Governor Jeb Bush Announces $1.2 Million Grant to Empower Florida Adults and Youth with Disabilities in Coordination with Griffin-Hammis & Associates, LLC (Florence, MT)

~ Agency for Workforce Innovation to Coordinate Self-Employment Grant~

Governor Jeb Bush today announced the U.S. Department of Labor awarded $1.2 million to the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation to increase opportunities for persons with disabilities to become entrepreneurs.

“Persons with disabilities make a valuable contribution to the character of our state, the quality of life in our communities and the strength of our economy,” said Governor Bush. “This funding will play a vital role in ensuring individuals with disabilities have the necessary tools to optimize their talents and achieve their goals.”

The Self-Employment for Adults and Youth with Disabilities Research and Technical Assistance Grant will fund pilot projects and research to develop systems models designed to increase self-employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

“The Agency for Workforce Innovation actively pursues funding that creates services available to all Floridians who wish to work,” said Agency for Workforce Innovation Director Linda H. South. “This project will allow Florida to bring new services to those with disabilities interested in self-employment.”

The project has been developed in coordination with Workforce Florida, Inc., Agency for Persons with Disabilities, Florida Department of Education, Division for Vocational Rehabilitation, the University of South Florida’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Griffin-Hammis & Associates, LLC http://www.griffinhammis.com/ , and the National Disability Institute. All of these partners, with their individual focuses and expertise, work together to address a special need and create a positive impact for both workers with disabilities and their communities.

The partners will evaluate three demonstration models currently being used in Florida for self employment and entrepreneurial activities, expand technical assistance and training opportunities for interagency staff that serve persons with disabilities, and identify barriers and challenges to implementation of these models. In addition, best practices and strategies to overcome these barriers will be identified. Three sites in Jacksonville, Lakeland and Ft. Lauderdale/Miami have been selected for intensive training and technical assistance and will serve as incubators for further expansion of the models. The grant is effective through September 2009.

"This grant aims to diversify employment opportunities for Floridians with disabilities by providing for flexible employment options,” said Director for the Agency for Persons with Disabilities Shelly Brantley. “By empowering individuals with the tools to launch their own business, they are far more likely to succeed in their dreams and endeavors."

The Agency for Workforce Innovation is the lead state workforce agency and directly administers the state’s Labor Market Statistics program, Unemployment Compensation, Early Learning and various workforce development programs. The Office of Early Learning, a division within the agency, provides oversight of Florida’s school readiness programs and is the lead entity for implementing the state’s successful Voluntary Prekindergarten program.

More information can be found at http://www.floridajobs.org