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Customized Employment Projects and Olmstead WorkFORCE Action Grants

Customized Employment Projects

These projects were funded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) at the U.S. Department of Labor from 2001-2003 to increase the capacity of One-Stop Career Centers to provide seamless and quality employment services for people with significant disabilities. The Customized Employment Projects are strategic planning, demonstration, and systems change grants to improve the quality of employment outcomes for people with disabilities, resulting in competitive jobs, in integrated employment settings in the community, that provide career advancement and pay at least minimum wage. These projects achieve these outcomes through the provision of customized employment services delivered via the One-Stop delivery system. Customized employment services may include strategies such as job carving, self-employment, supported employment, job restructuring, providing natural supports, and other job development strategies that are individually determined and customized to the needs of the individual.

Featured Resource

View the new Tennessee Customized Employment Partnership website at www.TCEPonline.org.
TCEP: Your online guide to customized employment resources

• Access summaries of cutting-edge topics
• Browse Internet resources on crucial issues and organizations
• Learn more about TCEP and its approach to implementing customized employment in Tennessee

Olmstead WorkFORCE Action Grants

The WorkFORCE Action Grants are demonstration grants to begin or expand the delivery and implementation of competitive, customized employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities so that they may live, work, and fully participate in their communities. The target groups to be served are people with disabilities who are either unemployed or underemployed and who are:

1. In non-work, segregated work, or transitioning to work settings; Expected to be or are determined to be covered under the Olmstead decision and/or Executive Order; and therefore part of the state overall Olmstead planning process; or
2. Awaiting employment service and supports following a move from a residential facility, or a part of a plan to move into a community under the Supreme Court�s decision in Olmstead and/or Olmstead Executive Order.

Funding is for one year, and may be renewed annually for up to four years, depending upon the availability of grant funds and efficacy of grant activities.

The National Center on Workforce and Disability/Adult provides technical assistance to the Customized Employment Projects and Olmstead WorkFORCE Action Grants.

Customized Employment Projects

There are currently 20 projects, in the following locations:

• All Alabama except Jefferson and Mobile counties
• Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Wasilla, Kenai, AK
• Napa County, CA
• San Diego, CA
• Marietta, GA
• Chicago, IL
• Indianapolis (Marion County), IN
• Malden, MA
• Montgomery County, MD
• Detroit, MI
• Flint, MI
• Blaine, MN
• St. Helena, MT
• Town of Hempstead/City of Long Beach, NY
• Utica, NY
• Knoxville, TN
• Rio Grande, TX
• Fairfax, VA
• Richmond, VA
• 14 counties in eastern Washington state (Benton-Franklin, Tri-Valley WDC, Yakama, Kliskitat, and Kittitas counties)

Olmstead WorkFORCE Action Grants

There are currently six projects:

• Georgia
• Illinois
• Massachusetts
• Frederick, MD
• Nashville, TN
• Vancouver, WA

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This document was developed by the National Center on Workforce and Disability (NCWD), based at Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Some of the material used was funded through the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (grant number E-9-4-1-0071). The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of tradenames, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Copyright 1992-2008, Institute for Community Inclusion