Job seekers with disabilities enjoy the same opportunities for meaningful participation in the services we provide as do all job seekers who come through our doors. 

Materials in alternate formats and reasonable accommodations are provided upon request (advance notice may be required).  You are welcome to bring a job coach or other support person with you.  If you require additional assistance to understand the full range of services offered, please ask.  Feel free to request:

• An individual meeting rather than group orientation
• Help with filling out forms
• Materials in alternate formats

Our Center has three accessible workstations complete with:

• ZoomText
• JAWS
• Kurzweil 1000
• Duxbury Braille Translator
• MS Office XP
• BAT keyboard
• Headset
• Document holder

A scanner and Braille embosser are available upon request. 

We provide our deaf and hard of hearing customers with a vibrating/flashing pager so we can efficiently notify them of messages or announcements they may otherwise not be aware of.  A TTY is available in the Career Resource Center.

Programs and Services: In addition to general services and programs offered at the Center, we offer programs geared specifically towards job seekers with barriers to employment:

• Many Colleges, Lots of Questions: The Who, What & Why of Attending College:
  In collaboration with the Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS), this program is designed to give students with disabilities who are considering attending college the opportunity to learn more about their options and resources through a panel of college students and staff. Registration is required. Please view the Event Calendar for future dates.
• Preparing Young Professionals (PYP) Program:
  This nationally certified program is specifically designed for out-of-school youth ages 16-21 years of age who possess a barrier to employment. The 90-hour curriculum emphasizes skills needed to succeed in the workplace such as decision-making, interpersonal communication skills, and life-long learning. Upon successful completion, students will have the opportunity to gain a high-demand internship or job with area employers.

Fact Sheets: A series of fact sheets for job seekers with disabilities is available in the Career Resource Center.  These fact sheets discuss common questions and concerns about employment and disability.  The fact sheets are entitled: Assistive Technology; Career Options; Disclosure; Employment Options; Frustrated? Options for Action; Getting the Job You Want; School to Work; Supports and Services; Think You Can’t Work? Think Again; Where the Jobs Are; Your Rights and Responsibilities.   Hard copies of these fact sheets are available for you to take; ask for them in the Career Resource Center.  They are also available for download at http://www.mdworkforcepromise.org/iwd.html.

Employed Individuals with Disabilities Program: The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene administers the Employed Individuals with Disabilities (EID) program.  Also known as the Medicaid Buy-In, this program enables eligible Marylanders who are working to pay a small fee and receive health care coverage.  Learn more at www.mdworkforcepromise.org/eid.html.  To apply for the program, an individual or his/her representative must contact the Employed Individuals with Disabilities Call Center at 866-373-9651 (Voice) or 866-373-9652 (TTY).

Maryland Department of Disabilities:  The mission of Maryland’s Department of Disabilities (MDOD) is to empower individuals with disabilities to achieve their personal and professional goals in the communities where they live. Visit the MDOD website to learn about programs and services offered.

Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) is a partnering agency with a staff person on site.  Check the calendar of events for the next presentation of vocational rehabilitation services offered by DORS.  A DORS Overview PowerPoint is available for viewing either online or at the Career Resource Center. 

Job Accommodation Network:  The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a free service of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy.  JAN focuses on identifying job accommodations and providing technical assistance on the employment provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  JAN has developed an Employment Guide for jobseekers with disabilities.  This guide provides a four-step process with information, tools, and resources that can be used to find the right job.  Access the guide at http://www.jan.wvu.edu/job/. 

Work Incentive Planning and Assistance (WIPA):

WIPA projects provide all Social Security Administration beneficiaries with disabilities (including transition-to-work aged youth) access to benefits planning and assistance services. Benefits InfoSource, the WIPA project within Independence Now, Inc, serves Frederick County. For more information or to speak with a CWIC (Community Work Incentives Coordinator), call 301-587-4137 or 888-838-1776 (TTY, use Maryland Relay 711).  You can also visit their website at www.innow.org.

Social Security Administration:  Visit the Social Security Administration's (SSA) website at www.ssa.gov to learn about all of the programs SSA administers for individuals with disabilities. 

Maryland WorkFORCE Promise:  Maryland WorkFORCE Promise promotes the personal and professional independence of individuals with disabilities by effecting systems change to eliminate barriers to employment.  Grant funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy, Maryland WorkFORCE Promise offers a state-wide resource center for jobseekers and their families, businesses, and service providers.  Visit the website for a variety of resources on employment and individuals with disabilities.