ALASKA WORKS

Alaska’s TWWIIA Grants

Project Name	Alaska Works			Alaska WINS
Project Agency	Center for Human Development; University Affiliated Programs (UAP; UAA)			Center for Human Development UAP (UAA)
Project Contact	Karen Ward (UAA) 272-8270; Jennifer Jones (GCDSA) 269-8999			Karen Ward (UAA) 272-8270; Jennifer Jones (GCDSA) 269-8999
Federal Funding Source	Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)			Social Security Administration (SSA)
Funding Amount	Approximately $500,000/year			$50,000/year
Length of Grant	5 years			5 years
Project Objectives	Eliminate the barriers to employment faced by people with disabilities who receive public assistance funding			Develop a statewide system of benefits planning and assistance services
Grant Position(s)	Project Coordinator (1: Anchorage)	Resource Specialists (3: Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks)	Business Development Specialist (1: Anchorage)	Contract Benefits Specialists (5: Anchorage, Juneau, Kenai, Fairbanks)
Position Primary Function	Oversees daily activities of the project & implement state policy change.	Provide training and tecnhical assistance to Job Center & community agency staff.	Develop partnerships with targeted employers.	Disability benefit analysis, advisement and planning for clients statewide
Major Duties	§ Disseminate information on effective systems change approaches. § Coordinate regular “Think Tank” gatherings of stakeholders to determine direction of the grant.	§ Identify barriers that keep people with disabilities from benefiting from Job Centers. § Provide interagency staff training and technical assistance § Increase the use of SSA and APA work incentives.	§ Develop strong partnerships with business and industry. § Provide disability awareness and topic specific training to businesses and employers.	§ Profiles individual’s benefit and employment status. § Analyzes and reports on the potential impact of employment alternatives and use of work incentives on benefit status. § Assists individual in accessing available work incentives § Provides outreach to increase knowledge and awareness of work incentives and benefits planning

Project Name	Medicaid Infrastructure Grant*				Work Incentives Grant
Project Agency	Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education (GCDSE) / Division of Public Assistance (DPA)		GCDSE/ Division of Medical Assistance (DMA)		Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR)
Project Contact	Jennifer Jones (GCDSE) 269-8999 / Angela Salerno (DPA) 907-465-3200		Jon Sherwood (DMA) 907-465-5820		Michelle Morehouse (DVR) 269-3557
Federal Funding Source	Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formerly Health Care Finance Administration -- HCFA)				Department of Labor (DOL)
Funding Amount	Approximately $500,000/yr.				$300,000/yr
Length of Grant	4 years; potential for 7 year extension				2 ½ years
Project Objectives	Provide employment-related coordination to appropriate public assistance recipients	Train Public Assistance staff in strategies to promote recipient employment		Improve Medicaid services geared to support employment	Enhance the employability, employment and career advancement of people with disabilities through enhanced service delivery in the Job Centers
Grant Position(s)	Workforce Development Specialist (3: Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks) Disability Employment	APA Disability Employment Trainer (1: Anchorage)		Medicaid Policy Analyst (1: Juneau)	Program Coordinator (1:Anchorage)	Program Assistant (2: Kenai, Wasilla)
Position Primary Function	Coordination of vocational and employment-related services for DPA clients	Staff training		Medicaid policy and program recommendations	Oversee proposed grant activities (below)	Training and technical assistance for Job Center staff
Major Duties	§ Develops protocols and facilitates client referrals to employment-related services. § Coordinates community rehabilitation, vocational and employment services for APA recipients seeking employment. § Acts as a resource to eligibility staff and case managers regarding SSI/SSDI/APA employment incentives and wage and benefit interactions.	§ Conducts training in methods and strategies to promote employment of disabled recipients of public assistance benefits. § Determines training needs in the area of employment for people with disabilities, designs training plans, and develops materials and classroom modules. § Assists with organizational development activities, and facilitates group sessions for agencies serving people with disabilities.		§ Recommend Medicaid policy and program changes to improve services for working and potentially employed recipients with disabilities	§ Assistive Technology assessment, procurement, installation, and training § Adapt and create marketing materials for marketing Job Centers to disability organizations § Establish a fund to purchase benefits counseling for individuals with disabilities	§ Train Job Center staff on disability and employment issues § Market Job Center services to disability community

* This grant also incl udes funding to study the APA program; the scope of work is currently under development