Is vasopressin what's lacking in the brains of those with autism?
May 3rd, 2018
Outside the brain, vasopressin helps regulate blood pressure and fluid retention. But in the brain, it has long been thought to play a role in social, sexual and nurturing behavior. And because it interacts with male hormones such as testosterone, some scientists suspect it could be implicated in autism, which affects boys at about four times the rate that it does girls.
So researchers from Stanford University, UC San Francisco and UC Davis decided to explore whether vasopressin levels might be a biological marker for autism. In both humans and rhesus monkeys, they found, levels of the hormone in cerebrospinal fluid — generally a clue to its concentration in the brain — were markedly higher in individuals without social deficits than they were in the least social members of both groups.
The growing acceptance of autism in the workplace
February 11th, 2018
We like to think that good work is always rewarded. But what if some people who could do good work can't their foot in the door in the first place? That's where recent hiring initiatives that look beyond unfair stereotypes come in, as Lee Cowan reports in our Cover Story:
Twenty-seven-year-old Christopher Pauley thought he had it all figured out when it came to looking for a job.
He had a detailed spreadsheet of each and every position he applied for -- at least 600.
But despite his degree in computer science from California Polytechnic State University, he went two years with barely a nibble.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month: Employers and Employees Benefit from Workforce Diversity
November 15th, 2017
Before Michelle Katagiri-Mena moved to Orange County, most of the people who worked with her had no idea how much she could accomplish if she were simply given an opportunity. Working in a sheltered workshop, she performed piecework that was not challenging for her and earned around 90 cents an hour. Today, the vibrant 23-year-old is employed by CHOC Children's, where she earns $15 an hour and is a valued and respected member of the food services department on the main hospital campus in Orange.
The turning point for Michelle, who has autism, was her participation in the Gillman Project SEARCH internship program at CHOC, which gives young adults with developmental disabilities the opportunity to intern in various hospital departments to gain valuable work experience. Her Regional Center of Orange County service coordinator spotted her potential soon after she began receiving services through RCOC and suggested she apply. After the internship, Michelle was hired by CHOC, where she continues to receive RCOC-funded support from a job coach with Integrated Resources Institute.
"In honor of October's National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we want employers to know more about the benefits of hiring the people we serve," said RCOC's Executive Director Larry Landauer. "Michelle's story illustrates how, with the right coaching, many people with developmental disabilities can work effectively side-by-side with typical employees, and truly enhance the workplace."
Cast of 'Born This Way' Responds to Winning Two Emmys and Making History
September 19th, 2017
The Creative Arts Emmys aired Saturday night on FXX, and for fans of “Born This Way,” the award show did not disappoint.
“Born This Way” was nominated for six Emmys and took home two: Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program and Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program.
Reality TV's 'Born This Way' featuring Orange County cast members wins Emmy
September 14th, 2016
“Born This Way,” the A&E reality television series that includes three Orange County residents in its cast of young adults with Down syndrome, pulled off a minor upset at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Sunday, defeating bigger and better-known shows to take home the Emmy for outstanding unstructured reality program.
Amendment of Americans With Disabilities Act Title II and Title III Regulations To Implement ADA Amendments Act of 2008
August 14th, 2016
The Department of Justice (Department) is issuing this final rule to amend its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations in order to incorporate the statutory changes to the ADA set forth in the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADA Amendments Act or the Act), which took effect on January 1, 2009. In response to earlier Supreme Court decisions that significantly narrowed the application of the definition of “disability” under the ADA, Congress enacted the ADA Amendments Act to restore the understanding that the definition of “disability” shall be broadly construed and applied without extensive analysis.
CONSUMER JOINS RCOC BOARD
April 18th, 2016
Steven Mesinas, an RCOC consumer who has an intellectual disability, has joined the Board of Directors for a one-year term that began on January 7.
A resident of Tustin, Steven is a proud member of the crew at the Trader Joe’s market where he has worked for the past three years. He also volunteers with Best Buddies, helping others with disabilities. Since helping adult consumers to secure paid employment is such a high priority for RCOC, Steven’s successful experience in the competitive workplace is very valuable. His employer views him as a dedicated and responsible team member.
JUDGE APPROVES SHIFT AWAY FROM SHELTERED WORKSHOPS
January 6th, 2016
A settlement in a first-of-its-kind lawsuit is set to reshape a state-run employment program for people with disabilities that has been heavily dependent on sheltered workshops.
Under an agreement finalized just before the new year, 1,115 Oregon residents with disabilities who are employed in sheltered workshops will receive jobs in the community that pay at least minimum wage over the next seven years.
An additional 7,000 individuals with disabilities in the state – including 4,900 between the ages of 14 and 24 – will receive employment services so that they will have an opportunity to obtain traditional jobs.
A&E NETWORK TO PREMIERE NEW ORIGINAL DOCU-SERIES 'BORN THIS WAY' TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8th AT 10:00 PM ET/PT
December 2nd, 2015
Two of our clients in this series were selected for this A&E TV show and went a little Hollywood on us us - VERY cool! Steven has two jobs: at Albertsons Grocery and LA Angels and aspires to be an actor. Sean is a now a hard working man at Home Depot and enjoys the life of a college student at Saddleback College and also loves the arts : acting, music, and is quite a dancer. Both gents are following their dreams!!! These two young men are great guys with wonderful meani ngful lives and contributing at work and in their communities! We at Integrated Resources Institute (IRI) are blessed to be of service to Steven and Sean! Check out these two great links!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SJcP5MQ5Ys
http://www.aetv.com/shows/born-this-way
25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
July 24th, 2015
This week marks the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For 40 years, TASH has been at the forefront of the disability rights movement, advancing humans rights and inclusion for people with disabilities. This week we're joining the celebration in Washington, DC. How are you celebrating?
Billionaire Urges Disability Hiring
October 11th, 2014
One of the richest people in the world is calling on employers to join him in hiring people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim and Best Buddies founder Anthony Shriver kicked off a new campaign Tuesday to encourage expanded employment opportunities for people with intellectual disability, autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and other special needs.
A Couple Gaining Independence, and Finding a Bond
October 4th, 2014
Lori Sousa knew Peter Maxmean was her soul mate when they first met, and now they are showing how people with intellectual disabilities can live, work and thrive in a community.
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A Sunday wedding that was months away, then weeks away, then days away, is now hours away, and there is so much still to do. The bride is panicking, and the groom is trying to calm her between anxious puffs of his cigarette.
Peter and Lori are on their own.
With time running out, they visit a salon to have Lori’s reddish-brown hair coiled into ringlets. They pay $184 for a two-tier cake at Stop & Shop, where the checkout clerk in Lane 1 wishes them good luck. They buy 30 helium balloons, only to have Peter realize in the Party City parking lot that the bouncing bobble will never squeeze into his car.
Lori, who is feeling the time pressure, insists that she can hold the balloons out the passenger-side window. A doubtful Peter reluctantly gives in.
October is National Disabilitiy Employment Awareness Month!
October 3rd, 2014
NDEAM is led by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy, but its true spirit lies in the many observances held at the grassroots level across the nation every year. Learn how you can support NDEAM by visiting the ODEP website: www.dol.gov/odep/.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month is here. Celebrate it this October and all year round: www.dol.gov/odep/. #NDEAM
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month! Learn more at http://bit.ly/NDEAMToolkit #NDEAM
Order your free National Disability Employment Awareness Month poster at . http://bit.ly/NDEAMPoster #NDEAM
How are you observing National Disability Employment Awareness Month? #NDEAM
Subminimum Wage Protest: Disability Advocates Protest SourceAmerica
September 3rd, 2014
On Thursday, August 28th, members of APSE, the National Federation of the Blind, the National Council on Independent Living, ADAPT, Little People of America, and TASH participated in a protest outside of the headquarters of SourceAmerica (formerly the National Industries for the Severly Handicapped or NISH) in Vienna, VA.
This informational protest was to raise awareness of SourceAmerica's discrimination against workers with disabilities by awarding contracts to some non-profits that pay people with disabilities subminimum wages. We think it is important to share that we understand that SourceAmerica is taking steps to change their practices but we believe these changes are not substantialenough.
If you would like to learn more about the protest and/or to share your thoughts on how we can help SourceAmerica adopt 21st century business practices please visit APSE's blog.
Supported Employement SE on Vocational Rehabilitation
WIA and Rehabilitation Act Reauthorization
Integrated Resources Institute 2013 Annual Report
Title II ADA Investigation of the City of Providence Regarding the Harold A. Birch Vocational Program at Mount Pleasant High School
Activists say Goodwill exploits workers with penny wages
June 2nd, 2013
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
ACTIONS Speak Louder Than Words
May 20th, 2013
As employment agencies tackle the goal of transforming their services to increase community employment for individuals with disabilities, how do they send a consistent message to employers and to the community at large that people who experience disability are competent workers? The responsibility of consistent messaging goes far beyond the role of the job developers. If a community and employers are familiar with an agency as “that large building where people with disabilities go because they can’t work in the community,” steps need to be taken to change that perception.
As agencies think about transforming their services they need to plan to transform their community image as well. What does the name of your agency portray to employers? Does it send a message about meaningful employment and competence, or does it solicit feelings of pity or charity? What activity does your agency participate in for fundraising? Do these activities portray individuals with disabilities as competent members of their communities or as people that need to be served and cared for?
What is your agency doing to promote employment and leadership of consumers with disabilities within their own agency? Are people with disabilities hired into valued agency jobs? Are they mentored to learn new skills and progress in their career? Do people with disabilities serve on the agency’s board of directors and participate in meaningful ways? Do people with disabilities participate in staff recruitment and interviews, staff development and performance evaluations?
Engaging all agency staff to support positive imaging for people with disabilities will aid your agency to increase employment outcomes for the people they serve. In essence, the job development staff could be quadrupled without creating additional positions. Messages are communicated to future employers, coworkers and neighbors about the competence of people with disabilities through the language support staff use when they talk about people or to people with disabilities. Agency staff are modeling to community members how to interact with people with disabilities through their own interactions with the people they support. Even the specific activities they participate in while in the community with people sends messages to the community that can support or undermine the agency’s goal at increasing community employment for the people they serve.
Ellen Condon is the Transition Projects Director at the University of Montana’s Rural Institute on Disabilities, and a member of the TASH Employment Committee.
IRI announces new Program Director
November 5th, 2009
Joseph Nacario to lead premier job development firm for persons with disabilities.
TASH
Equity, Opportunity, and Inclusion for People with Disabilities...
RCOC Dialogue
Volume 27 No.1 Winter 2013
A Quarterly Publication of the Reginal Center of Orange County...
United States’ Investigation of Employment and Vocational Services for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Oregon Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act
June 29th, 2012
Dear Attorney General Kroger:...
Written Comment to Council's Ad Hoc Committee on Sub-minimum Wage
June 7th, 2012
Thank you for the opportunity to provide input to the Council’s work on Sub-minimum Wage utilization by sheltered workshops in the United States.
I have been fortunate to be involved in the education and vocational employment efforts for persons with significant disabilities for over 3 decades. During that time I have directed several local, state, and federal demonstration and research grants regarding integrated community employment of persons with significant disabilities. I have also led a number of local, state, national, and international private sector corporate initiatives that have resulted in over 20,000 documented integrated work opportunities for persons with disabilities.
During this time, I have been focused as well on community integrated work placements for persons with significant disabilities in Orange County, California. Our local non-profit integrated work organization program, MentorWorks, exclusively offers services to individuals with significant disabilities that have been denied access to local sheltered workshops. These individuals have been labeled as unemployable by the sheltered workshops and/or their referral and funding sources. We also employ a zero reject intake model for clients that are referred to our program. Our sole requirement for admittance to our program is the potential client’s interest in work...