employee proving that it was sent and received.  Self Employed individuals have a different process.  A copy of your tax return is required each year.  When mailing this information, send it registered mail as well.

 Filing a tax return shows you how much income you have earned this past year.   Many individuals want to earn enough money to be self-sufficient and financially successful as possible.  Reaching this goal will have an impact on SSA benefits.  Keeping records will assist in accurate outcomes.

  If you are receiving Social Security (SSA) benefits you may want to know how your benefits are affected by working.   To obtain information specific to you and your SSA benefits, contact your Bene Plan specialist.  These informed professionals are part of the Work Incentive Planning and Assistance (WIPA) program.  Your local Social Security office can provide the correct contact information.

 For those of you who have filed your tax return for this year, congratulations!  Start now to keep organized files for wages and deductions so next year will be easier!

Job Creation

Job creation is just as it states. A position is drawn up based upon an employer’s need. Job descriptions are created, a salary is set, and someone is hired to do the job. NEBA meets with employers and gets to know them and their business. What are their needs? What are their barriers to further success? How can a NEBA job seeker help them meet their goals? If these questions are not asked, we cannot match the right person to the right job, and we are therefore not doing our job.

Job Carving

Job carving is based upon the same concept as job creation, but is a bit different, in that it is usually based upon a position that already exists and is vacant. When meeting with an employer, NEBA may have a job seeker in mind that could benefit the employer. However, sometimes, not all of the tasks are aligned with the job seeker’s abilities. Perhaps the person can lift 40 pounds when the job requires 60. Maybe 30 minutes of a 6-hour shift involves heavy typing, and that’s not someone’s forté. This is where job carving comes into play. What if NEBA could help an employer figure out how to integrate that one task amongst other staff? This way, the barrier would be cleared, and NEBA’s applicant could confidently perform all other tasks the employer is looking for. Essentially, the job is being “carved” to cater to the job seeker. Employers still hire one person for the job they needed complete, and are supporting NEBA’s mission and community integration in the process!

Carving A Creation

Sometimes, job carving leads to job creation. Working with a Springfield Walgreens, we were able to take the extraneous tasks of cleaning restrooms, sweeping the store, washing windows and doors, etc., away from staff who needed to focus on customer service, and create a new position for one of our job seekers whose employment goal was to keep a store neat and tidy. Nearly 7 years later, that gentleman is still gainfully employed and has many natural supports in place to secure his independence.

Whether it’s job creation or job carving, NEBA’s mission of putting people to work in their communities is a win-win.

–Ryan Aldrich, Senior Employment Consultant: Connecticut Services

When I was looking to join NEBA after getting to know my current supervisor, I was impressed by how NEBA emphasizes something not often seen in our non-profit, human services world: Marketing. The concept of marketing is not just used in the business world to obtain greater profit, it is also used to help forge mutually beneficial partnerships between businesses and non-profit organizations.

When NEBA started its push  into the great state of Connecticut almost two years ago, one of the things we did to build our foundation was join various chamber and networking groups around the state. We started with the Metro Hartford Alliance, the Greater New Haven Chamber, and the Chambers in Cheshire, Manchester and Waterbury. We are also members of similar organizations in Massachusetts such as the Greater Springfield Chamber. Each of these chambers present monthly events that our staff are assigned to attend. These events are specifically for networking and relationship building. The general message that we try to put forth at these events includes:

• Economic Development.  In my previous post I spoke about this at length. In summary, NEBA is bringing economic development to the communities we serve by helping people gain employment, in turn requiring less assistance from state and federal resources. We also contribute economically to our communities by hiring full-time staff to help with our ever-growing organization in Connecticut.
• Community.  We appeal to the people we speak to that we are trying to help the people we serve to eventually become independent and achieve personal succes.  By hiring these individuals, regional businesses are serving the community they live in.
• What are their needs?  By attending these  monthly events we build relationships with companies and try to find out what needs they may have. By building these relationships, we can help them fill those needs and in turn find employment for our individuals.

A lot of today’s business world is impersonal. We at NEBA continue to believe in the power of face to face, human interaction. This is why we seek out networking events and one-on-one personal connections with the various businesses that are members of these chambers.

- Timothy J Blonsky, Senior Employment Specialist, Connecticut Team

You may be asking, “so what does this have to do with NEBA and employment?”

In my opinion, employment brings equality and improves the quality of one’s life. Working demonstrates intelligence, commitment and contribution. In addition to the monetary reward, working gives us purpose and defines who we are. Lastly, working brings opportunities to develop friendships and relationships, all of which bring value to our lives.

 The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is alarming. Nationally, only 21% of individuals with disabilities are participating in the workforce, 16% of which are currently unemployed. 74% of individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities who are receiving services are in congregates or segregated programs. This leaves these individuals more vulnerable to public policy decisions, funding cuts, a chronic life of poverty, and in some cases not valued enough to have the right to live.

We can change these statistics, but we need to act now. Legislators need to stop funding segregated models of service and use funds to assist more individuals enter the workforce on their own terms and become contributing, equal members of their communities. Employment First models need to be adhered to, providers need to be diligent and not be satisfied developing jobs that offer minimal hours, and individuals and their families need to be educated about their choices and how employment can make a difference in improving the quality of their lives.

- Jeannine Pavlak, Executive Director, NEBA

Add to that the vote of family members and friends and your vote grows in importance exponentially. Your one vote is now many votes. This happens when the issues and how they affect your rights are understood.

Now is the time to know what benefits and issues matter to you.

Have you considered the number of benefits you presently receive and what might change in your life if they were changed?

Do you know how your elected representatives voted on bills that affect you and your family?

There is time between now and the fall elections to learn how candidates have performed in the past and who might be the best candidate going forward. Your local newspaper reports on the voting record of candidates. This information is also online. Save this information so that you can learn the trends or regular voting patterns of your elected officials.

On what committees do your legislators serve? Do these committees affect you directly?

Present conditions might be so discouraging or confusing that not voting seems to be the best solution. If a person chooses not to vote they  have no right to complain about a legislator’s voting record or the situation in general.

While it may seem very early to be having this conversation, it is a conversation worth having at any time. Understanding the issues takes time. Starting now will give you, your family and friends time to better understand what the candidates support. Then you can make an informed vote.

The presidential election fills much of the media’s attention. Often the information focuses on the candidate’s behavior, their past, rather than current issues.  Media focus on party affiliation can also hide or confuse what the candidate(s) really endorse.

State and local issues are important and not always featured in the media. It requires time to find this information and learn how it connects with the national issues.

Where to start? First, are you a registered voter? Go to your local municipal office and see if you are registered to vote. Once you have registered to vote, read local papers regularly, watch the news and discuss your questions with others. Be informed. Encourage others to do the same.

The quality of your neighborhood, your community, your state and your country may depend on your vote. It is a powerful right and responsibility.

Listen to and read about the candidates during the next 10 months. This is time enough to become an informed voter. And be sure to vote.

- Colleen M. Moynihan,  M Ed. CLU, CMFC
Director, NEBA Business Development Center

BRS is a federally funded vocational rehabilitation program that is overseen by the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS). Funding is received from the US Department of Education, the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). Most states have their own federally funded vocational rehabilitation programs (Massachusetts’ is the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC), with whom NEBA also partners), though the services given and terms used vary by state.

BRS uses work evaluations to help job seekers determine whether or not a chosen career path is an appropriate choice. They are also used for agencies like NEBA to determine whether or not a job seeker has the necessary skills to perform tasks efficiently and to an employer’s benefit. Evaluations typically last 40 hours and are completed within a two or three-week period. A NEBA job coach is present for all or most of the work evaluation (determined before the evaluation begins). At the end of the evaluation, employers are asked for feedback, which is put into a report completed by NEBA consultants and submitted to BRS. The job seeker is paid for the hours worked, but not by the employer! BRS pays NEBA the consumer’s wages, along with a premium to cover the job seeker’s liability and worker’s compensation, and the wages (equal to Connecticut’s minimum wage) are paid to the job seeker.

That’s right. Any employer offering to help a BRS job seeker complete a work evaluation gets:

• 40 hours of work completed at their business
• A NEBA job coach to assist with any issues that may arise
• The great feeling of helping someone enter or re-enter the workforce
• All wages, liability and worker’s compensation paid for

…and all at absolutely no out-of-pocket expense!

Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? I hear it all the time. It’s the real deal. NEBA and BRS confidently send job seekers to companies for work evaluations because many hours have been spent meeting with the job seeker, finding their interests, skills and talents, barriers and challenges, all before employers are even contacted. When I contact businesses to talk about work evaluations, I do so knowing that the job seeker will benefit that employer for the 40 hours they work for them.

Obviously, our ultimate goal at NEBA is to place job seekers in permanent positions on company payrolls. Work evaluations are a first step for BRS job seekers to showcase their skills, and are a great way for employers to get involved, especially those who want to help, but just can’t hire. Work evaluations are all about developing partnerships with businesses to help put people to work.

If you’re an employer in Connecticut who is interested in helping a job seeker with a work evaluation, feel free to contact us. Regional contacts are below:

• Greater New Haven: Ryan Aldrich – ryan.aldrich@nebaworks.com
• Greater Hartford: Tim Blonsky – tim.blonsky@nebaworks.com
• Greater New London, Norwalk, and other Connecticut regions: Lynette Poprovo – lynette.poprovo@nebaworks.com

Employers from other states may contact their respective state’s Department of Social Services for information on their state’s vocational rehabilitation programs and services.

-Ryan Aldrich, Senior Employment Consultant

This year was particularly challenging due to fiscal uncertainties and natural disasters. Although trying, these did not deter us from meeting our mission: “To enable people with disabilities whose rights and freedoms are most likely denied them to be fully included in community life, primarily through employment.”

Despite the difficult times, NEBA expanded services into Connecticut and became a vendor of the Department of Developmental Services and the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services. NEBA is now assisting 42 individuals to find jobs in their communities, and we plan to increase our capacity to serve more individuals in 2012.

The NEBA Business Development Center (BDC) served 40 individuals this year interested in being self-employed; eight of whom completed their business plan in the past quarter. These new businesses are now off to the implementation phase and one business has already seen the need to hire an additional employee. The BDC also became an affiliated member of the MACDC which is committed to community and economic development and received funding from the People’s United Community Foundation and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts.

As the economic challenges continue, the tasks and challenges become more urgent for all of us. More than ever we need to work in partnership, recognize that we’re all bound together in a social and economic struggle, and remember that employment needs to be the priority for individuals with disabilities. Although NEBA has always partnered with local businesses, partnering with other non-profits was and will continue to be fundamental to our being able to reach more individuals and strengthen our service delivery. Chapel Haven in Connecticut, FutureWorks Career Center, and the Scibelli Enterprise Center in Massachusetts were new partnerships formed/strengthened this year specifically to increase the number of individuals with disabilities who become employed or self-employed.

We look forward to these ongoing partnerships as well as forming new partnerships that will assist us in serving many more in 2012.

- Jeannine Pavlak, Executive Director, NEBA

At NEBA, when someone mentions tickets they are usually referring to a program of the Social Security Administration called “Ticket to Work”.  In this program, tickets are sent to individuals with disabilities when they begin receiving SSI or SSDI disability insurance payments. With their ticket, recipients are able to retain the services of a registered employment network (EN) to help them return to work.

An EN is a private organization (can be a for-profit or nonprofit), government agency, or employer that has agreed to work with the Social Security Administration to provide employment services. When a ticket is assigned to NEBA, we meet with the ticket holder to set goals and develop an employment work plan. The plan helps to determine the work timeline, training needs, and income goals and requirements.

Because a disability check can be one of the few constants in an individual’s (or even a family’s) income, the prospect of losing this benefit can be frightening. The Ticket to Work program is designed to reduce this fear by allowing each ticket holder to return to work for a trial work period. During this time, they are able to determine their ability to consistently achieve a monthly income benchmark while still receiving full disability benefits. If they consistently meet the benchmark, they will be able to earn more money and improve their financial stability. If they are unable to consistently meet the minimum income requirements, they are able to retain their disability benefits.

The Ticket to Work program is also beneficial to our economy. When someone in their 20s or 30s returns to work and permanently stops receiving their disability benefit checks, taxpayers save at least $500,000. The government benefits from increased tax revenue, and employers benefit from the expanded pool of qualified candidates.

We’re all very quick to get on the government’s case when they do something wrong, but we should also give credit when the government produces a beneficial program such as Ticket to Work.

- Eric Fiedler, NEBA Outreach & Development Coordinator