NTAR Project Overview
In January of 2008, Governors of all states received an invitation from
The National Technical
Assistance and Research Leadership Center to Promote Employment and Economic Independence for Adults with
Disabilities (NTAR) at Rutgers University to apply to the State Leaders Innovation Institute. Funded by
the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the US Department of Labor, the NTAR Leadership Center was
seeking states poised and committed to integrating their disability employment policies and activities
with their economic and work development efforts. As one of only 3 states, including the District of
Columbia, to have a state Department of Disabilities, as well as having a demonstrated track record for
innovation and forward thinking, Maryland was in a position to submit a strong proposal.
The States of Connecticut, Maryland and Minnesota were selected through a competitive process from 13
states, to participate in the first State Leaders Innovation Institute.
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| Governor Martin O'Malley
greets a disabled worker on the 20th Anniversary of the
Americans with Disabilities Act |
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The State Leaders Innovation Institute is part of the NTAR
Leadership Center’s national efforts to improve employment for adults with disabilities by connecting
state workforce policies to state and local economic growth and development goals. Several demographic and
workforce trends — including the aging of the workforce — reinforce the need for states and employers to
develop stronger partnerships that result in making employment available to adults with disabilities in
states’ high-growth industries. Despite multiple government efforts and compelling reasons for hiring
people with disabilities, they remain disproportionately out of the workforce. According to Census Bureau
data, only 38% of Americans with disabilities aged 21-64 were employed in 2005, compared to 78% of
Americans without disabilities.
Through participation in the 15-month State Leaders Innovation
Institute, teams of high-level state policy makers from Connecticut, Maryland and Minnesota — representing
economic development, workforce development, and disability employment have and continue to receive
specialized technical assistance, leadership support and other resources as they work to pioneer
innovative approaches to improve employment for adults with disabilities. The priorities laid out by NTAR
for the participating states are:
- Integrating disability employment policy into the state’s economic development, economic growth,
or sector initiatives;
- Implementing innovative demand-side approaches to increasing the employment of adults with
disabilities;
- Implementing strategic actions that improve the economic wellbeing of adults with disabilities;
and/or
- Establishing leading-edge universal and customized approaches for the organization and delivery of
state workforce policy that improves connections to training and work for all job seekers including
adults with disabilities.
Maryland’s Project Overview
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