The Disability Program Navigator (DPN) Initiative is a joint venture between the Department of Labor and the Social Security Administration (SSA) and is administered by the Agency for Workforce Innovation.  In 2003, Florida was one of 14 states to pilot this new initiative.  This initiative has expanded to include 45 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.  The primary objective of the DPN initiative is to increase the ability of the One-Stop Career Center system to enhance the employability of job seekers with disabilities and to increase the number of career advancement opportunities available to them.

Currently, there are Disability Program Navigator positions funded in 15 of the state’s 24 Regional Workforce Boards (RWBs).   During the first year, grants were awarded to five of the state’s workforce investment areas: RWBs 7, 8, 10, 12 and 23; RWBs 15 and 24 were added in the second year; RWBs 2, 5, 13, 14, 16, and 17 were added in the third year; RWB 22 was added in year four; and RWB 1 was added in year six.

Resources

• Disability Program Navigator Initiative – Agency for Workforce Innovation
• Agency for Workforce Innovation Office for Civil Rights
• Disability.Gov
• Essential Elements of an Effective Job Search
• Florida Alliance for Assistive Technology
• Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
• Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)
• Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) Publications
• Small Business and Self Employment for People with Disabilities
• Temporary Employment Options for People with Disabilities
• Ticket to Work & Work Incentive Improvement Act
• Writing & Formatting a Scannable Resume