The National Governors Association, in partnership with the State Exchange on Employment & Disability, published a new commentary, “Governors Lead on Solutions to Improve Mental Health in the Workplace.” The commentary highlights a recent panel discussion at the NGA 2023 Workforce Symposium featuring ODEP Assistant Secretary Taryn Williams, among others, and examines three key strategies for states to better serve workers with mental and behavioral health conditions.
Last week, the State Exchange on Employment & Disability presented on a disability-focused legislative panel to more than 20 members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly during Representative Dan Miller’s 10th Annual Disability & Mental Health Summit in Pittsburgh, PA. The session, “Recommendations of the Employment First Oversight Commission,” featured model state employer examples of disability-inclusive policies and practices.
The U.S. Department of Labor announced this week the availability of $1.5 million in funds for the first year of a cooperative agreement to operate a policy development center focused on advancing employment opportunities and outcomes for youth with disabilities. Administered by the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, the funding will build on the work of ODEP’s Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth.
A report recently published by the ODEP-funded Job Accommodation Network reveals that the benefits of providing accommodations for workers with disabilities significantly outweigh the costs. Key findings, based on a survey of employers over the past four years, are that nearly half (49.4%) of accommodations cost nothing to implement, and 43.3% incur a one-time median cost of only $300. In addition, a majority (68.4%) of employers surveyed reported that the accommodation they made was either very effective or extremely effective, leading to multiple direct and indirect benefits.
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month in May, the U.S. Department of Labor launched Mental Health at Work—a new initiative that connects work being done across DOL agencies to improve worker wellbeing, reduce stigma, and promote equitable access to mental health resources and treatment, especially for historically marginalized populations. As part of this, DOL developed a new webpage centralizing workplace mental health tools and resources and published a blog post highlighting the importance of the initiative to DOL’s mission.
Earlier this week, the Society for Human Resource Management launched its 2023 Disability Inclusion Pledge. Developed in coordination with ODEP as part of its Alliance with SHRM, this new initiative encourages human resource professionals and other business executives to commit to fostering a culture of inclusivity and provides a suite of tools and resources to help them implement related policies and best practices.
The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) at ACL has opened two new funding opportunities under the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) program.
Today’s announcement is part of a broader effort across the federal government to advance a cohesive approach to AI-related opportunities and risks. The new AI Institutes will advance foundational AI research that promotes ethical and trustworthy AI systems and technologies, develop novel approaches to cybersecurity, contribute to innovative solutions to climate change, expand our understanding of the brain, and leverage AI capabilities to enhance education and public health.
On Monday, April 17, ODEP’s Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology hosted a virtual think tank on applying the National Institute of Standards and Technology AI Risk Management Framework to inclusive hiring. More than 60 participants gathered to discuss the importance of inclusive automated employment decision tools.
Many people with disabilities move through their entire educations without ever being taught self-advocacy skills, having conversations about possible careers, or getting information about independent living (IL) opportunities. Most are not exposed to the IL philosophy, which centers the right of people with disabilities to control their own lives, until they leave high school. As a result, many leave school unaware of the options available to them – and unprepared to take advantage of them.
