The Griffin-Hammis Associates Customized Employment Podcast

Join Cary Griffin and his guests Tricia Jones Parkin from Utah's DSPD (Developmental Disabilities) and Aimee Langone from the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation (USOR) for an enlightening discussion of their efforts to embrace change; the adoption of Customized Employment; their approach to Staff Development and Certification in partnership with Griffin-Hammis Associates and Utah State University; their development of resources from the State Legislature, the U.S. Dept. of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy, and the Administration on Community Living; and their commitment to improving School to Work Transition outcomes. Aimee and Tricia present a replicable approach for states across the country.

Today we're joined by Dr. Teresa Grossi of the Indiana University Institute on Disability and Community. Teresa is one of the most influential and important people in the community employment movement. And Indiana, because of her, and a very long list of people, has always been a State everyone watches to see innovation and emerging practices. The long list of great Hoosiers includes many names you might recognize (some are transplants from other places) though: Dr. Pat Rogan, David Mank, Becky Banks, Steve Hall, Patty Cassidy, Bob Niemiec, Ron Rucker, Steve Savage, Patrick Sandy, Susan Renne, Derek Nord, Judith Gross…. Join us for a quick conversation for Teresa's insights on Community Employment!

Join host Cary Griffin with Dustin Erekson, Executive Director of CTA Community Supports in Utah, along with Dan Mead, Director of Business Supports and Sally Swenson, Residential Program Director.  CTA Community Supports is a unique organization in both its history and in its recent transformation, or conversion, to a community – integrated organization. Their transformation was swift. So fast in fact that many people in the field thought it perhaps reckless and ill advised. But at a time when so many leaders say “slow down,” CTA's leadership seems to say, “If you are on the wrong road, going slow still gets you to the same bad place.” So they made a new road that we'll talk about today.  

Join us as Chip Kenney discusses the role of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) funded WINTAC, housed at the Interwork Institute, San Diego State University. Cary and Chip discuss the core objectives of the WINTAC, it's national partners, and the role WINTAC is taking in expanding Pre-Employment Transition Services to Youth with disabilities and Customized Employment nationally. WINTAC is an important resource for State VR agencies and their vender network. Learn more by subscribing to the GHA podcast on iTunes.

Dr. Paul Wehman is arguably one of the most important figures in the development of sound Supported Employment practices. His research, his team, his practical approaches to employment shaped community employment worldwide. Join us as we discuss some of the critical people and events that changed the world of employment for the better!

Join Cary Griffin for an interesting conversation with 4 representatives of State Developmental Disability Councils from Idaho, Wyoming, Tennessee, and Utah. Recorded at the Annual Best Go West Rendezvous last August at Idaho's Lochsa Lodge, we discuss the role of Councils, their importance in exploring and promoting policy and systems change, and their commitment to Employment First.

Please join us for this edition of the Griffin-Hammis Associates Customized Employment Podcast. This time we're joined by some of the most inventive practitioners in the country including Ashlea Lantz of Candeo in Iowa, John Shoemaker of UWork in Utah, Daryl Ackley of ACES in Oregon, Russell Sickles formerly of Job Squad in West Virginia and now with Griffin-Hammis Associates, Jolene Thibedeau Boyd from Community Involvement Programs in Minnesota, and our special guest Sue-Ellen Woodlief, from the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (VR). Listen as we discuss their experiences implementing Customized Employment at the grassroots level from across the United States.

Steve Hall, former provider, school teacher, State DD and Mental Health Director, expert in Medicaid and systems change joins Cary for an informative and casual discussion concerning strategies for change and systems improvement. Check him out on Facebook and visit Steve's progressive blog at http://stephenhalldisabilitypolicy.com/

Join us for an informative talk with James Schmeling about their self-employment work through the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) and their family support projects. EBV in particular has seen tremendous results and we at Griffin-Hammis are proud to serve as faculty to the EBV at the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse, and at the expansion programs through the business schools at Florida State, Texas A & M, Purdue, UCONN, UCLA, et al.