Restricted Research - Award List, Note/Discussion Page
Fiscal Year: 2023
52 University of North Texas (141940)
Principal Investigator: Gafford,Lucy Victoria
Total Amount of Contract, Award, or Gift (Annual before 2011): $ 12,708,529
Exceeds $250,000 (Is it flagged?): Yes
Start and End Dates: 10/1/22 - 9/30/27
Restricted Research: YES
Academic Discipline: UNTWISE - Workplace Inclusion
Department, Center, School, or Institute: Col of Health & Public Servic
Title of Contract, Award, or Gift: Texas Beacons of Excellence
Name of Granting or Contracting Agency/Entity:
Texas Workforce Commission
CFDA: 84.421
Program Title: none
Note:
Classification as Research - research activities and development of materials account for more then 50% of research activities. The Texas Workforce Commission-Vocational Rehabilitation Division (TWC-VR) proposes a project titled “Texas Beacons of Excellence” in answer to the Disability Innovation Fund Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment (SWTCIE) Innovative Model Demonstration Project. The goal of this proposal is to create competitive integrated employment outcomes for people with the most significant disabilities. TWC-VR will partner with in-demand businesses in various communities to help identify employment opportunities and enhance the businesses ability to hire, train and retain qualified employees with disabilities. This project will also focus on assisting current sub-minimum wage facilities (14C’s) with adjusting their business model to focus on providing community services, customized and supported employment services to current sub-minimum wage earners or those considering sub-minimum wage. Additionally, there will be a focus on serving students and creating a pipeline from high-school to employment, rather than 14C’s. The Texas Beacons of Excellence (TBE) project will require collaboration with many stakeholders including University of North Texas Workplace Inclusion and Sustainable Employment (UNT WISE) center, who will coordinate all of the activities under the direction of TWC-VR. Intended outcomes include: helping 14C’s to pivot their business models away from sub-minimum wage contracts and into Community Rehabilitation Provider organizations supporting people with disabilities to connect with the community and competitive integrated employment; creating more awareness across agencies, communities and businesses regarding employment first policies and services available to support the employment first mission; creating more opportunities for CIE for people with disabilities and decreasing reliance on 14C facilities.
Discussion: No discussion notes