Advancing Employment First Through Building Legislative Connections

By: Ryley Newport, National APSE Public Policy Associate and

Tibisay Guzman, NYS APSE Public Policy Liaison

What is APSE?APSE is a 3,000+ growing national non-profit membership organization, founded in 1988. Our members include individuals with disabilities, families, disability professionals, and businesses. APSE has chapters in 37 states and the District of Columbia. Also, we are in the process of developing chapters in Texas, Utah, South Carolina and Rhode Island.

APSE State Chapters• APSE State Chapters are Employment First champions in states

focusing on the principle that employment and careers are the expected and preferred outcomes of all publicly funded services for those with disabilities.

• State Chapters raise awareness within the business community as to the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities.

• State Chapters perform various trainings and Conferences on best practices in Employment First, job development, and CESP exams to improve and build professional excellence.

• Many APSE Chapters sponsor Take Your Legislator to Work day and Days on the Hill to advocate for Employment First

APSE Public Policy Liaisons• Roles and Responsibilities:• Serves as a point person to share ideas, experiences and updates

from within states (focused primarily on Employment First policy and practice developments);

• Attends monthly calls and shares updates from his or her state;• Works collaboratively to develop a “standard” state employment

policy agenda that states can customize and start/continue working on within states; and

• Ensures that there are timely responses to APSE Advocacy Alerts and that state chapters have a presence in regards to policy developments.

Defining “Employment First”• APSE’s Policy Statement:• “Employment First”: employment in the general workforce as the

first and preferred outcome in the provision of publicly funded services for all working age citizens with disabilities, regardless of level of disability.

Employment First Developments• As of January, 45 States have some type of “Employment

First” movement led by many of our chapter members• About 3/4 of efforts are directed by state policy units or are

legislatively based• About 1/4 of efforts are grassroots based –i.e., outsiders working

to influence state policy and practice

Employment First Map

http://rtc.umn.edu/prb/214/

Employment First in New York• Tax Incentives for Businesses – The InspireNY bill was passed to

incentivize businesses to hire people with developmental disabilities. Businesses will receive up to $5,000 for hiring each full-time employee and up to $2,500 for hiring each part-time employee.

• Integrated Employment Plan - The Legislator response to the OPWDD Draft plan to increase Competitive Employment Opportunities for People with Developmental Disabilities was passed effective April 1, 2014. The response included the directive to OPWDD to present a final plan to the legislators within 180 days of CMS approval of the plan. The enacted Bill (Chapter 60, Part E, S.6914/A. 9205) include strategies to increase competitive employment, job retention, assisting people to transition from a work center environment to competitive employment.

How can you be involved?

Ideas to get more involved:• Take Your Legislator to Work Day Campaign• Join a NYS APSE Committee or National APSE Committee• Social Media• Organize a NYS Twitter Chat

• Day on the Hill• Meetings with Legislators• Meet with Governor Cuomo

Take Your Legislator to Work Day• This is a campaign to raise awareness that every adult with a

disability can participate in gainful employment and have a meaningful job in the community.

• Held every October as part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month

• APSE will be holding informational webinars starting in August to prepare people

Why participate in the campaign?• Educate legislators• Show employability of people with disabilities• Raise awareness about the importance of community-

integrated jobs• Strengthen disability advocacy

What does an “average” visit look like?

The Take Your Legislator to Work Day is simple! Although visits may be different, we encourage all participants to do the following:

• Provide a 30-45 minute tour of their workplace highlighting where the employee works and the job duties they preform,

• Introduce the legislator to the employee’s co-workers and employer, and

• Discuss their experience working in a job in the community.

The NGA Initiative • The National Governor Association’s (NGA) Initiative “A Better

Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities”• Key NGA Recommendations:• Find and support businesses in their efforts to employ people

with disabilities.• Be a model employer by increasing the number of people with

disabilities working in state government.• Prepare youth with disabilities for careers that use their full

potential, providing employers with a pipeline of skilled workers.• Make the best use of limited resources to advance employment

opportunities for people with disabilities.• Make disability employment part of the state workforce

development strategy.

How can APSE utilize this new awareness into action?• APSE Chapter Meetings with Governors.• Share the blueprint with Governor Cuomo stating that we are

looking forward to implementation.• Ask Governor Cuomo to attend a NYS APSE Chapter event or

to make a recorded message in support of Employment First in the state.

• Ask the Governor to make a specific commitment to improve the numbers of people with disabilities working in integrated, community based jobs.

• Create an Employment First task force• Request a meeting with the relevant cabinet members.

APSE’s Work with Governors• APSE Chapter Meetings with Governors including the

governors from : New Mexico, New York, Washington, Illinois, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Alabama, Iowa, New Jersey, Delaware and New Hampshire

Strategies for Governor Meetings

• Don’t just ask for general support of employment of people with disabilities

• Be clear and specific about what action you are asking for• Specific policy• New piece of legislation/changes to legislation• Opposition to a bill

• Policy advocacy is not a one-time thing – it’s about building relationships over time

New York State APSE Opportunities

Join New York State APSE’s Public Policy efforts by joining one of National APSE’s Committees including Students for APSE, the Research Committee or the Conference and Training Committee.

Social Media• Use for:• Sharing information• Publicizing your campaign• Expanding your constituency• Taking action

• Examples:• Twitter • Facebook

Questions, Comments, Discussion

For more information…

Go to www.apse.org or contact Ryley Newport (ryley@apse.org) or Tibi Guzman (tguzman@westchesterarc.org)