Disability Research News

Brian Arrington is a retired Air Force Veteran and founder of VETS2INDUSTRY. The non-profit organization supports and helps transitioning military personnel, Veterans and military spouses find meaningful and sustainable careers in the civilian workforce. In Arrington’s last year of service to the U.S. Air Force, he learned there were over 45,000 plus Veteran Service Organizations nationwide that provided free services and support to U.S. military families.

As part of its Women’s History Month observance, ODEP published a blog this week analyzing data on the employment of women with disabilities in skilled trade professions,which are a key component of the Biden Administration’s Good Jobs Initiative. Among the key findings is that among disabled women in the workforce, about 455,000 (10.2%) work in the skilled trades, with the largest representation in transportation and production (47% and 43%, respectively).

If you use artificial intelligence in any stage of the hiring process, you need to make sure the technology increases inclusion and reduces bias against all candidates, including those with disabilities. The Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology just released a new article covering some ways AI can positively or negatively impact applicants, depending on how it is used. The article also includes links to other PEAT resources on inclusive AI to help you learn more about this trending topic.

In collaboration with five other U.S. government agencies, the U.S. National Science Foundation today launched the Building the Prototype Open Knowledge Network, or Proto-OKN, funding opportunity, a $20 million initiative that will build a prototype version of an integrated data and knowledge infrastructure called an open knowledge network. An open knowledge network is a publicly accessible, interconnected set of data repositories and associated knowledge graphs that will enable data-driven, artificial intelligence-based solutions for a broad set of societal challenges.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), announced two funding opportunities for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) expansion, totaling $123.6 million. The CCBHC Planning, Development, and Implementation (CCBHC-PDI) grant aims to assist clinics to establish and implement new CCBHC programs, and the CCBHC Improvement and Advancement (CCBHC–IA) grant seeks to enhance and support existing CCBHCs that currently meet the CCBHC Certification Criteria.

During a meeting of diversity and inclusion professionals hosted by ODEP, accessibility experts from Microsoft, T-Mobile and Disability:IN discussed how their organizations are ensuring accessibility in their products and services for both customers and employees.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), today awarded 15 states each with $1 million, one-year Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) planning grants. This announcement marks the first time these planning grants have been available since the program began in 2015.

The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) at ACL has a new funding opportunity under the Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTCs) Program to address employment outcomes of people with physical disabilities.

Farming uses many of the same skills essential to the ethos of the U.S. military: hard work, attention to detail and service before self, to name a few. In 2013, Veterans to Farmers launched to allow Veterans to re-utilize those skills while taking on the challenge of continuing to feed our growing nation and securing our food sovereignty. Its classes provide the hands-on training needed to learn about the many ways a Veteran may participate in agriculture.

The nonprofit group Volunteers of America (VOA) recognizes the challenges Veterans often face in confronting moral injury, which is essentially a conflict with one’s personal code of morality. For instance, a Veteran may feel guilt, shame, distress, or self-condemnation for violating his or her moral beliefs in combat by killing someone, witnessing death, or failing to prevent the immoral acts of others. VOA is offering Veterans free access to an online program that allows them to share their stories of moral injury and to connect with and support other Veterans.

When Staff Sgt. Travis Mills became one of only five quadruple amputees from the Global War on Terrorism, his personal life’s mission changed to supporting Veterans like himself and their families. The Travis Mills Foundation (TMF) supports recalibrated Veterans and their families through various programs that help Veterans overcome physical and emotional obstacles, strengthen their families, and provide well-deserved rest and relaxation.

The EEOC released updated guidance on how the ADA applies to job applicants and employees who are Deaf, hard of hearing, or have other hearing disabilities. “Hearing Disabilities in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act” includes information on what disability-related questions employers can and cannot ask applicants and employees with hearing disabilities, ideas for reasonable accommodations, and advice for addressing safety concerns related to Deaf and hard of hearing workers.

In a small study, researchers used a device that stimulates the spinal cord to restore arm and hand mobility in two stroke patients, allowing them to perform daily life activities, such as using a fork to eat a meal. The study, published in Nature Medicine, was funded by the National Institutes of Health’s Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies®(BRAIN) Initiative.

By using state-of-the-art technology to analyze patterns of behavior in mice with epilepsy, researchers may be able to better study the disorder and identify potential treatments.

Every March, the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) and its partners collaborate to lead Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (DDAM). The campaign highlights how people with and without disabilities come together to form strong communities. It raises awareness of the inclusion and contributions of people with DD in all aspects of community life, and it's a time to explore the work we still need to do to remove barriers.

Today, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) is announcing awards of more than $188 million across 170 grantees in over 30 states to increase access to school-based mental health services and to strengthen the pipeline of mental health professionals in high-needs districts. With funding provided by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), these investments help advance the President’s Mental Health Strategy, which directly implements his Unity Agenda priority to tackle the mental health crisis in our school communities.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five American adults will experience a diagnosable mental health condition in any given year. EARN's Mental Health Toolkit is a gateway to background, tools and resources that can help employers learn more about mental health issues and cultivate a welcoming and supportive work environment for employees who may be facing mental health issues or need help for a co-occurring substance use disorder.

Transitioning out of the military back into civilian life can trigger a world of uncertainty and confusion for many service members. Choosing your career path and integrating back into your community after being immersed in a regimented military culture presents challenges that may take some time to overcome. Mother Of All Transition Guides from G.I. Jobs is like a one-stop shop for military transitioning. It’s packed with tips for active-duty service members and recently discharged Veterans on gaining career success in the private sector.

The Fall Prevention Center of Excellence (FPCE) at the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California has launched a new Home Modification Toolkit as part of a project funded by ACL to promote aging in place by enhancing access to home modifications.

In celebration of National Mentoring Month and "Thank Your Mentor Day," which took place January 26, ODEP has published a Department of Labor blog exploring the powerful role mentors play in helping young people succeed—particularly youth with disabilities. The piece highlights five ODEP staff members and their reflections on personal mentors who made an impact on them and their careers.

Wearing an exosuit could help people recover from an injury or give extra help for carrying heavy loads. But, according to University of Wisconsin–Madison and Harvard University researchers, not everyone who dons a wearable robot today can immediately reap benefits from the assistance. Creating the desired effect on an individual wearer was challenging — there wasn't a good way to directly measure the changes in loading on muscle and tendon tissue that occur when a person uses an exosuit.

Today, the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, or NCSES — part of the U.S. National Science Foundation — released Diversity and STEM: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities 2023, the federal government's latest and most complete analysis of diversity trends in STEM employment and education.

The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) has established the Center for Biomedical Engineering Technology Acceleration (BETA Center), a new intramural research program to solve a range of medicine’s most pressing problems. The BETA Center will serve the wider NIH intramural research program as a biotechnology resource and catalyst for NIH research discoveries. The center will incorporate a focused engineering approach to accelerate the development, validation and dissemination of cutting-edge technologies.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic caused significant stress and uncertainty. This was particularly true for young people, who faced school shutdowns, severed social channels, and amplified stress at home and in their communities. Given the unprecedented disruption caused by the pandemic, it is crucial to understand its impact on health and development, especially among adolescents.

The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) at ACL has opened a new funding opportunity for a Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC) Program: RERC on Rehabilitation Strategies, Techniques, and Interventions.