Local News

Did you know that October 2010 is the last month for the disabled sticker from SFMTA? And, not only that, but starting November 2010, disabled public transportation riders must local their discounted monthly pass to a Regional Transit Connection (RTC) discount photo card. If your customers come to you with questions about these changes, feel free to refer them to us for information and guidance.

For blind or low vision customers, you may want to mention that the self-serve Add Value Machines have earphone/headphone jacks on the left side. Also, the Clipper website (www.clippercard.com) is designed to work with screen-reader software.

Clipper brochures, which explain how to use the new Clipper Card, are available in large print, Braille or CD. Contact Clipper Customer Service at (887) 878-8883 or TTY/TTD 711 or (800) 735-2929 to request these accessible formats.

We also have the application for customers with disabilities to apply for the RTC discount card.

"DPN Recommends"

In helping people with disabilities find a job, it can be important to have a very positive attitude about the possibilities that lie ahead. Today, we share a link from Psychologydegree.com -- a website dedicated to educating the public about the value and options that a psychology degree offers -- that will hopefully inspire such a positive attitude. Patricia Duggan, one of the co-founders of the site, recently contacted the DPN to share a post on the site about 50 Famously Successful People Who Are Dyslexic. Take a browse, and learn about some famous people who have a learning disability because they are dyslexic.

Video Watch!

Confused about how the new health reform law really works? This short, animated movie -- featuring the "YouToons" -- explains the problems with the current health care system, the changes that are happening now, and the big changes coming in 2014.

http://healthreform.kff.org/the-animation.aspx

Resource of the Week

It is a momentous time for health care reform. The new Affordable Care Act -- whose reforms went into effect yesterday, September 23, 2010 -- has some important new provisions that positively affect people with disabilities. This is great news for job seekers with disabilities who have the added pressure of finding a job in order to secure health insurance through an employer's group plan. Too often, people with disabilities seeking individual health care plans face discrimination based on pre-existing medical conditions. By 2014, this type of discrimination will be against the law.

To learn about other provisions that can positively impact individuals with disabilities, watch this week's Resource of the Week: a video from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services about the Affordable Care Act. The information you learn may be crucial to helping ease the concerns of job seekers that you are interacting with at your One Stop Centers. Who knows? You may learn some information that helps you or someone you care about as well.



For more information about the new the Affordable Care Act, visit Healthcare.gov. The new law helps seniors, young adults and the general population as well.

DPN Desk Hours

The DPN Librarian, Cristina Mitra, will be at the Visitacion Valley One Stop this afternoon from 1:00PM-4:00PM for drop-in resource assistance. Please refer customers to speak with Cristina for some in-person assistance today. The Visitacion Valley One Stop Center is located at 73 Leland Ave.

Resource of the Week

Charting the Course: Supporting the Career Development of Youth with Learning Disabilities
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/ld-guide

Check out this new publication from the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth written in collaboration with U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) -- right off the press!

Written from a “disability rights” perspective, this timely guide is essential for One-Stop Career Centers to improve services and outcomes for youth, ages 14 to 25, with diagnosed and undiagnosed learning disabilities. 

Topics include

• ensuring appropriate and timely access to assistive technology
• learning how to disclose one’s disability effectively
• understanding how to access civil rights protections in educational, vocational, and social settings

DPN Desk Hours

The DPN Librarian, Cristina Mitra, will be at the SOMA/Civic Center One Stop (inside the Goodwill building) tomorrow Friday, Sept. 17th from 9:00AM-12:00PM. Please send your customers over for drop-in resource assistance. Cristina will be seated near the registration desk and very happy to assist with any resource needs from customers!

Webinar Alert!

Even in this economy, there are wonderful opportunities to get something for nothing. Check out this webinar from the One More Way project of the Sierra Group Foundation. It is free for job-seekers and veterans! You can't beat that. It takes place tomorrow so register today.

Teleseminar for businesses, agencies and job seekers

Title: Assistive Technology: Capturing the Ability and Skill Within Your Organization
Date: September 16, 2010 - Thursday
Time: 11:00AM – 12:15PM EDT

REGISTER NOW!

FREE TO JOB SEEKERS INCLUDING VETERANS!
Join the Sierra Group, Inc for a business discussion on how assistive technology (AT) can support and allow for creative workplace accommodations for employees with disabilities.

Teleseminar host Janet Fiore, CEO of The Sierra Group, Inc. will cover topics where you will:

• Learn the four (4) elements that support and allow for creative accommodation solutions
• Learn how assistive technology interfaces with Human Resources policy, Information Technology and the specialized needs of employees with disabilities
• Learn about current trends in accommodation solutions utilizing state-of-the-art technologies
• Better understand how you can be an essential component in the employment of individuals with disabilities through workplace accommodations

Technology is commonplace in today’s work setting, with many companies utilizing leading edge technologies to get real-time access to their systems. Indeed, many employers encourage their employees to work with a smart phone or an iPad to enhance their productivity. So why is it that disabled individuals using the same or similar technologies as “assistive technology,” have the highest rate of unemployment? Could it be that the term and workplace benefits of “assistive technology devices” is not really understood by employers?

This teleseminar is intended to highlight what the technology can do, how it fits in to a work environment and the business innovation benefits that await savvy companies when hiring an assistive technology user. The information learned can be essential to ensuring that highly skilled workers with disabilities are fully utilizing those skills and achieving their full work potential.

Janet Fiore, CEO of The Sierra Group, Inc., is a leading national authority on helping people move through the job accommodation process. Janet will facilitate the learning session with guest experts, Vickie Peirano-Thompson, Manager at United Collection Bureau, Inc. (UCB) - Intelligent Solutions, Michael Fiore, BSE, MBA, Rehabilitation Engineer, and noted expert on Assistive Technology, and Beth Loy, Principal Consultant at the Job Accommodation Network.

Schedule Change

Usually, we hold drop-in resource assistance hours at the Southeast Career Link Center on the 3rd Wednesdays of each month from 9:00AM-12:00PM. Just for today, we've moved the hours to the afternoon. Please refer your clients to come meet with us from 1:00PM-4:00PM. Thanks and sorry for any inconvenience.

Resource of the Week

In this economy, free isn't a word to be underestimated -- especially when it means free professional development! For this week's Resource of the Week, we want to point your nose in the direction of a *free webinar* presented by the Accessible Technology Coalition (ATC). This is a great opportunity to learn even more about accessible (or assistive) technology --  or AT, as it is ofter referred to -- and build on the knowledge you learned earlier this year when Jane Vincent-Berliss hosted a training on AT for One Stop staff.

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/501978030

Title: Free Computer AT You Already Have and How to Use It
Date: Thursday, September 16, 2010
Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM PDT
Presenter: Jane Berliss-Vincent

Description: Popular operating systems such as Windows XP/Vista/7 and Macintosh OS X have a variety of built-in features useful to people with disabilities. This webinar will show you how to find these features and discuss what needs they can meet. It will also cover implementation issues for libraries and other public computing sites, including potential conflicts with other software.

About the Presenter: Jane Vincent holds a Master of Arts in Library Science degree from the University of Michigan. For the last thirteen years she has worked as the Usability/Accessibility Manager for the Center for Accessible Technology, providing consultation to libraries on accessible technology  acquisition and use throughout California, as well as evaluating website  accessibility for businesses and organizations and performing assistive technology evaluations for individuals. Jane is a primary contributor to the Access on Main Street blog (www.accessonmainstreet.net) and is an active member of  Bay Area Disability Services Librarians (BADSL).

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar. If you have any trouble registering, please contact Karen Sheehan, ksheehan@cforat.org.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server
Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer

Resource of the Week

Project Homeless Connect has launched a new innovation project called the Growing Home Community Garden. Located at Octavia & Lily in Hayes Valley San Francisco, it is "a community garden for housed and homeless San Franciscans; providing a safe haven to grow food, access green space and celebrate community." 

The garden offers mental health and employment skill share opportunities through a variety of programs, including a health nutrition skill share each Monday from 12-1pm, a garden skill share Monday from 2-2:30 and health and stress reduction skill shares Friday 2-3pm.  Beginning in August, they began peer lead support groups on addiction recovery and starting a book club. 

The garden is currently open Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from 1-4pm. For more information, check out the Growing Home Community Garden blog: http://growinghomecommunitygarden.blogspot.com/.