Oregon is one of seventeen states that are
participating in the national Disability Program
Navigator (DPN) Initiative. In participating states,
this program employs individuals who have a great deal
of expertise on disability and employment issues – and
deploys them throughout the state – here, attached to
Workforce Oregon Centers. We wanted to learn more about
the DPN initiative in Oregon – and particularly how it
might be a resource to employers. Doug Denning is the
State Lead for Oregon’s DPN Initiative and he welcomed
the opportunity to be interviewed.
OBLN: Doug, to begin, can you give us a brief summary
of what the DPN Initiative is all about?
DOUG DENNING: The Disability Program Navigator
Initiative is jointly funded by the U.S. Department of
Labor (DOL) and the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Navigators hired through the Initiative provide
expertise and serve as valuable resources to the
workforce investment systems and to individuals with
disabilities throughout the state. Navigator positions
are intended to increase employment self-sufficiency for
persons with disabilities by linking them to employers
and by facilitating access to supports and services that
will provide the transition to employment. Simply put,
the overall goal of the DPN is to help people with
disabilities to become employed or to stay employed.
OBLN: When did the DPN Initiative begin in
Oregon and how many Navigators are currently working in
the State?
DOUG DENNING: The Initiative began here in July of
2004. We currently have ten Navigators in Oregon. They
work out of the Workforce Oregon Centers and cover
nineteen counties with their services.
OBLN: What kinds of work do the Navigators do
within their communities?
DOUG DENNING: Community outreach is a key. Within the
general public there is still a stigma attached to
disability. As opportunities present themselves,
Navigators work with individual businesses and community
agencies to make presentations - educating employers and
the general public on issues of disability awareness.
Navigators are sometimes referred to as “walking
Rolodexes”. For businesses and other organizations, they
are a comprehensive source of appropriate referrals in
response to almost any disability-related issue that
might arise – including job accommodation issues.
Navigators also encourage people with disabilities to
use all the employment resources that are available to
them. They work with youth with disabilities in high
school programs and alternative school programs. Many
times people with disabilities are reluctant to go to
work because they are receiving some sort of benefit
that they fear they will lose if they do go to work.
Navigators help to dispel unfounded fears and connect
people to the supports they need.
OBLN: Doug, what role do the Navigators play within the
Workforce Oregon Centers themselves?
DOUG DENNING: The Navigator positions are neither
front-line positions nor case manager positions. Rather
than providing services directly to people with
disabilities, Navigators guide various Workforce Oregon
counselors on how to work more effectively with their
own clients with disabilities and to better identify and
understand the systems and range of services available
to them.
The goal of Workforce Oregon and the One-Stop centers
is universal access - to have anybody, whether or not
they have a disability, come in and be able to receive
and have access to the same services. Many of the
Workforce Oregon centers have state-of-the-art assistive
technology available – hardware and software that can
make their computer equipment accessible to job seekers
with specific needs. Because they are well-versed in
assistive technology, the Navigators work with Workforce
Oregon staff to ensure that they know how that
technology works and can make it available to job
seekers with disabilities.
OBLN: The Navigators have obviously become an
integral component of the Workforce Oregon system and
the various agencies that it interacts with. What about
employers? As an employer here in Oregon, what value
might the DPN be to my business?
DOUG DENNING: The Navigators can be very helpful to
employers. Recently, one of our Navigators assisted a
business to make their new building fully accessible.
The Navigator did an initial site visit and gave the
company an overview of the kinds of issues that needed
to be addressed. This was followed up with referrals to
experts that gave the company the specific and detailed
input they needed. The company ended up with a
fully-accessible movie theater!
Another one of our Navigators has been working with
the Human Resources staff of two major employers in
their area. In both companies, the Navigator was given
the opportunity to present to upper level management. In
both instances, the Navigator was asked to come back and
work with line supervisors in those companies - to give
them tools that will help their workers increase
productivity.
Many times when we talk about employment and people
with disabilities, we focus on new hire employees. Well,
the reality is that most employers already have numerous
employees with some type of disability. These can often
be hidden disabilities that the employees have chosen
not to disclose. Having a Navigator come out to the
company and speak to Management, Human Resources, and
other employees about job accommodation, disability
awareness and etiquette can actually increase
productivity in that business. When this kind of
communication opens up in a company, employees are more
willing to bring up their accommodation needs and
management is more aware and willing to put those
accommodations in place. With the proper accommodations,
the productivity of those employees can be greatly
increased.
By the way, our services are free to employers.
OBLN: As you have described them, I am
envisioning Navigators as being catalysts on disability
concerns, between employers, service agencies, Workforce
Oregon Centers and other organizations – and as point
persons, that any of those entities can approach, who
can marshal all the resources that are available to meet
their particular needs.
DOUG DENNING: That is a perfect way to sum it up.
OBLN: Doug, based on your experience, do you have any
“words of wisdom” to offer employers here in Oregon?
DOUG DENNING: Keep your focus on the strengths,
skills and abilities of current and future employees.
Accommodating an injury or disability is often quite
easy. Focus on their strengths, skills and abilities and
you’ll end up with winning employees.
