Discussion Boards

Projects

IL NET Roundtable Series: New Opportunities for CILs - Operating Employment Programs

Presented by Burt Danovitz, Executive Director, Utica Resource Center for Independent Living; Joann Marshall, Chief Operating Officer, Utica Resource Center for Independent Living; Alice J. Savino, Executive Director, Workforce Investment Board, Herkimer, Madison & Oneida Counties, New York; and John Tracy, Regional Director, New York Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals With Disabilities (VESID) on September 30, 2009

About the Series

The “New Opportunities” series is helping centers explore new programming options, including programs of special interest as centers plan for the use of stimulus funding. Topics for this discussion are:

• Why CILs Should Engage in Employment Programs—what centers can offer their constituents and communities
• Collaborations with workforce investment boards and vocational rehabilitation
• Descriptions of innovative, successful Employment Programs
• Steps your CIL can take to start successful programs

About the Presenters

Burt Danovitz is the Executive Director of the Resource Center for Independent Living with sites in Utica, Herkimer and Amsterdam, NY. The Center is diversely funded with contracts from 100 different sources. Burt has been very active in a number of public policy issues during his tenure at RCIL including: accessible transportation legislation, Medicaid reform and legislation recently introduced to eliminate the institutional/segregation bias from all New York dollars. Burt serves on a number of boards and has presented at both national and international conferences.

Joann Marshall is the Chief Operating Officer of the Resource Center for Independent Living where she has been employed for nearly 20 years. In her capacity, Joann oversees all programs at the Center. Joann has a particular interest and knowledge base in employment programs where she has become a leader in innovative strategies for developing integrated and competitive careers. Joann was also instrumental in establishing a for profit corporation at RCIL which is now a $2 million business generating profits used for advocacy purposes. Joann also has been a presenter at a number of national and state conferences.

Alice Savino is Executive Director of the Herkimer, Madison and Oneida County Workforce Investment Board (WIB). She is a graduate of Russell Sage College with a BS in Economics and participates on several community, not-for-profit and Economic Development boards and committees. The WIB is responsible for oversight, policy and service delivery of the Working Solutions Centers in Utica, Rome, Oneida and Herkimer. The WIB has received grants from the US Department of Labor, US Department of Education, US Employment and Training and NYS Department of Labor. The goals of the grants have been to provide employment referral, services and training to workforce populations that are challenged by barriers to employment. In addition Savino works with community employers to match skill needs with skill availability. Savino has been awarded Special Achievement Award from the National Association of Workforce Boards for building innovative strategic partnerships and Public Policy Award from the Resource Center for Independent Living.

John Tracy is the Regional Coordinator of Central and Western NY for the State/Federal Vocational Rehabilitation agency, VESID (Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities). He has his Masters in Vocational Rehabilitation from Syracuse University and has worked in a variety of capacities within the State agency for the past 29 years.

Presentation Transcript and Resources:

• Information about a new option for employers interested in participating in the Ticket to Work program
• Useful online resources
• Transcript of the teleconference (MS Word doc)

Go to Audio of Discussion (mp3 file)

Evaluation

Complete an Evaluation - Please help us present topics you want more information about and to make future discussions better by giving us your feedback. Use the following link to go to our evaluation. https://vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/12291g40053

Presented by CIL-NET, a program of the IL NET national training and technical assistance project for Centers for Independent Living (CIL-NET) and Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILC-NET). The IL NET is operated by ILRU, Independent Living Research Utilization, in partnership with the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) and the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL).

Index of archived webcasts/teleconferences