Powers Principal Bobby Silverstein serves as one of the lead authors in a new report titled “Work Matters: A Framework for States on Workforce Development for People with Disabilities,” a guide for state legislators when working with policies for people with disabilities.
The report was released earlier this December after more than a year of collaborative work with The Council of State Governments, The National Conference of State Legislatures and several state legislators, legislative staff and state executive branch representatives. Elizabeth Whitehouse of CSG and Kyle Ingram of NCSL serve as the other lead authors of the report.
The report discusses how the term “disability” is defined by state and federal legislation and a brief history of policies regarding people with disabilities before introducing 13 major policy options organized into five policy categories: laying the groundwork; preparing for work; getting to and accessing work opportunities; staying at work; and supporting self-employment and entrepreneurship. It also offers specific examples of policies and strategies states throughout the country have used to improve the careers and education of people with disabilities.
Bobby has worked in the disability policy field for more than 40 years. For a decade he served in various capacities on Capitol Hill, including Staff Director and Chief Counsel to the Senate Sub Committee on disability policy chaired by Senator Tom Harkin. He was the behind-the-scenes architect of more than 20 disability-related bills enacted into law, including the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act. His current practice focuses on federal regulatory and legislative issues in the areas of disability, healthcare, rehabilitation, employment, education, social security, and civil rights.
For more information about the report or to view the report in its entirety, click here. Bobby Silverstein can be contacted at 202-872-6754 or Bobby.Silverstein@powerslaw.com.