Connecticut
This bill establishes a task force to study issues with publicly-funded transportation for people with disabilities (among other groups).
This bill increases the reimbursement rate minimum wage for providers of state-administered services for people with intellectual disabilities, including employment services.
This bill requires the state to develop a plan to establish a workforce development pipeline for people with disabilities.
This bill requires local or regional boards of education to inform the parents or guardians of children with disabilities about any relevant information and resources relating to IEPs, including information relating to transition resources and services for high school students.
This bill establishes a task force to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities, including by studying and making recommendations around expanding employment assistance programs for people with disabilities. Members include employed people with disabilities and the commissioners of Developmental Services, Mental Health and Addiction Services, Labor and Rehabilitation Services.
This bill requires IEPs of students with autism spectrum disorder to include appropriate measurable postsecondary goals (based upon transition assessments related to training, education and employment), and to indicate the transition services needed to assist a child in reaching those goals.
This bill requires the Commissioner of Education to assign one vocational rehabilitation consultant to act as a liaison staff member to the Advisory Board for Persons Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.
This bill requires the Advisory Board for Persons Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing to periodically meet with the commissioners of Social Services, Education, Developmental Services and Labor (among others) to discuss best practices and gaps in services for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.
This bill permits a person whose driver's license has been withdrawn as a result of a medical or physical health condition to operate a motor vehicle while accompanied by personnel from the driver training unit for people with disabilities.
This bill requires that a statement of transition service needs be included in a student's IEP, beginning at or before the student reaches the age of 14.
These Centers provide workforce assistance to job seekers and employers. Vocational Rehabilitation counselors are co-located at American Job Centers to encourage clients to register for applicable services available through partner programs. Technologists offer technical assistance to Job Centers on approaches to increasing the accessibility of the centers and partner services.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
This program enables individuals with disabilities, service providers and others to learn about, access, and acquire assistive technology needed for education, employment, and community living. Services include device demonstrations, reutilization, loans, and financing.
Operating Entity: Connecticut State Department of Aging and Disability Services, Connecticut Tech Act Project (CTTAP)
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
This program provides consultation and information for those receiving disability benefits, who need help understanding eligibility and the impact work may have on their benefits.
Operating Entity: Connecticut State Department of Aging and Disability Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
The Business Enterprise Program helps people who are blind become food service or vending operators.
Operating Entity: Connecticut State Department of Aging and Disability Services, Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
CAP helps individuals who experience problems when applying for or receiving vocational rehabilitation or independent living services. This includes advising and informing individuals of their rights and providing advocacy services.
Operating Entity: Disability Rights Connecticut
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program provides personalized college support for students with learning and social challenges. This includes providing high school students with an introduction to college, and college students with ongoing support. The program consists of an Individualized College Plan, peer mentorship, pre-employment training, self-advocacy training, and more. It is a collaboration between College Steps, high schools, colleges, families, and agencies.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
This program helps ensure underserved parents of children with disabilities, including low-income parents, parents of children who are English learners, and parents with disabilities, have the training and information they need to enable them to participate effectively in helping their children.
Operating Entity: African Caribbean American Parents of Children with Disabilities, Inc. (AFCAMP)
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program helps individuals with disabilities receiving Social Security Disability Benefits to better understand the impact that returning to work will have on their disability benefits.
Operating Entity: Connecticut State Department of Aging and Disability Services, Bureau of Rehabilitation Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
This program helps individuals with disabilities of all ages, as well as family members, employers, educators and other professionals, access assistive technology devices and services. Services include financial loans, device demos, device loans, and a device reuse program.
Operating Entity: Connecticut State Department of Aging and Disability Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
The Connecticut Transition Community of Practice (CoP) is comprised of multiple stakeholder groups that have come together to enhance the transition of youth with disabilities to adult life. The CoP centralize all activities, resources, and initiatives related to secondary transition and provides information and support to students, families, and professionals.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
CTYLP provides youth and young adults with disabilities with opportunities for self-discovery, the development of self-advocacy, decision making, and problem-solving skills to maximize their leadership potential.
Operating Entity: Connecticut Youth Leadership Project, Inc.
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program trains disability service providers and related staff to assist individuals with disabilities in obtaining customized employment. The training takes place over three days and focuses on discovery of strengths, skills, and needs, as well as job development and systematic instruction. It is a collaboration between the Connecticut Developmental Disabilities Network and the University of Connecticut's Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
This program provides counseling related to special language, communication, and socioeconomic problems unique to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families. Focus areas include connections with community resources, educational consultations and post-secondary education preparation, and assistance with developing self-advocacy skills, managing communication barriers, and dealing with challenges related to being deaf or hard of hearing.
Operating Entity: Connecticut State Department of Aging and Disability Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
This program provides a range of services to assist individuals with disabilities in preparing for and attaining work. Services include vocational evaluation, assistance preparing for interviews, job placement services, job coaching, supported employment, employment skills technology training, preparation for jobs in the janitorial industry, and more.
Operating Entity: Easterseals Capital Region & Eastern Connecticut
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
The Employment Opportunities Program (EOP) enables individuals with the most significant disabilities who need on-going support to maintain competitive employment after stability has been achieved and who are not eligible for on-going employment support from other sources.
Operating Entity: Connecticut State Department of Aging and Disability Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
This program assists individuals with mental health conditions in assessing their job interests and skills, identifying jobs in the community which match those interests, and securing work. Individuals can also receive on-the-job support in their place of employment.
Operating Entity: Mental Health Connecticut
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program provides coordinated vocational employment services, including industry-specific training programs, to adults ages 21 and older with developmental disabilities.
Operating Entity: State of Connecticut Department of Developmental Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
The Arc Connecticut offers a family education workshop series called "Navigate to Advocate," which provides families the information they need to advocate for their loved ones with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Workshops include "After the Cap & Gown: How to Plan for the Future for an Adult Child with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities.”
Operating Entity: The Arc Connecticut
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program provides a range of independent living services to people with disabilities at Centers for Independent Living across the state. Services include help connecting to local services, assistance with job searches, local transit skills training, assistive technology help, peer mentoring support, assistance with school-to-career transitions, self-advocacy help, and more.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
This program helps legally blind individuals develop independent living skills. Program counselors provide orientation and mobility training, Rehabilitation Teaching, Children’s Services, and Vocational Rehabilitation services. Other areas of instruction include financial management and independent travel skills.
Operating Entity: Connecticut State Department of Aging and Disability Services, Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
This program provides students aged 16-21 with tools, training and resources to work competitively and forge a path to independence. Services include vocational and career counseling, job search tools, on-the-job and hands-on work experience, assistive technology services and training, school-to-work services, self-advocacy support and training, peer mentoring services, workplace readiness training, benefits counseling, and ongoing resource support.
Operating Entity: Connecticut State Department of Aging and Disability Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
This program supports Parent Training and Information Centers and Community Parent Resource Centers in 12 eastern states plus DC and two territories. Services include one-to-one consultations, trainings and webinars, peer-to-peer mentoring, site visits, non-profit management tools, and more.
Operating Entity: Navigating Excellence Parent Center Assistance & Collaboration Team (NE-PACT)
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program provides a variety of direct services for children and youth with disabilities, families, professionals, and other organizations that support them. This includes helping parents participate effectively in their children’s education and development and partnering with professionals and policymakers to improve outcomes for children with disabilities.
Operating Entity: Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
These programs offer students with intellectual disabilities an opportunity to take college classes, engage in career development and independent living activities, and participate in the social life of a college campus.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Pre-ETS assist students with disabilities in identifying career interests and developing skills to be successful in the workplace. This includes five required activities: job exploration counseling, work-based learning experiences, workplace readiness training, counseling on comprehensive transition or postsecondary educational programs, and instruction in self-advocacy.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Project SEARCH is a one-year transition-to-work program for students with significant disabilities that includes classroom instruction, career exploration, and internship rotations. It is a collaboration between local businesses, state agencies, local school systems, and other entities, and is offered at several locations.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
This program protects individuals with disabilities by empowering them and advocating on their behalf. This includes providing information and referrals, providing training and technical assistance to service providers, and conducting self-advocacy training.
Operating Entity: Disability Rights Connecticut
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program provides information, training and technical assistance, and support to youth and young adults with disabilities and their families, including transition services to help youth and their families navigate multiple programs and service systems; actively participate in the development of plans for independence; and collaborate with transition professionals. It is a collaborative effort between Parent Centers in nine northeastern states.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Every child who is legally blind or visually impaired in the state and who is participating in public education is registered in a database that allows the Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program to track clients who want to participate in VR services. Counselors work with students, families, and educators to identify careers of interest and develop career exploration opportunities and work and job shadowing experiences.
Operating Entity: Connecticut State Department of Aging and Disability Services, Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
These Centers assist individuals with psychiatric or mental-health-related disabilities with obtaining skills necessary for success in living, working, learning and social environments. Program activities and services can include culinary skills training, customer service skill training, computer skills training, GED preparation and coursework, job readiness training, and Intro to Employment.
Operating Entity: Connecticut State Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
This program provides employment and education services to individuals with a mental health diagnosis, including career planning, job search assistance, job placement, on- and off-the-job coaching, and career advancement services.
Operating Entity: Connecticut State Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
This program provides culturally relevant vocational rehabilitation services to assist Alaska Native and American Indian individuals with disabilities residing on or near reservations in the state to prepare for and engage in gainful employment. Program services are provided under an individualized plan for employment.
Operating Entity: Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation
Entity Type: Other
This program helps individuals who are legally blind or visually impaired acquire the training and skills necessary to obtain, retain and advance into competitive integrated employment. Participants receive assistance with assistive technology, vocational counseling, funding for training at post-secondary educational institutions, information and referral services, and pre-employment transition services.
Operating Entity: Connecticut State Department of Aging and Disability Services, Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
This program helps individuals with disabilities prepare for, find, and keep a job. It offers individualized services including vocational counseling, benefits counseling, job search assistance, school-to-work transition services, skills training and career education in college and/or vocational schools, on-the-job training, assistive technology services and training, vehicle and home modification, and supported employment services.
Operating Entity: Connecticut State Department of Aging and Disability Services, Bureau of Rehabilitation Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
This program help out-of-school and in-school youth with one or more barriers to employment (including having a disability) prepare for and secure employment and postsecondary education opportunities. Services include tutoring; work experiences; occupational skills training; leadership development opportunities; and postsecondary education and training preparation activities.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
This program helps individuals with disabilities who are receiving Social Security Disability benefits make informed choices about work and make a successful transition to self-sufficiency.
Operating Entity: Rhode Island College, Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities
Entity Type: College / University
This program provides classroom learning, hands-on field experiences, and summer camps to enable youth with disabilities to explore their own path to independence and adulthood. The programs are peer-to-peer and promote self-help, self-reliance, and self-advocacy.
Operating Entity: Center for Disability Rights
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program was funded by the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund starting in 2021 to support mental health programs for college students, including through increased access to and availability of care, education and awareness and training.
Operating Entity: Connecticut Governor’s Office, Office of the Commissioner, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
Topic(s): Mental Health
The Connecticut Special Education Division Director released a memorandum which addressed continued educational opportunities and the impact on special education. More specifically, it addresses the access and equity requirements, communication with families, and implementation in relation to certain federal special education procedural requirements.
Operating Entity: Connecticut Department of Education
This webpage provides information on Long-COVID, including symptoms, causes and treatments.
Operating Entity: Yale Medicine
Topic(s): Long-COVID
This webpage provides links to resources related to managing mental health needs during the pandemic, including fact sheets and information on support lines.
Operating Entity: Connecticut's Official State Website
Topic(s): Mental Health
The Connecticut Department of Education released a document that shares the requirements and a framework for reopening schools during the 2020–21 school year in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The document shares a framework for distance learning, IEP provision and transition services.
Operating Entity: Connecticut Department of Education
Connecticut created a document that describes their distance learning plan. This document includes a list of resources for students with disabilities, as well as their families and educators, that can be found on page 24. These resources include resources to help provide a strong online learning experience and links to important state policies regarding online learning.
Operating Entity: Connecticut Department of Education
The Connecticut Department of Education dedicated a web page to Special Education Guidance and Resources for COVID-19. The web page has sections for families, educators, and school district leaders. Resources range from assistive technology, professional development, telehealth, federal guidance, and much more.
Operating Entity: Connecticut Department of Education