Welcome to the third issue of the e-newsletter of the NTAR Leadership Center. In this month's newsletter, we will be focusing on efforts in Connecticut, highlighting our new issue brief on entrepreneurship for veterans with disabilities, and taking a look at what states are reading now.

We hope that you enjoy our newsletter and will check out the new features on our website. Thank you for your interest in the NTAR Leadership Center!

Blog: Seeding Change

The NTAR Leadership Center's blog, Seeding Change, features national experts and state leaders offering commentary on innovative practices, research, and trends that improve connections of adults with disabilities to work. Read recent posts from the NTAR Leadership Center Director Kathy Krepcio, Guest Bloggers Ronnie Kauder and Dan Baker from the NTAR Leadership team,  Nanette Relave, Director of the Center for Workers with Disabilities, Melissa Marshall, Executive Director of the Connecticut Business Leadership Network, and Francine Dew, Human Resources Consultant, State of Connecticut.

"Over the last year or so, I have been working on an exciting research project through the NTAR Leadership Center. My colleagues and I are profiling market-driven practices that promote employment for people with disabilities. We have been especially interested in learning about partnerships with employers that lead to increased hiring, retention, promotion, or accommodation of people with disabilities. At this point, we have completed our field visits, interviews and other research, and we are now in the process of writing up what we found in a report to be called "Ready and Able..." Read more from Ronnie.

Join Our NTAR Leadership Network on LinkedIn!

Be part of a network of professionals interested in sharing state and local developments and practices, querying other policymakers and colleagues about systems change challenges and solutions, and just keeping in touch! Just sign up to be part of the NTAR Leadership Center LinkedIn group.

News About Asset Development Strategies for People with Disabilities from the National Disability Institute (NDI)

Interested in learning more about asset development? Read about the NDI Annual Asset Development Summit held on October 20, 2009 in Washington, DC.
 

State Spotlight: Connecticut

Connecticut, under the leadership of The WorkPlace, Inc. and the Governor's Southwest Workforce Development Board, is combining the employer outreach efforts of the Connecticut Department of Labor and its One-Stop system, community colleges, corrections agencies, and other partner agencies, with its Bureau of Rehabilitation Services and the Connecticut Medicaid Infrastructure Grant’s ConnectAbility initiative. The Connecticut NTAR Leadership Center team is partnering with the employer community through Connecticut’s Business Leadership Network to find ways to present a more unified and consistent face to employers who are interested in recruiting and hiring people with disabilities. To improve services to job seekers with disabilities, the team recently conducted a survey of assistive technology (AT) resources that was completed by all Connecticut One-Stops and community colleges. The team is currently planning to fill the AT gaps where necessary and provide training and technical assistance on using AT. The Connecticut team is also developing a strategy to promote universal design principles throughout the state's workforce development system. With support from the U.S. Department of Labor, The WorkPlace, Inc., has just released a study called The Hidden Workforce on the employment and education of people with disabilities in the Connecticut-New York Talent for Growth region.

- Read about Connecticut's efforts from Guest Blogger Francine Dew

- Listen to the audio podcast interview with Connecticut team member Joseph Carbone

- Read the transcript of the interview with Joe Carbone

- Read the report, The Hidden Workforce

- Visit the ConnectAbility website, and the Connecticut Business Leadership website for more detailed information about Connecticut's disability employment efforts.

Research Spotlight: New Issue Brief on Entrepreneurship for Veterans with Disabilities