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RA Capital Reserve RA Capital Reserve

Account (RACRA):Account (RACRA):

Orientation to the Orientation to the Dispersal ProcessDispersal Process

Barbara Lybarger, Barbara Lybarger, ADA CoordinatorADA Coordinator Liaison Liaison

Massachusetts Office on DisabilityMassachusetts Office on DisabilityOne Ashburton Place, #1305One Ashburton Place, #1305

617 727-7440 ext. 27315617 727-7440 ext. 27315

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Mission StatementMission Statement

• The Reserve Account is a back The Reserve Account is a back stop when an agency finds that stop when an agency finds that it cannot meet the costs of it cannot meet the costs of providing reasonable providing reasonable accommodations to employees accommodations to employees with disabilities. with disabilities.

• Note:Note: The RACRA Fund is not The RACRA Fund is not meant to supplant existing meant to supplant existing agency resources to respond agency resources to respond to reasonable accommodation to reasonable accommodation requests, but to supplement requests, but to supplement them.them.

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Available FundsAvailable Funds

$100,000 $100,000

Per YearPer Year

For Five YearsFor Five Years

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Goals & ObjectivesGoals & Objectives

• Five-year goalsFive-year goals– Provide some financial relief to Provide some financial relief to

agencies that are successful in agencies that are successful in hiring and retaining employees hiring and retaining employees with disabilities with disabilities

– Determine long-term funding Determine long-term funding needs for this activityneeds for this activity

– Begin to establish a centralized Begin to establish a centralized structure for addressing structure for addressing reasonable accommodation reasonable accommodation issues in the workforce.issues in the workforce.

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The ProcessThe Process• Agency assesses: Agency assesses:

– Need for accommodation and Need for accommodation and less costly but equally functional less costly but equally functional alternativesalternatives

– Cost(s) Cost(s) • If over $2500 consider applying to If over $2500 consider applying to

the Reserve Accountthe Reserve Account• Spending for RA so far in the Fiscal Spending for RA so far in the Fiscal

Year -- If over .05% of Agency Year -- If over .05% of Agency Budget consider applying to the Budget consider applying to the Reserve AccountReserve Account

– Complete and transmit Complete and transmit application to Barbara Lybarger application to Barbara Lybarger at MOD at MOD barbara.lybarger@state.ma.us barbara.lybarger@state.ma.us

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The Process (cont.)The Process (cont.)• MOD:MOD:

– Review Agency application and Review Agency application and discuss alternatives if discuss alternatives if appropriate.appropriate.

– Certify eligibility to ANFCertify eligibility to ANF

• ANF Office of Access and ANF Office of Access and Opportunity:Opportunity:– Review MOD certification and Review MOD certification and

either:either:• Authorize dispersal to the agency, Authorize dispersal to the agency,

or or • Where under DCAM jurisdiction, Where under DCAM jurisdiction,

authorize DCAM to proceed with authorize DCAM to proceed with the work using RACRA Funds.the work using RACRA Funds.

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Time TableTime Tablefor Initial Requestsfor Initial Requests

• Initial Applications due to MOD Initial Applications due to MOD by close of business on Friday, by close of business on Friday, August 21August 21stst

• MOD will transmit eligibility MOD will transmit eligibility certificates to ANF OAO by certificates to ANF OAO by Friday, August 28Friday, August 28thth

• Initial awards from OAO by Initial awards from OAO by Friday, September 4Friday, September 4thth

• Dispersals to be arranged Dispersals to be arranged beginning Tuesday, September beginning Tuesday, September 9th 9th

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Subsequent Subsequent RequestsRequests

• Will be processed in the same Will be processed in the same manner.manner.

• They will be subject to They will be subject to available funds, and available funds, and

• They will be addressed on a They will be addressed on a first come first serve basis. first come first serve basis.

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Other ResourcesOther Resources• Technical Assistance Technical Assistance

MOD 800-322-2020MOD 800-322-2020US Job Accommodation NetworkUS Job Accommodation Network

http://www.jan.wvu.edu/ http://www.jan.wvu.edu/

• Evaluations and Other RA Evaluations and Other RA Funding OptionsFunding OptionsEmployees eligible for federally Employees eligible for federally

funded Vocational Rehabilitation funded Vocational Rehabilitation Services:Services:• Mass. Commission for the Blind for Mass. Commission for the Blind for

employees who are legally blind employees who are legally blind • Mass. Rehabilitation Commission Mass. Rehabilitation Commission

for all other employees for all other employees

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Other Resources (cont.)Other Resources (cont.)For Technology Related NeedsFor Technology Related Needs

• MassMatch run by Mass. MassMatch run by Mass. Rehabilitation Commission Rehabilitation Commission http://www.massmatch.org/http://www.massmatch.org/

– Assistive Technology Regional Assistive Technology Regional Centers to learn about, try out Centers to learn about, try out or borrow a needed AT device.or borrow a needed AT device.

– GetATStuff.org shop for used GetATStuff.org shop for used equipment or advertise what equipment or advertise what you are no longer using. you are no longer using.

– And MoreAnd More• ITD Assistive Technology ITD Assistive Technology

Laboratory -- Testing accessibility Laboratory -- Testing accessibility of proposed hardware and software of proposed hardware and software solutions for state governmentsolutions for state government

For Technology Related NeedsFor Technology Related Needs

• MassMatch run by Mass. MassMatch run by Mass. Rehabilitation Commission Rehabilitation Commission http://www.massmatch.org/http://www.massmatch.org/

– Assistive Technology Regional Assistive Technology Regional Centers to learn about, try out Centers to learn about, try out or borrow a needed AT device.or borrow a needed AT device.

– GetATStuff.org shop for used GetATStuff.org shop for used equipment or advertise what equipment or advertise what you are no longer using. you are no longer using.

– And MoreAnd More• ITD Assistive Technology ITD Assistive Technology

Laboratory -- Testing accessibility Laboratory -- Testing accessibility of proposed hardware and software of proposed hardware and software solutions for state governmentsolutions for state government

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Other Resources (cont.)Other Resources (cont.)All other Employee needs, check All other Employee needs, check

with Massachusetts Agency that with Massachusetts Agency that serves people with the disability serves people with the disability involved, for example:involved, for example:• Mass. Commission for the Mass. Commission for the

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Deaf and Hard of Hearing • Mass. Department of Mental Mass. Department of Mental

Health Health • Mass. Department of Mental Mass. Department of Mental

RetardationRetardation• Mass. Department of Public Mass. Department of Public

HealthHealth• Mass. Department of Mass. Department of

Veterans’ ServicesVeterans’ Services

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What MOD DoesWhat MOD Does

• By StatuteBy Statute– Created in 1981, by Created in 1981, by

M.G.L. c. 6, sec. 185M.G.L. c. 6, sec. 185, as the state , as the state advocacy agency that serves people advocacy agency that serves people with disabilities of all ages. MOD's with disabilities of all ages. MOD's

primary mission is to ensure access.primary mission is to ensure access.

• Client Services Unit – Client Services Unit – – information about government related information about government related

programs rights and services programs rights and services – Advocacy resolve individual disability Advocacy resolve individual disability

related problems, such as employment related problems, such as employment discrimination.discrimination.

• Community Services Unit –Community Services Unit –– Work with local communities on Work with local communities on

access and integration issuesaccess and integration issues– Train anyone interested about Train anyone interested about

disability based rights, and physical disability based rights, and physical access standards and enforcementaccess standards and enforcement

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What MOD does (cont.)What MOD does (cont.)

• By Executive Orders and By Executive Orders and Assignment Assignment

– ADA Coordinator, ADA Coordinator, • Write and maintain Disability Handbook Write and maintain Disability Handbook

for the Executive Branchfor the Executive Branch• Provide technical assistance Provide technical assistance • Maintain the ADA Coordinator List for Maintain the ADA Coordinator List for

MassachusettsMassachusetts

contact Barbara or contact Barbara or MyraMyra

– Provide Disability Rights and Provide Disability Rights and Obligations Technical assistance to :Obligations Technical assistance to :

Other agency ADA Coordinators and Other agency ADA Coordinators and related contacts related contacts

RACRA Fund Initial Eligibility RACRA Fund Initial Eligibility EvaluationEvaluation

contact Barbaracontact Barbara

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Contacts for Contacts for RACRARACRA

• Ron MarlowRon Marlow – ANF – ANF Assistant Secretary for Access Assistant Secretary for Access and Opportunityand Opportunity

• Myra BerloffMyra Berloff – MOD – MOD Director and ADA Coordinator Director and ADA Coordinator for the Executive Departmentfor the Executive Department

• Sandra BordersSandra Borders – ODEO, – ODEO, DirectorDirector

• Barbara LybargerBarbara Lybarger – MOD – MOD General Counsel and ADA General Counsel and ADA Coordinator Liaison Coordinator Liaison