Employment Programs for People with Disabilities (17.720)

Program

17.720 Employment Programs for People with Disabilities

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Labor
Office: Office of Disability Employment Policy

Authorization

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001, Public Law 106-554, 29 U.S.C 557b.

Program Number

17.720

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) provides national leadership on disability employment policy to the Department of Labor (DOL) and other Federal agencies. ODEP develops and fosters implementation of comprehensive and integrated disability employment policies and strategies throughout the workforce development system, in workplaces, and in employment-related supports programs and services. Implementation of these effective policies and practices will increase employment opportunities and the recruitment, retention and promotion of people with disabilities. ODEP's response to the low labor force participation of people with disabilities is comprehensive and aggressive, and includes securing the active involvement of and cooperation among a number of stakeholders, including Federal, State and local government agencies, private and public employers, educational and training institutions, and the disability community.

Types of Assistance

Cooperative Agreements

Uses and Use Restrictions

Uses and use restrictions are detailed in each solicitation for cooperative agreement or grant applications and in each request for proposals. See www.grants.gov, the Federal Register, or FedBizOpps for current Solicitations for Grant Applications (SGAs) and Requests for Proposals (RFPs). All ODEP funds are discretionary.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

While individuals are not eligible for ODEP's cooperative agreements and grants, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, State and local government agencies, academic institutions, and other entities are eligible. Eligibility requirements are detailed in each SGA and in RFPs. See www.grants.gov, the Federal Register, or FedBizOpps for current SGAs and RFPs.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Beneficiary eligibility is detailed in each solicitation for cooperative agreement or grant applications and request for proposals. See www.grants.gov, the Federal Register, or FedBizOpps for current SGAs and RFPs.

Credentials/Documentation

See www.grants.gov, the Federal Register, or FedBizOpps for current SGAs and RFPs. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program.

Award Procedure

Competitive cooperative agreement and grant applications, submitted in response to a solicitation for cooperative agreement or grant application, will be reviewed by a Federal panel for fidelity to Federal principles and to ensure adherence to solicitation for cooperative agreement or grant application requirements. Awards are made subject to availability of funds and performance achievement. See www.grants.gov, the Federal Register, or FedBizOpps for current SGAs and RFPs.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Timeframes are detailed in each solicitation for cooperative agreement or grant applications and request for proposals. See www.grants.gov, the Federal Register, or FedBizOpps for current SGAs and RFPs.

Appeals

Appeal information and contact procedures for each solicitation are contained and detailed within the solicitation for cooperative agreement or grant application and request for proposals. See www.grants.gov, the Federal Register, or FedBizOpps for current SGAs and RFPs.

Renewals

Renewal and option year availability is detailed in each solicitation for cooperative agreement or grant applications. All awards are based on single-year budget authority. Renewal and option year funding, when provided, is subject to availability of funds and performance achievement. See www.grants.gov, the Federal Register, or FedBizOpps for current SGAs and RFPs.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Length of time and phasing of assistance are detailed in each solicitation for cooperative agreement or grant applications. See www.grants.gov, the Federal Register, or FedBizOpps for current SGAs and RFPs. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Length of time and phasing of assistance are detailed in each solicitation for cooperative agreement or grant applications. See www.grants.gov, the Federal Register, or FedBizOpps for current SGAs and RFPs.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

All cooperative agreements and grants require quarterly program and financial (SF 269 and SF 272) reports as well as a final report. All cooperative agreements and grants require cooperation and sharing of program reports with ODEP's independent external evaluator. Any additional reporting requirements are detailed in each solicitation for cooperative agreement or grant applications. See www.grants.gov, the Federal Register, or FedBizOpps for current SGAs and RFPs. Cash reports are not applicable. All cooperative agreements and grants require quarterly program and financial (SF 269 and SF 272) reports as well as a final report. All cooperative agreements and grants require cooperation and sharing of program reports with ODEP's independent external evaluator. Any additional reporting requirements are detailed in each solicitation for cooperative agreement or grant applications. See www.grants.gov, the Federal Register, or FedBizOpps for current SGAs and RFPs. All cooperative agreements and grants require quarterly program and financial (SF 269 and SF 272) reports as well as a final report. All cooperative agreements and grants require cooperation and sharing of program reports with ODEP's independent external evaluator. Any additional reporting requirements are detailed in each solicitation for cooperative agreement or grant applications. See www.grants.gov, the Federal Register, or FedBizOpps for current SGAs and RFPs. All cooperative agreements and grants require quarterly program and financial (SF 269 and SF 272) reports as well as a final report. All cooperative agreements and grants require cooperation and sharing of program reports with ODEP's independent external evaluator. Any additional reporting requirements are detailed in each solicitation for cooperative agreement or grant applications. See www.grants.gov, the Federal Register, or FedBizOpps for current SGAs and RFPs.

Audits

Not Applicable.

Records

None.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: ODEP managed DisabilityInfo.gov, expanding the number of Federal partners to create a governing board that broadened the range of Federal, state and local disability information available to citizens. ODEP also continued collaborating with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to begin collecting, for the first time ever, data to determine the employment rate of people with disabilities in the Current Population Survey (CPS).

Focusing on Workforce Systems policy, ODEP produced the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities of Youth Service Practitioners, a professional development tool created to assist One-Stop Career Centers and the juvenile justice and foster care systems with the professional development of staff leads to improve program quality and increase positive youth outcomes. ODEP also documented how self-identification and the use of accommodations and financial literacy training impact post-secondary education and employment outcomes of youth with disabilities. ODEP partnered with the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) to integrate elements of the Guideposts for Success into ETA�s Strategic Youth Vision guidance and provided technical assistance, training, and capacity building support to states.

ODEP developed models of comprehensive and coordinated employment preparation service delivery, including customized and self-employment strategies to adults with disabilities, in a range of economic, geographic and structural environments. Collaboration led by ODEP between the Small Business Administration (SBA), ETA, and the Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) resulted in the development and provision of technical assistance to workforce and small business development systems to support entrepreneurship for people with disabilities. Finally, ODEP validated models of customized employment strategies that include the leveraging of resources and funds across various separate but related systems. ODEP worked with ETA to ensure that issues related to aging and disability were integrated into the Federal Task Force on the Aging of the American Workforces� activities to build capacity for serving seniors with disabilities.

With regard to Employers and the Workplace policy, ODEP facilitated dialogue on workplace health and productivity issues among private and public sector experts in healthcare and employment. ODEP developed and disseminated strategies to employers for reducing the barriers to recruitment and hiring with regard to electronic recruiting and credentialing processes for job seekers with disabilities. Finally, ODEP worked with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to disseminate effective employment practices and partnered on EEOC�s Leadership for the Employment of Americans with Disabilities (LEAD) initiative and other Federal hiring efforts, including outreach on the Schedule A hiring authority and activities related to compliance with EEOC�s Management Directive 715 on the recruitment, hiring, flexible work policies, such as flexible schedules, flexiplace, and telework.

In Employment-Related Supports policy, ODEP conducted policy analysis and provided technical assistance to workforce systems (including the One-Stops/Disability Program Navigators) to improve health care-related competency. ODEP fostered a dialogue among advocacy organizations and provider associations on employment-related health care options to reduce disincentives to employment for people with disabilities by strengthening understanding and awareness of work-related personal assistance services (PAS) alternatives. With regard to employment-related transportation, ODEP continued its successful partnerships with the Department of Transportation (DOT) on the United We Ride initiative to assist communities in meeting the mobility needs of workers with disabilities and, under the auspices of the White House�s Interagency Council on the Homeless, with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to test and pilot coordinated employment and housing services models for people who are chronically homeless. Finally, ODEP collaborated with the Departments of Education (ED), Commerce, and Defense (DOD), the Department of Labor�s VETS, the U.S. Access Board and the Veterans Administration (VA) to develop policy and provide technical assistance regarding the provision of personal recovery and employment assistance to the nation�s disabled service members, including those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Fiscal Year 2009: TBD. Fiscal Year 2010: TBD.

Financial Information

Account Identification

16-0166-0-1-505.

Obligations

(Salaries) FY 08 $26,953,000; FY 09 est $26,679,000; FY 10 est $37,031,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Previous awards for cooperative agreement, grants and contracts have ranged from approximately $15,000 to $3,500,000 per funding year, depending on the project needs as detailed in the solicitation for cooperative agreement or grant application or proposal and availability of funds. Awards have been to nonprofit and for-profit organizations, State and local government agencies, academic institutions, and other entities.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

Information about the Office of Disability Employment Policy is located at www.dol.gov/odep. Information and resources on disability employment and other disability-related topics can be found at www.DisabilityInfo.gov, for which ODEP is the managing partner of more than 20 Federal agencies.

Related Programs

Not Applicable.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Office of Disability Employment Policy 200 Constitution Ave., N.W., Room S1303, Washington, District of Columbia 20210 Email: infoodep@dol.gov Phone: 202-693-7880 / 202-693-7881(TTY) Fax: 202-693-7888

Web Site Address

http://www.dol.gov/odep .

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: Examples of funded technical assistance and research projects awarded to support disability employment policy development can be found at www.dol.gov/odep. Fiscal Year 2009: Examples of funded technical assistance and research projects awarded to support disability employment policy development can be found at www.dol.gov/odep. Fiscal Year 2010: Examples of funded technical assistance and research projects awarded to support disability employment policy development can be found at www.dol.gov/odep.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Criteria for selecting proposals are detailed in each solicitation for cooperative agreement or grant application and request for proposal. Criteria always include the availability of ODEP funds, alignment with ODEP's mission to develop national policy to reduce barriers to employment for people with disabilities, performance achievement, and provision of data to support performance reporting. See www.grants.gov, the Federal Register, or FedBizOpps for current SGAs and RFPs.