Disability Employment Training Summit - Workforce Development and Adult Learning

On Friday, March 6, 2020, more than 70 professionals from American Job Centers (AJCs), partner agencies and community-based organizations across the state gathered in Columbia, Maryland for a Disability Employment Training Summit. The Summit’s purpose was to share information on the resources, best practices, and lessons learned that were gained during Maryland’s four-year Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) grant.

Kristen Patterson, Disability and Youth Services Coord., Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning
Carol Beatty, Secretary, Department of Disabilities

The DEI grant, which was funded jointly by the United States Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration and Office of Disability Employment Policy, sought to improve the accessibility, integration, and quality of workforce system services to adults and youth with disabilities by: (1) fostering improved coordination and collaboration among employment and training programs; (2) building effective community partnerships that leverage public and private resources, and (3) improving employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities by promoting physical and programmatic accessibility and increasing their participation in existing career pathway systems and programs. Maryland’s DEI funds were used to support two pilot projects locally administered in Anne Arundel County and Montgomery County.

Kristen Patterson, Disability and Youth Services Coord., Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning
Jim Rzepkowski, Assistant Secretary, Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning

Participants at the Disability Employment Training Summit had the opportunity to learn about the goals of the national DEI program and explore the successes and challenges of Maryland’s DEI implementation with the staff in the two counties where projects were piloted. A presentation on the Social Security Administration’s “Ticket to Work” program helped participants become more familiar this important program and potential intersections with workforce system services. Participants also learned about a variety of the most updated assistive technologies. Perhaps most importantly, time was devoted to mapping out how the services across the entire state can be improved through the pilot projects.

Maryland Department of Labor (Labor) Assistant Secretary James Rzepkowski and Department of Disabilities Secretary Carol Beatty provided opening remarks for the Summit, which was coordinated by Disabilities and Youth Service Coordinator Kristen Patterson. Representatives from Maryland Department of Education, Department of Rehabilitation Services, Maryland Technology Assistance Program, and Behavioral Health Administration were also in attendance at the event.

Montgomery County American Job Center staff - left to right: Taddesse Tessema, Poonam Bhandari, Barbara Ebel, Ha Bui, Mary Birbalsingh, Jacqueline Acevedo, Vionnette Velez