2003 Winter Employment Conference

The third annual Winter Employment Conference was held January 30, 2003 at the Boyd Law Building on the campus of the University of Iowa in Iowa City. The title of the conference was "Employment: Are You Up For the Challenge?" and was co-sponsored by the University of Iowa Law, Health Policy and Disability Center, Region 7 CRP-RCEP, Great Plains ADA Project, and Polk County Health Services.

I Think You Ought To Work. That's What I Think
- Joe Marrone

Conference Keynote:
One failure of the community mental health movement, even after the advent of Comunity Support funding and models like assertive community treatment and psychosocial clubhouses, is a reluctance to embrace employment as an essential component of people's lives. In his keynote address, Joe Marrone describes why work is a right, a responsibility, an important element of Recovery, and more importantly, an essential component of citizenship.

Marrone part 1 | Marrone part 2


Creating a Culture of Work
- Paul Barry

If employment is a key in producing better results in the lives of people with mental illness, then why are so few working? Is it possible to overcome the many barriers and put into practice activist and successful employment programs for people with mental illness? In this presentation, Paul Barry describes how his organization helps individuals find a way to work.

Barry part 1| Barry part 2


The Power of Partnerships
- Rob Hoffman

Businesses often complain that no consistent support is available to them on disability issues -- either no organization offers to work with them and support their efforts, or too many people contact them offering similar services. Employers, like anyone else, usually get involved in a partnership if there is something in it for them. Rob Hoffman will describe the strategies to create effective business partnerships that lead to impressive results.

Hoffman part 1 | Hoffman part 2


Delivering on the Promise
- working lunch

A welcome by College of Law Dean Hines, some words about the Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center, an overview of Ticket to Work, and a summary of recent court decisions about the ADA.


Careers in the Works
- John Nietupski

Millions of dollars have been spent on school-to-work services for students with disabilities over the past two decades. Yet 55% of recent graduates with disabilities are unemployed or under-employed. What needs to be done to change these results? The Grant Wood Area Education Agency has launched the Super Senior project in an attempt to lead today's youth into tomorrow's workforce. Thus far, the results have been impressive. John Nietupski will describe the project in this presentation.

Nietupski part 1 | Nietupski part 2


What's the Point?
- Joe Marrone and panel of speakers

Millions of dollars are spent annually in Iowa on employment services for people with disabilities. But what is the aim or goal of all this spending? What are we trying to accomplish? How should the public measure our performance? Joe Marrone will lead a panel of consumers, providers, funders, and case managers in a discussion of the purpose and outcomes of employment services for people with disabilities.

Panel discussion

Additional Information

At this time, all video files are for high bandwidth connections (T1) and require a minimum of QuickTime 5, and a version 5 or above browser.

Joe Marrone pt 1 - 26 minutes
Joe Marrone pt 2 - 23 minutes
Paul Barry pt 1 - 25 minutes
Paul Barry pt 2 - 20 minutes
Rob Hoffman pt 1 - 21 minutes
Rob Hoffman pt 2 - 18 minutes
John Nietupski pt 1 - 22 minutes
John Nietupski pt 2 - 20 minutes
Joe Marrone & panel - 52 minutes

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