As we work to recover from the recession, Americans are struggling to find jobs - a challenging task considering that there is a current unemployment rate of 9.1 percent for the general population. When we take a look at the unemployment rate of people with disabilities, a group that has long been unemployed and underemployed regardless of the country’s current economic status, it is higher at 14.7 percent. And this statistic does not even include jobseekers with disabilities who have become discouraged and are not actively searching for employment.
Important resources for people seeking employment, including individuals with disabilities, are the public One-Stop Career Centers available in each state. The U.S. Department of Labor funds 1855 Comprehensive One-Stop Career Centers around the country which have specialized programs in career development, job placement and re-employment assistance. These are state networks of conveniently located community centers that provide employment, education and training services. Within the One-Stop Centers, there are representatives from several government agencies to assist jobseekers, including but not limited to Vocational Rehabilitation, Social Security and Veterans Benefits.
However, people with disabilities often fear that they will lose their cash assistance and disability-specific health benefits if they return to the workforce. As a result, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA), in collaboration with the Social Security Administration’s Office of Program Development, entered into cooperative agreements with selected states to establish the Disability Program Navigator (DPN) program in workforce investment areas and One-Stop Career Centers throughout the country. This program emphasizes the crucial role that knowledgeable and expert staff support plays in enhancing One-Stop services for job seekers with disabilities.
A Navigator is a dedicated expert staff person knowledgeable about employment-related resources and supports for individuals with disabilities in and outside the public workforce system to effectively:
Continue Reading Disability.gov: One-Stop Career Centers
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