UPDATE on the California Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities (CGCEPD) and the Implementation of Assembly Bill 925 August 15, 2003 NOTE: The California Governor's Committee has been going through a time of transition since the passage of Assembly Bill 925 on September 29, 2002, which greatly expanded its responsibility and authority. (The committee was originally created in 1947 by Executive Order and has been reauthorized by every California Governor.) We value the participation of our numerous community, state and national partners in working together to shape our new future. To keep you better informed and encourage your continued participation, we are providing this update. We welcome your input. What is happening with the many projects and activities the Governor's Committee created and was involved in before AB 925 was passed? It is very important to emphasize that the authors of AB 925 purposely crafted legislation that is creative, progressive and flexible. There are certain responsibilities specifically outlined, such as, "the Governor's Committee shall report annually to the Legislature and the Governor on the employment status of Californians with disabilities." In addition to these stated priorities, the bill also says, "the California Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities shall also coordinate and provide leadership, as necessary, with regard to efforts to increase inclusion in the workforce of persons with disabilities". Such language allows the Governor's Committee the latitude to continue to provide statewide leadership to create and implement important projects as part of its mandate. With the current difficult economic situation, the committee's challenge is to identify the priorities it must focus on to have the most statewide impact on its mandate of increasing employment opportunities for Californians with disabilities. All activities must be continually evaluated for their effectiveness in reaching this goal. Current committee projects include: * Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities (YLF) * Media Access Office and Awards Program * California Business Leadership Network (CABLN) * Annual Employer Awards (recognizing best business practices) * Affiliated Community Mayors Committees * Disability Awareness/Employment Education (including "Windmills" training, educational publications service, training on access/ADA compliance to One-Stop Career Centers) * Annual Scholarships (Hal Connolly Scholar-Athlete Award and Learning Disability College Scholarship) What about the Affiliated Community Mayor's Committees throughout California? We truly value the committed volunteers involved in our partnerships with our Affiliated Community Mayor's Committees. Our current plans include continuing to support their many worthwhile community employment programs. We do realize, however, that exactly how we support them is subject to change. Many factors influence this situation, including our greatly reduced budget and our newly mandated priorities. What are the newly mandated responsibilities of AB 925? AB 925, known as the "Workforce Inclusion Act", became effective January 1, 2003. The five major provisions of the legislation, affecting the Governor's Committee and its partners, are as follows: 1. Requires California's new Labor and Workforce Development Agency, in collaboration with the Health and Human Services Agency, to implement a sustainable, comprehensive strategy to bring people with disabilities into employment at a rate comparable to that of the general adult population. 2. Allows state-funded personal assistance services to be available in the workplace as well as in the home. 3. Engages the newly empowered Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities to increase and improve cooperation between the Department of Health Services, the Employment Development Department (EDD) and other state agencies and private employers. 4. Requires State and Local Workforce Investment Boards to include people with disabilities, if permitted by federal law. 5. Provides for training and benefits planning to include the Departments of Health Services (DHS), Social Services (DSS), and Rehabilitation (DOR) as a means to foster self-sufficiency and improved employment outcomes for people with disabilities, when funds become available. It also states that the Governor's Committee shall: "provide support to the State Workforce Investment Board and the local one-stop centers in their efforts to achieve full compliance with Sections 18002, 18004, 18006, and 18008 of the Unemployment Insurance Code; identify the extent to which any one-stop centers are not in full compliance with those sections and the reasons for the lack of compliance, including the need for additional resources; and meet quarterly with the California Health Incentive Improvement Project and its steering committee, if funding is available and if project goals are compatible." In addition to these stated priorities, the bill also says, "the California Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities shall also coordinate and provide leadership, as necessary, with regard to efforts to increase inclusion in the workforce of persons with disabilities". Such language allows the Governor's Committee the latitude to continue to provide statewide leadership to develop important, innovative projects, which support the intent of the legislation. AB 925 requires that the Governor's Committee collaborate with the California Health Incentives Improvement Project. What is this project? In response to a Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG) application to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the California Department of Health Services (DHS) received a $500,000 transitional grant in 2002, which established the California Health Incentives Improvement Project. The mission of the California Health Incentives Improvement Project (also known as the "MIG Grant") is to build an infrastructure in California that fosters gainful employment of youth and adults with disabilities at rates that are comparable to the employment rates of the general population, by: * Assuring the provision of streamlined and uninterrupted access to appropriate health care coverage and related supports from public and private sectors; and, * Encouraging proactive intergovernmental and community collaboration to remove barriers to employment of people with disabilities, particularly health care and personal assistance services barriers. How is the Governor's Committee organized to get our work done? We have volunteer members. Volunteer Committee Members are appointed by the Governor to represent the diversity of our State. In addition, a member is appointed by the State Senate and the State Assembly. The State Employment Development Department provides staff support. We meet quarterly. The Governor's Committee is mandated to meet quarterly. The public is encouraged to participate in these meetings. Depending on the availability of funds, our goal is to convene in locations throughout the State. We are organized into three subcommittees (and several work groups/task forces). Employment Policy and Coordination Communication and Training Programs and Services Is the committee still holding public Quarterly Meetings/ Conferences? Yes, we are still convening quarterly, and encourage the public to attend. However, during these difficult fiscal times, we may not be able to always host a training conference in conjunction with our meetings. Our next quarterly meeting will be Thursday, November 6, at the San Francisco Westin Airport Hotel, in conjunction with the National Business Leadership Network Summit being held November 5-7. (Details will be available soon.) Can the public still participate with the subcommittees? Yes. Our subcommittees and work groups/task forces are continuing to meet. We disseminate information about these meetings by mail and through our EDD Web site at www.edd.ca.gov. Click on "Services for: People with Disabilities". The public is encouraged to attend these meetings, and we follow the requirements of the Bagley-Keene Act to insure that the public is involved. Individuals can apply to serve as volunteer subcommittee members and must be appointed by the Governor's Committee Chair. In the future, more of these meetings may be convened using the technology of teleconferencing or telephone calls. What is happening with the implementation of AB 925 (some background information)? On September 29, 2002, AB 925 (Aroner; Chapter 1088, Statutes of 2002) was signed by Governor Gray Davis. This very important legislation requires the Labor and Workforce Development Agency and the Health and Human Services Agency "to create a sustainable, comprehensive strategy to accomplish various goals aimed at bringing persons with disabilities into employment." Former Assemblymember Dion Aroner carried this legislation on behalf of a large coalition from California's disability community. In October 2002, an ad hoc group convened, including representatives from the Department of Rehabilitation, the Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, the Employment Development Department, the California Workforce Investment Board, the Department of Health Services' Medicaid Infrastructure Grant, and the legislation's sponsors. The ad hoc group met through December 30. Its purpose was to develop a draft plan to submit to both State Agency Secretaries named in the bill, with a proposed strategy to implement the new law. This group prepared a detailed analysis of the legislation. It outlined various priority tasks mandated in the bill, as well as other responsibilities, which are suggested or allowed. Dr. Catherine Campisi, Director of the DOR, was asked to lead the ad hoc group. On April 10, 2003, the recommended strategy of the ad hoc group was approved by EDD Director, Michael Bernick; Acting Secretary of the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, Stephen Smith; DOR Director, Catherine Campisi; and Secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency, Grantland Johnson. The statement they approved is as follows: The Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities (GCEPD) has overall responsibility for coordinating the inter-governmental collaboration required by AB 925. The GCEPD should continue to be administratively housed in and receive support from the State Employment Development Department (EDD). Subsequently, the Chair of the Governor's Committee, Norman Owen, appointed an "AB 925 Steering Committee". This steering committee reports to the Executive Board of the Governor's Committee. Its first meeting was May 12 in Sacramento. It subsequently met June 17 and July 7. It will convene as needed through December 30, 2003, to develop implementation guidelines for AB 925. On January 1, 2004, the implementation responsibilities of this steering committee will be assumed by the Governor's Committee's Executive Board. The public is encouraged to attend all meetings. On April 10-11, the Governor's Committee members convened their quarterly meeting as a planning session to discuss the current status of AB 925 implementation and the future of the Governor's Committee. Some final thoughts The California Governor's Committee is going through a major time of transition. We are currently finalizing work plans to guide our activities through June 30, 2004, and we value your input to make these plans successful. AB 925 was born from the belief that all people, including people with disabilities, should have the opportunity to be employed and actively participate in our communities. The authors recognized that goal was not attainable while the unemployment rate for people with disabilities remained so incredibly high, in spite of the myriad of federal, state and local initiatives created to address disincentives to employment. The legislation identifies the Governor's Committee as the lead State entity responsible for working with all stakeholders to begin to develop formal collaboration and coordination to truly impact the employment rate of Californians with disabilities. The Governor's Committee has an extensive history of creating effective collaboration regarding employment for people with disabilities. However, we definitely realize that AB 925 greatly expands not only our authority, but also our responsibility. We take this new responsibility very seriously, especially the faith that the disability community has placed in us. We are confident that we have the potential to make AB 925 the beginning of a major improvement in public policy to significantly affect employment for people with disabilities. As we make this transition, we recognize our need to work closely with all whom are committed to the goals of this bill. Nationally, there is no precedent for the kind of vision outlined in AB 925. What that means is that there are no easy, simple answers to exactly how this bill will be implemented. We recognize the major importance of continuing to work with the long-time volunteers and partners who have made our work successful in the past. And we also recognize the importance of increasing our circle of participation as we expand our influence and collaboration. Our overall goal is to serve as a catalyst and leader to help coordinate and create employment, training and support systems that significantly improve employment, job retention and career advancement of people with disabilities throughout our State. This has long been the philosophy of the Governor's Committee. Our focus may now be expanded or modified. But AB 925 offers us an unprecedented opportunity to truly make the impact we have only previously imagined. Norman M. Owen, Esq., Chair Catherine Kelly Baird, Executive Director For Additional Information, Please: Visit our web site at www.edd.ca.gov. Click on "Services For: People with Disabilities" or visit the web site of Friends of the CGCEPD, Inc., at www.disabilityemployment.org. You can also call our office directly at (916) 654-8055 (voice), (916) 654-9820 (TTY).