1. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 Today’s Speakers Carole Gothelf, Ed.D Director of Individualized Supports AHRC New York City

2. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 Today’s Speakers Paula Sotnik, Director National Service Inclusion Project

3. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 Today’s Agenda New Federal Initiatives –Federal Financial Aid Day Habilitation Goes to College National and Community Service

4. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 PAULA SOTNIK DIRECTOR NATIONAL SERVICE INCLUSION PROJECT TASH Webinar Series in Collaboration with Think College September 22, 2010 4

5. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 “Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve.” Martin Luther King, Jr. 5

6. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 www.nationalservice.gov www.serviceandinclusion.org Toll-free hotline: 888-491-0326 (voice/TTY)

7. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 7 The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) CNCS discharges its mission to improve lives, strengthen communities and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering by providing opportunities for all Americans of all ages and backgrounds to engage. Since its inception, with the 1993 National Community Service Act, CNCS has been committed to the active participation of Americans with disabilities in all of its programs and initiatives. Thousands of people with disabilities serve in CNCS’s three major programs: AmeriCorps, Senior Corps and Learn and Serve America.

8. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 The National Service Inclusion Project (NSIP) A national training and technical assistance provider, (under a cooperative agreement (#08TAHMA001) for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) Develops the capacity of all national service, civic engagement and volunteer communities to actively recruit and support Americans with all abilities Advances national service and volunteerism as a valued option for all Americans in the disability community By expanding opportunities for Americans with disabilities to engage in service, the Corporation for National and Community Service fulfills its mission to engage all Americans of all backgrounds in service toward the strengthening of their communities. ~ excerpt from CNCS Mission Statement

9. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 9 The meaningful inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of their communities Provide opportunities for members and volunteers with disabilities See http://serviceandinclusion.org/index.php?page=stories_snip and http://serviceandinclusion.org/index.php?page=actionhttp://serviceandinclusion.org/index.php?page=stories_snip A Paradigm Shift…

10. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 Thousands of people with disabilities serve (or have served) in the CNCS three major programs: AmeriCorps, Senior Corps and Learn and Serve America.

11. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 Dwight currently serves with LIFE/Project LINC (Linking Individuals Into Neighborhoods and Communities) AmeriCorps. As an AmeriCorps member, Dwight provides peer support to over 1,200 individuals with disabilities. He also helps individuals transition from public institutions to their own homes, and started a “Men with Disabilities” support group encouraging independence and leadership. As a result of Dwight's AmeriCorps service, many Mississippians with disabilities are active, productive members of their community. www.mcvs.org/

12. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 March 31, 2009: House of Representatives passed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. April 21, 2009: President Obama signed the bill into law. Even more explicitly emphasizes a commitment to the inclusion of people with disabilities as active participants in national service… Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act 12

13. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 13 CNCS and Disability Inclusion Each year the Corporation, by statute, allocates a percentage of budget for the active inclusion of individuals with disabilities in national service Funding has focused on three grant priority areas: –Outreach and recruitment –Placement, supports and reasonable accommodations* –training and technical assistance * limited funds are available through State Service Commissions for reasonable accommodations.

14. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 Reservation of Funds To Increase The Participation of Individuals With Disabilities The SAA expands the CNCS commitment to inclusion : developing projects to assist veterans with disabilities increases money for outreach and placement* makes grants to public or private nonprofit organizations to increase the participation of individuals with disabilities in national service and for demonstration activities Expands to all national service grant programs * (2% of program funding - not to exceed 20 million) 14

15. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 CNCS charged with outreach to …agencies and organizations serving veterans and individuals with disabilities… collaborate with organizations with demonstrated expertise in supporting and accommodating individuals with disabilities, including institutions of higher education, to increase the number of participants with disabilities. provide and disseminate information regarding methods to make service-learning programs and programs offered under the national service laws accessible to individuals with disabilities; 15

16. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 AmeriCorps State & National AmeriCorps (AC) supports a broad range of local service programs that engage thousands of Americans in full or part-time volunteering to meet critical community needs including: – mentor disadvantaged youth – improve health services – build affordable housing – teach computer skills – clean parks and streams – help communities respond to disasters

17. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 AmeriCorps State & National AmeriCorps program grants go to States, National Non-Profits, Indian Tribes and U.S. territories. Individuals 17 years or older, with a H.S. diploma/GED or working on one, or with an Independent Educational Assessment are eligible to apply.

18. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 Members receive: –training and supervision –life and job skills –networks –A living stipend –An Education Award –Health Insurance, as needed –Child care benefits, as needed The HEART Act of 2008 made it possible for the living stipend to be disregarded as income for SSI eligibility purposes. SSDI is still impacted. VISTA benefits are not impacted.

19. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 Segal AmeriCorps Education Award 2010 Education Award: Amount is $4,725* for a full-time award (will increase and match Pell grant award amount) Part-time members receive pro-rated amounts Can be used for degree or enrichment coursework Can use it at any Title IV school including trade schools (beauty, massage, auto repair, etc.) 100 colleges and universities match the AmeriCorps Education Award http://www.americorps.gov/for_individuals/benefits/ed_award_match.a sp Can pay for tuition, books, and cost of attendance items (which can include a computer and equipment needed for coursework) *Increased to $5,350 for approved 2010 positions http://encorps.nationalserviceresources.org/segal_americorps_education _awa.php

20. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 A WIN-WIN Situation! People with disabilities are members of their communities and want to “give back” People who serve are more likely to be happy and satisfied with their lives. [CNCS AmeriCorps Longitudinal Study 2008] People who serve improve their lives and make a difference in the lives of those they help Communities really learn about what all Americans can do!

21. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 For more information: www.nationalservice.gov www.serviceandinclusion.org Paula Sotnik, Director National Service Inclusion Project Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston 888-491-0326 (toll-free voice and TTY) 617-287-4343 (direct line) paula.sotnik@umb.edu www.serviceandinclusion.org The National Service Inclusion Project (NSIP) is training and technical assistance provider on disability inclusion, under a cooperative agreement (#08TAHMA001) from Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). NSIP partners with the Association on University Centers on Disability, National Council on Independent Living, Association on Higher Education and Disability and National Down Syndrome Congress to build connections between disability organizations and all CNCS grantees, including national directs, to increase the participation of people with disabilities in national service. 21

22. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010 Questions??

23. www.thinkcollege.net © Think College 2010