HARRISBURG – Gov. Edward G. Rendell said a $1.2 million “Disability Program Navigator” investment will help Pennsylvanians with disabilities reach their goal of becoming part of the commonwealth’s workforce.
The governor said the grant will make Pennsylvania CareerLink services more accessible and easier to manage.
“The goal of our PA CareerLink system is to serve the employment needs of all Pennsylvanians,” Rendell said. “With this investment, we will be able to make our services more accessible to people with disabilities.”
The Disability Program Navigator initiative will place nine “navigators,” or employment specialists, into PA CareerLinks in the eastern, central, and western regions of the state. This move will increase the state’s ability to help job seekers with disabilities. The navigators will also perform outreach to employers to find new employment and career opportunities available to individuals with disabilities. The nine navigators will also be overseen by a statewide Disability Program Navigator coordinator.
“This program is a useful compliment to our already successful Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, which provides rehabilitation, education and employment services to our most severely disabled residents,” the governor said. “Navigators will help us better serve individuals who are not eligible for OVR services; allow those individuals to still benefit from the commonwealth’s workforce development programs; and help them become contributing members of our world-class workforce.”
The money will cover two years and is made possible through a joint effort by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Social Security Administration, which developed the Disability Navigator Program in 2003. Since then, 47 states – including the District of Colombia and Puerto Rico – have participated.
In addition to the Pennsylvania CareerLink Web site, in-person services are provided at more than 70 sites statewide to job seekers and employers looking for more information about employment and training services, résumé writing skills, interview skills and business services. To access the Pennsylvania CareerLink Web site, visit the PA PowerPort at www.state.pa.us, PA Keyword: jobs.