QWE Practice Guideline: 162: Empower employees with disabilities to maximize their employment potential

Target group: Any organization that employs individuals with disabilities

Practice Description

• REACH requires every staff member to take a certain number of hours of training in the field of disabilities depending upon the position held.
  • Of those hours, 12 of them are expected to be through College of Direct Support (CDS). 
    • CDS is an on-line system that provides competency-based training to disability support professionals.
  • Through CDS supervisors may assign specific classes to staff members and staff may choose classes that are of interest to them.
  • CDS classes are aimed at getting employees to learn how to better work with persons with disabilities to be able to maximize their potential as an employee and as a person.
  • Staff can also go through classes to improve their supervisory skills and to improve general and specific skills to work toward advancement within the agency.
• More information about College of Direct Support through Direct Course Online may be found at https://directcourseonline.com/direct-support/.

Resources Needed

• Staff time
• Computers with internet access and eLearning capabilities
• Funds budgeted for course fees

NPA: REACH, Inc.
Location: Junea, AK
Date Submitted: 2013
Website: https://reachak.org/home/about/

Resources: Quality Work Environment Workbook