JAN Announces Winter Webcast Series

The Job Accommodation Network is providing three 1.5 hour

Webcast sessions to begin the firstweek of December 2009

The three part series will cover the hiring and employment of people with disabilities in the Federal government and thereasonable accommodation process. JAN welcomes guest speakers from theEqual Employment Opportunity Commission, the Office of PersonnelManagement, DoD's Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program, and the USDA TARGET Center.

Audience members will include federal disabilityprogram managers, hiring managers, supervisors, EEO representatives,selective placement coordinators, and others who may be involved inhiring and managing workers in the Federal government.

Registration is open at: http://www.jan.wvu.edu/webcast/RegisterFed/

Listening Session for Disability Stakeholders

The U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and Employment and Training Administration (ETA) will hold a National Workforce Investment Act (WIA) "listening session" for disability stakeholders on October 1, 2009 from 2:00-5:00 pm ET. The purpose of the session is to gather recommendations from a disability perspective for the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.

To participate in this event, visit: http://www.dol.gov/odep/documents/Stakeholder.pdf

Bob Cox, NRA Treasurer 2010

TRA Congratulates Bob Cox on his election as

NRA Treasurer, beginning 2010.

Way to go, Bob!!!

Disability Disparities Event- NID

From the National Institute on Disability--

Dr. Allen Lewis, Chair of Virginia Commonwealth University, Dept. of Rehabilitation Counseling, will facilitate the upcoming webcast entitled "Disability Disparities" Wed., Sept. 23, 2009, from 2 pm to 2:45 PM EST. It is sponsored by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR).

Other participants include Mr. Andrew J. Imparato, Esq. President/CEO of American Association of Persons with Disabilities; Dr. Keith Wilson, Full Professor of Education and Rehabilitation Services and African American Studies at Penn State University, and Dr. Phil Rumril, Director of Disability Studies at Kent State University’s Educational Foundation and Special Services.

Webcast registration:
http://www.vcu-projectempowerment.org/training/upcomingWebcasts.cfm

AARA Fall Conference

Austin Area Rehabilitation Association2009 All-Day Fall Conference

Tuesday, September 29th8:00 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.

Earn 6.5 CEU Hours (1.5 Ethics)

$20 Early Registration/ $25 At-the-Door (Lunch Included)

Location: Goodwill Industries of Central Texas1015 Norwood Park Boulevard, Austin, TX 78753 (near I-35 & Hwy. 183)

NOTE: EARLY REGISTRATION EXTENDED TO WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23rd.

For more information, write: AustinAreaRehabAssoc@gmail.com

FCC Annouces New Disability Rights Information

WAHINGTON, DC-- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced information about informal consumer complaints processed by its Disability Rights Office during the first quarter of 2009. The complaints covered access to telecommunications services and equipment, telecommunications relay services (TRS), closed captioning, accessibility of video programming providing emergency information, and hearing aid compatibility. For details, please visit: http://www.disability.gov/

VCU Autism Spectrum Disorders Webcast

Please join a webcast hosted by SEDL's Vocational Rehabilitation Service Models for Autism Spectrum Disorders Project!

Wednesday, September 30, 2009: Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Autism Spectrum Disorders Career Links. The featured presenter is Jennifer Todd McDonough, M.S., C.R.C., Associate Director of Training for the VCU-RRTC.

The 60-minute webcast will begin at 3:00pm Eastern; 2:00pm Central; 1:00pm Mountain; 12:00pm Pacific; 11:00am Alaska; 9:00am Hawaii. The webcast is presented in collaboration with the Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) program at Memorial HermanTIRR.
Webcast Registration (no fee to participate): http://cts.vresp.com/c/?SEDL/8ebdc6bec7/b956cadbb5/ab7afad651

San Antonio Chapter Conference

SAARA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2009
(SEE ATTACHED AGENDA)
REGISTRATION FEE $90
BROCHURE BEING MAILED SOON

MOTEL INFORMATION:
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS
16315 SAN PEDRO (HWY 281 NORTH)
LOCAL NUMBER: 210-402-3300
OR 877-727-8483
RATES $99-129 SINGLE OR DOUBLE
FREE SHUTTLE TO TRAINING SITE ON FRIDAY

October TRA Board Meeting

NEXT TRA BOARD MEETING
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2009
1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

LOCATION: EASTER SEALS
2203 BABCOCK RD
SAN ANTONIO, TX

210-614-3911 (CONTACT EASTER SEALS FOR DIRECTIONS)

Former Rehab Provider Sentenced For Fraud

(HOUSTON) - James Earl Dunn Jr., 39, former owner and operator of Rehab Specialist Inc. (RSI), has been sentenced to 33 months confinement in federal prison by United States District Judge Lee Rosenthal for submitting more than $300,000 in fraudulent claims against the government, United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today. The sentence was handed down late yesterday evening.

Dunn received contracts from the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), formerly known as the Texas Rehabilitation Commission, from funds awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, to provide vocational rehabilitation training to individuals with mental and physical disabilities.
Indicted in May 2007, Dunn pleaded guilty Aug. 12, 2008, to one count of submitting fraudulent claims against the government acknowledging in his plea agreement that during the years 2001 to 2003 he had fraudulently obtained federal vocational rehabilitation funds through DARS by claiming that he was providing employment training and coaching to clients with disabilities when, in fact, the clients were not receiving such training.

"Dunn knowingly and willfully abused his position of trust to steal funds that were supposed to be used to provide needed education and vocational rehabilitation to disabled adults. That is unacceptable,” said Mary Mitchelson, acting Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education. “I’m proud of the work of Office of Inspector General Special Agents, the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services and the U.S. Attorney's Office for holding this man accountable for his fraudulent actions.”
Dunn, who has been on bond, has been permitted to remain on bond pending the issuance by the court of an order to surrender to a Bureau of Prisons facility to be designated in the near future.

The investigation was conducted by special agents with the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General and the DARS Investigations Unit. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Quincy L. Ollison.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ANGELA DODGE FRIDAY, SEPT. 4, 2009 PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/TXS (713) 567-9388

August 2009 Disability Employment Statistics Released

August 2009 Disability Employment Statistics Released:
According to the Office of Disability Employment Policy in the United States Department of Labor, in August 2009, the percentage of people with disabilities in the labor force was 22.2 compared with 71.2 for persons with no disability. The unemployment rate for those with disabilities was 16.9 percent, compared with 9.3 percent for persons with no disability, not seasonally adjusted.

"2010 Changes to Medicare" Event

Beginning January 1, 2010, changes in the law will make it easier for some people to qualify for Extra Help with their Medicare prescription drug plan costs. Under the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act:

SSA will no longer count as a resource any life insurance policy; and
SSA will no longer count as income the help a person receives regularly from someone else to pay for household expenses.

Want to know more? You’re invited to participate in Social Security’s national webinar – "2010 Changes to Medicare Extra Help". Join Social Security for a discussion about these important changes. We also ask that you share the information about the webinar with your members, colleagues, and other interested parties.

The webinar will be hosted via http://www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp/webinarmedicare.htm on September 15, 2009 at 2 pm EDT. To RSVP for the webinar, please visit http://www.ssa.gov/survey/mipparsvpsurvey.htm
I hope that you will join us and I look forward to the opportunity to discuss the changes with you. Sincerely, Cheri Arnott Parlaman Associate Commissioner for External Affairs