SunnyvaleRTC

June 21, 2005

SUBJECT: Authorization for Nove to Apply for Continued Disability Program Navigator Funding not to Exceed $200,000

REPORT IN BRIEF

NOVA’s current funding for its Disability Program Navigator ends on June 30, 2005. The State of California Employment Development Department recently confirmed the availability of continued funding for this project. It is recommended that the Sunnyvale City Council, on behalf of the NOVA Consortium cities, authorize staff to submit an application to the State of California totaling up to $200,000 to provide for the continuation of Disability Program Navigator services through June 30, 2007.

BACKGROUND

People with disabilities often face enormous challenges when they seek or obtain employment. Complex rules surrounding entitlement to federal, State, and local government programs can make the decision to seek employment even more difficult. In 2003, the Department of Labor and the Social Security Administration recognized the one-stop career centers as a significant component of the service delivery system that offers Social Security beneficiaries and other individuals with disabilities essential job training, employment, job retention, and career advancement services. Therefore, DOL provided funding to the State of California for Disability Program Navigator (DPN) positions to be established in California one-stop career centers to serve as disability resource specialists and to leverage relationships with local service providers and employers to facilitate outreach, effective employment linkages, and seamless service delivery for individuals with disabilities.

NOVA was awarded funding in 2003 to hire a Disability Program Navigator and received second-year funding in 2004 to carry the position through June 30, 2005. The Employment Development Department has recently confirmed the availability of funding to sustain all the DPN positions through June 30, 2007. Existing grantees must submit a request detailing their efforts in enhancing the capacity of the one-stop centers to improve service delivery to individuals with disabilities.

EXISTING POLICY

The proposed activities are consistent with the City of Sunnyvale's Socio-Economic Goal 5.1F: Provide job training and employment services within constraints of operative, federal regulations and available federal funding, to address the locally-determined employment and training needs of economically disadvantaged residents and others with special needs.

DISCUSSION

NOVA’s Disability Program Navigator is located at the CONNECT! Job Seeker Center and has been instrumental in coordinating services for customers with disabilities within the CONNECT! partnership. She has also been a strong advocate for linking with businesses to promote the hiring of customers with disabilities and to provide resources for supporting a diverse workforce. Recent accomplishments include:

The California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) is a member of the CONNECT! partnership and is committed to having DOR counselors who provide services at our CONNECT! One-Stop. DOR Orientations are also held twice a month at the CONNECT! Center with good attendance.
We have recently focused on providing staff training on serving customers with mental health issues. One of our partner organizations, ALLIANCE for Community Care, provided two workshops to prepare our One-Stop staff and the staff of other community-based organizations to better serve those with mental illnesses. These workshops generated great conversations among the participating service providers that ultimately helped everyone see the importance of collaboration for the benefit of the client.
Our DPN met with a representative from the Housing Authority and they exchanged information on the services provided by their organizations. The housing representative introduced our DPN to a website that she can use to identify appropriate housing resources for clients.
Our DPN is also an active member of the Bay Area Coalition of Employment Development (BACED). This organization provides an entrée into many other community-based organizations and increases collaboration on a broader scope.
Our DPN has been proactive in developing resources to assist youth with disabilities as they transition from school to the workplace. The goal is to link these youth to the resources available from our One-Stop system.
Our DPN has begun planning for a Disability Resource Fair, an event for clients and internal staff to learn about other organizations that can help individuals with disabilities with their employment goals. Our DPN will coordinate the fair and will enlist the help of other organizations. Planning for this event will provide an opportunity to hold a roundtable discussion among the various community-based organizations about how to better coordinate our services for clients with disabilities.
Our DPN has begun sending out a monthly e-newsletter as a training tool. Each newsletter focuses on a specific disability and includes a headline story, tips on disability etiquette, information on workplace accommodations, and a fun or interesting fact related to that disability.
Our DPN has developed a close working relationship with the CONNECT! One-Stop Business Liaisons. She has helped the CONNECT! Business Services Team understand the business case for employers to hire or retain individuals with disabilities in their workforce and has provided them with a detailed understanding of some of the specific services she can provide.
Our DPN helped coordinate an event for HR compliance officers of various Silicon Valley corporations to help them understand the legalities and importance of good-faith efforts in hiring individuals with disabilities.

Current and future initiatives include marketing diversity employment services. We will be developing a data sheet that will provide more detail on the services available from our CONNECT! collaborative. This data sheet will help the Business Liaisons market the services of the Disability Program Navigator and will bring more attention to the benefits for businesses in hiring a diverse workforce. The DPN will also continue her work in coordinating with various business networks in the area to promote the hiring of individuals with disabilities.

FISCAL IMPACT

There will be no fiscal impact to the City because funds received will offset program expenditures.

CONCLUSION

NOVA’s Disability Program Navigator position has been funded since 2003 and has experienced great success in increasing the capacity of the CONNECT! collaborative to link individuals with disabilities with effective employment services. NOVA seeks approval to submit an application to the State of California for up to $200,000 to continue DPN services through June 30, 2007.

PUBLIC CONTACT

Public contact was made through posting of the Council agenda on the City's official notice bulletin board, posting of the agenda and report on the City's web page and the availability of the report in the Library and City Clerk's Office.

ALTERNATIVES

1. Council approves submission of an application to the State of California for continued Disability Program Navigator funding not to exceed $200,000 and authorizes the City Manager or her designee to execute the necessary grant agreement.

2. Council rejects submission of the application or requires the execution of the grant agreement to come back to Council.

3. Other action as determined by Council.

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended by staff that the Sunnyvale City Council, on behalf of the NOVA seven-city consortium, adopt Alternative 1: Council approves submission of an application to the State of California for continued Disability Program Navigator funding not to exceed $200,000 and authorizes the City Manager or her designee to execute the necessary grant agreement.

Reviewed by:

Michael J. Curran, Director
Department of Employment Development

Prepared by:
Jeanette Langdell
Employment Training Manager

Approved by:

Amy Chan
City Manager