Florida BLN Steering Committee
CHAIR
Sue Moore
Walt Disney World Co
PAST CHAIR
Sharlyn Lauby, SPHR
ITM Group, Inc.
VR LIAISON
Eladio Amores
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
HR FLORIDA LIAISON
Catherine Mallozzi, SPHR
Florida Metropolitan University
BIG BEND BLN CHAIR
Sarah Butters
Holland & Knight
BREVARD BLN CHAIR
Douglas Barclay
Mercedes Homes, Inc.
BROWARD BLN CHAIR
Steven McCarty
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
EMERALD COAST BLN CO-CHAIRS
Sheryl Hollarn
MTI/MTC Technologies
Gail Waller
Ft. Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce
FIRST COAST BLN CHAIR
John Wagner
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
FT. MYERS BLN
Erin Wilkinson
SunTrust Bank
GREATER ORLANDO BLN CHAIR
Mayra Hernandez
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
MIAMI-DADE BLN CHAIR
Bob Bromberg
Bromberg & Associates
PALM BEACH BLN CO-CHAIRS
Rita Barreto Craig
The Craig Group
Rose Lee Archer
Rose Lee Productions Inc.
PANHANDLE BLN CO-CHAIRS
Lara Burnside
The Studer Group
Jennifer Grove
Gulf Power Company
POLK COUNTY BLN CHAIR
Karen Mitchell
Lakeland Regional Medical Center
TAMPA BAY METRO CHAIR
Angela M. Rosario
JOBING.com
About the Florida BLN
The Florida Business Leadership Network is a peer-to-peer membership group of employers seeking resources to recruit, hire and market to persons with disabilities. Members include small and large businesses who recognize that success in the 21st century hinges on a diverse workforce that includes employees with disabilities. For more information about the Florida BLN, visit www.floridabln.org. To suggest an article or upcoming event to be included in this newsletter, e-mail the editor at kristen@abletrust.org.
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Message from the Chair
There are a variety of new and updated resources and on-line opportunities at your disposal in this month's issue. Learn about new advances the U.S. Department of Labor is making to improve the employment of people with disabilities. Gain more insight on accommodating and communicating with deaf or hard of hearing individuals with resources like the Department of Justice's (DOJ)Tool Kit Materials and the Health and Human Services' on-line publications. Take part in rich on-line communities devoted to educating employers on innovation through ability and customized employment.
As always, we want to continue to keep you informed on activities of the Florida BLN local chapters as well as other disability related events. Featured in this issue are three upcoming national conferences: Bridges to Employment, Job Accommodation Network (JAN) and the US Business Leadership Network.
Please be sure to visit our Florida BLN website at http://www.floridabln.org/ for additional helpful resources and information. If you have an event or best disability employment practice you'd like to share with the membership, please email or call Kristen Knapp at the Florida BLN at Kristen@abletrust.org or toll-free 888-838-2253.
Help Support Young Adults with Disabilities
Donations Needed for The Able Trust's Youth Leadership Forum
The Able Trust would like to invite your organization to support the 8th annual Florida Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) for high school students with disabilities. This year's YLF will take place July 18-22, 2007, in Tallahassee. The Forum will bring over 100 students and adults with disabilities together from across the state to discuss career options, academic and community resources, and personal leadership development.
The Able Trust is putting together goody bags for the delegates and volunteers and would like to invite your company to donate 100 items to be included in these bags. The students truly appreciate any type of fun trinket. Items that generated excitement last year included tote bags, water bottles, koozies, sunscreen, single-use cameras, pens/pencils and notepads.
All supporters will receive recognition in YLF student and volunteer promotional materials, as well as on-site during forum activities. Donating is an easy way to promote your company while assisting the YLF and supporting the development of tomorrow's future leaders with disabilities.
To support the 2007 Youth Leadership Forum or learn more about the event, email Kristen@abletrust.org.
USDOL Launches Initiative to Advance Employment of People with Disabilities
The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) launched its new "Alliance Initiative" to advance the employment of people with disabilities by signing an agreement with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) as the first Alliance partner. The ODEP Alliance Initiative is open to both public and private-sector organizations that would like to work with ODEP to enhance the recruitment, hiring, employment and advancement of people with disabilities. On March 1, 2007, Assistant Secretary W. Roy Grizzard, Jr. issued an Alliance Directive, which spells out the guidelines and criteria for Alliance partnerships.
Groups that can form an Alliance with ODEP include trade and professional associations, businesses, labor unions, educational institutions, Federal, state and local government agencies and others.
Interested organizations may contact the ODEP Alliance Manager at ODEPAlliance@dol.gov.
Entering the World of Work: What Youth with Mental Health Needs Should Know About Accommodations
The U.S. Department of LaborŐs Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has released a fact sheet on accommodations for youth with mental health needs who are preparing to enter the workforce. Disclosing a mental health disability, requesting accommodations, and examples of accommodations are among the topics addressed, and resources are provided. This fact sheet is available for download or print free of charge at here.
Webcast Series on Customized Employment
Hurry! There are only three of Work Support's seven series webcast on customized employment left. These remaining sessions engage in the following topics: transition to meaningful adult roles, organization change and customized self employment. These unique sessions feature a live video presentation with great speakers and a 30 minute chatroom session following the presentation. The upcoming dates are May 15th, May 22th and June 12th, respectively. For more details visit Work Support at: www.worksupport.com/training/webcastSeries.cfm.
Florida BLN News
First Coast BLN Director's Meeting
The meeting will be held in Jacksonville, FL on May 18th. For more information please email debbiec@wilres.com.
Big Bend BLN Director's Meeting
The meeting will be held on May 23rd in Tallahassee, FL. For more information please email debbiec@wilres.com.
Panhandle BLN Chapter
The Panhandle BLN meets the last Wednesday of each month from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. The next meeting is scheduled for May 30th at the Lakeview Activity Center.
The chapter is also hosting a learning session on May 25th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m at the Bowden Building downtown Pensacola. Who should attend? Business leaders, HR Professionals, Managers and Supervisors.
The guest speaker will be Cheri Hofman. She will speak on ADA. For details on this or other events, contact Lara Burnside at lara@studergroup.com.
Gainsville BLN Chapter
The Gainsville BLN Chapter will hosts its kickoff on June 14th. Please email debbiec@wilres.com for maore information on this event.
Bay Area BLN Chapter
The Bay Area will be hosting its chapter meeting on June 15th. For more information plaese email debbiec@wilres.com.
Palm Beach BLN Chapter
The Palm Beach Chapter will be hosting its chapter meeting on June 18th. For more information please email debbiec@wilres.com.
Tampa Bay Metro BLN Chapter
The Tampa Bay BLN Chapter meeting will be held on June 22nd. For more information please email debbiec@wilres.com.
Upcoming Events
USBLN/JAN Webinar Series
The US Business Leadership Network (USBLN) in partnership with the Job Accommodations Network (JAN) initiated a new webinar series. This series focuses on employers, providing detailed topics on innovation, raising expectations and results and the focus on ability.
There are three upcoming sessions, May 17th, June 15th and July 19th. These series will touch upon recruitment and employment of college students with disabilities, maximizing the disability community's potential through "complex but systematic" jobs and the roles and responsibilities for accommodating people with disabilities, respectively.
All sessions are from 2pm to 3pm. For more information, please visit JAN at: www.jan.wvu.edu/blnwebinar.
Bridges to Employment Conference: Exploring Career Opportunities for Latinos with Disabilities
On June 13-15, 2007, the national Bridges to Employment Conference will be held at the Radisson Miami Hotel in Miami, Florida. This event is hosted by Proyecto Vision, the national technical assistance center on employment, in partnership with Best Buddies and AT&T. Click here for details about registration and fees and a sample itinerary.
JAN 2007 Conference
The Job Accommodations Network (JAN) will hold its annual conference on August 6-7, 2007 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Crystal City, Virginia. Held in a different state each year, this conference provides employers, service providers and individuals everywhere an opportunity to gain valuable disability information from the JAN staff. Visit http://www.jan.wvu.edu/ for more information.
2007 USBLN Annual Conference
The USBLN Annual Conference will take place on September 24-26, 2007 at the Lake Buena Vista Palace in Orlando, Florida. The theme will be Building the New Workforce-Inclusion and Innovation. It will also feature a career fair for high school and college students with disabilities, hosted by The Able Trust. Visit http://www.usbln.com/ for more information.
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