DRC Programs

The purpose of CAP is to protect the rights of persons receiving or seeking services funded under the federal Rehabilitation Act. According to this law, CAP services are available for all clients or applicants of the following services:

We assist most individuals through providing helpful information, education, or referral to appropriate resources. Individual advocacy is available as needed, in accordance with Federal regulations, and legal representation can facilitate systemic change for persons with disabilities.

The Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) is established by Congress as the principal federal agency authorized to develop and implement comprehensive and coordinated programs of vocational rehabilitation, supported employment and independent living for individuals with disabilities.

CAP Archives

The Youth Transition Funders Groups together with Fenton Communication have produced a guide offering concrete tools for communicating about youth transitions and other youth development issues. The document is available on the YTFG website in PDF format.

CAP News

AETN Special on Transition Now on DVD

9/2/2009: The AETN special program, "You're Hired!", is now available to the public on DVD. This one-hour program, which originally aired on April 8th of 2009, highlights key issues of community integration and employment of youth with disabilities. The panelists included young adults with disabilities, parents, and experts in disability benefits, health care, special education, and vocational services. The topics included parent's concerns about employment, changes in federal laws that allow individuals receiving SSI and Social Security disability benefits to work without losing their safety net benefits, services that help youth succeed at work, and how schools can promote successful transitions. If you would like to request a copy of the AETN program on DVD you can call Bernie Quell at 501-683-1225, or emailing him at Bernie.quell[at]arkansas.gov

OSERS Transition Activities Explained

8/24/2009: The mission of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) is to provide leadership to achieve full integration and participation in society of people with disabilities and to ensure equal opportunities in, access to, and excellence in education, employment and community living. In implementing this mission, OSERS administers programs that help educate children and youths with disabilities, provides for the rehabilitation of youths and adults with disabilities, and supports research to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities.

This document describes past, present and upcoming OSERS transition activities, such as projects supporting youths with disabilities served by state agencies, written products offering technical assistance (TA) and OSERS-sponsored conferences facilitating the exchange of information among transition partners. It is intended to be used as a working document to broaden awareness of OSERS transition activities.

Arkansas Rehabilitation Services 2010 Plan Available for Comments

7/22/2009: Arkansas Rehabilitation Services (ARS) a division of the Arkansas Department of Career Education is informing the public that the ARS FY 2010 State Plan for the Vocational Rehabilitation and Supported Employment Services Programs is available for review and input. Interested parties are encouraged to submit comments in writing concerning the Plan. Copies of the Plan are available at the local offices of Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, and the Central Office. The Plan is also available on the ARS website at www.arsinfo.org.

The public comment period begins on July 22, 2009 at 8:00 a.m. and ends on August 20, 2009 at 4:30 p.m. A public hearing will be held August 5, 2009 from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the ARS Central Office, 1616 Brookwood Dr., Little Rock, AR 72202; telephone 501-296-1600. Accommodations and accessible formats are available. Three days advance notice is requested, but not required, for accommodations or accessible formats. Please forward comments or requests for accommodations or accessible formats to Randy Parker, PO Box 3781, Little Rock, AR 72203 or call 501-296-1640.

Public Assistance Helps Local Governments Recover from Disaster
Release Date: October 30, 2008

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Severe storms and flooding threaten more than homes. Disaster can damage or destroy bridges, highways, public buildings, parks, hospitals, water treatment plants and rural electrical cooperatives - not to mention leave tons of debris or disrupt communications and emergency services.

In addition to the many assistance programs available to help people recover from disasters, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers a helping hand to communities, county and state agencies and some private non-profit organizations that suffered storm and flooding damage.

"By helping local and state governments and looking for ways to reduce future damages, state and federal disaster assistance has an impact on every individual in those communities," explained Ken Riley, FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer in charge of the Arkansas public assistance disaster.

"Under the Presidential disaster declaration of October 22, 2008 for public assistance (infrastructure), local governments in Carroll, Clay, Craighead, Greene, Hempstead, Howard, Izard, Lafayette, Lawrence, Little River, Madison, Miller, Newton, Randolph, Sharp, and Van Buren Counties are benefiting from federal assistance," said State Coordinating Officer Richard Griffin.

According to Griffin, the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) administers the Public Assistance program and will brief local officials in the above counties on the assistance available and how to apply. Teams comprised of federal, state and local officials will be inspecting all disaster-related damage to determine the total restoration costs.

For approved projects, FEMA will pay 75 percent of the eligible cost, and the remaining 25 percent will be divided between the state and local community or agency. These projects may include such things as debris removal, emergency protective services related to the storms and repairing or replacing damaged public facilities. The latter category includes eligible schools, libraries and other public buildings, and repairing roads, bridges, water control facilities, utilities and recreational facilities.

Certain private non-profit organizations may qualify for assistance to restore certain types of facilities that include educational, utility, emergency, medical, custodial care and other facilities that provide essential government types of services.

Another assistance program, Hazard Mitigation, identifies areas where local or state governments can prevent or reduce damage in future storms, tornadoes and flooding. This may take the form of flood-proofing; moving, rebuilding or strengthening structures; lining ditches; building bigger culverts; and redesigning bridges to withstand greater flows or repairing roads, public buildings or utilities reduce future damages. While the projects are administered by ADEM, both state and local government work together to search out places where hazard mitigation programs can be most useful, cost effective and have the greatest impact.

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

Federal Aid Programs for Arkansas Disaster Recovery

Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Bush's major disaster declaration issued for Arkansas.

Assistance for the State and Affected Local Governments Can Include as Required:

Payment of not more than 75 percent of the approved costs for hazard mitigation projects undertaken by state and local governments to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural or technological disasters. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)

Application procedures for local governments will be explained at a series of federal/state applicant briefings with locations to be announced in the affected area by recovery officials. Approved public repair projects are FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

HURRICANE RESPONSE - DISASTER ASSISTANCE

LATEST WEATHER UPDATES AND NEWS FEEDS

FINDING LOVED ONES

BUSINESS READINESS, RESPONSE AND RECOVERY INFORMATION

HOW DOES THE GOVERNMENT RESPOND DURING A DISASTER? THE NATIONAL RESPONSE FRAMEWORK

The National Response Framework (NRF) is a guide that details how the Nation responds in the wake of disaster – from small incident to large catastrophes. This document establishes a comprehensive, national, all-hazards approach to domestic incident response. The Framework identifies the key response principles, as well as the roles and structures that organize national response. It describes how communities, States, the Federal Government and private-sector and nongovernmental partners apply these principles for a coordinated, effective national response. In addition, it describes special circumstances where the Federal Government exercises a larger role, including incidents where Federal interests are involved and catastrophic incidents where a State would require significant support. It lays the groundwork for first responders, decision-makers and supporting entities to provide a unified national response.

In addition to releasing the NRF base document, the Emergency Support Function Annexes and Support Annexes are available online at the NRF Resource Center. The annexes are a total of 23 individual documents designed to provide concept of operations, procedures and structures for achieving response directives for all partners in fulfilling their roles under the NRF.

DRC Priorities for CAP in Fiscal Year 2010

DRC will assist people with disabilities in rural Arkansas in accessing the internet so they can become informed and active participants in their communities.

DRC will work with ARS and ICAN to distribute and customize computers ARS is no longer using to people with disabilities who are unable to purchase their own computers.
DRC will work with an internet provider to ensure that the computers that are distributed are linked to the internet at little or no charge.
Provide disability rights advocacy for people with disabilities who have a right to services under the federal Rehabilitation Act.
DRC will represent Vocational Rehabilitation consumers to ensure that they receive information and advice regarding obtaining vocational rehabilitation and employment services or other services that a beneficiary with a disability may need to secure, maintain, or regain gainful employment.
DRC will represent consumers with transition issues from high school to higher education or job placement.

DRC will inform people with disabilities of their legal rights at trainings conducted by DRC and other organizations.

Conduct community trainings on the services DRC provides, sensitivity awareness and on specific topics related to DRC priorities as requested by other agencies.
DRC will raise issues that affect the lives of people with disabilities at meetings attended by policy makers and/or people with disabilities.
DRC will serve on the Rehabilitation Council to advise the Council at its quarterly meetings on the role of DRC as well as ways to stop discrimination against people with disabilities.
DRC will serve on the Arkansas Independent Living Council to advise the Council at its quarterly meetings on the role of DRC as well as ways to stop discrimination against people with disabilities.
DRC will monitor the Board of the Division of Services for the Blind to advise the Board at its quarterly meetings on the role of DRC and on ways to stop discrimination against people who are blind or visually impaired.
DRC will serve on the Division of Youth Services (DYS) Oversight Committee to ensure that DYS is meeting the deadlines of the DYS Comprehensive Juvenile Justice Reform Plan 2009-2014.
DRC will convene meetings of ARPie to share information with parent advocacy groups/Parent Training Information Centers about education advocacy issues.
DRC will publish and distribute DRC newsletters to people on the DRC mail list, the e-mail list, and will publish each on the DRC website in accessible formats to inform the public on ways to stop discrimination against people with disabilities.
DRC will attend transition conferences to inform students and staff about DRC services.
DRC will distribute the Client Assistance Program (CAP) and PABSS brochures to high schools to stop discrimination against students with disabilities.
Provide the DRC display and materials in conferences to inform the public about DRC activities to stop discrimination against people with disabilities.
DRC will distribute the Client Assistance Program/PABSS DVD that was produced in FY 2009 to CRPs to inform people with disabilities of DRC services and client rights.
Timely information will be provided on each DRC program, upcoming events, cases, investigations, legislation, etc.

CLIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CAP)