In this Issue:

TASH News ◆ #TSAHcares ◆ Disability Employment Technical Assistance Center News ◆ Community News ◆ Employment Opportunities ◆ Upcoming Events ◆ Thank You to Our Donors

Message from the Executive Director

As summer winds down, we look forward to a busy and productive Fall. TASH has recently sent out a notice for nominations for our Board of Directors, with four positions to be elected in October. If you or someone you know is interested in serving on the TASH Board, please submit nominations by September 17. We would benefit by having more volunteer leaders who understand and bring skills to nonprofit governance and resource development.

I’d like to acknowledge our recent President, Jenny Lengyel, who helped TASH navigate the challenges of a pandemic and subsequent economic turmoil. It was a pleasure to work with and for Jenny over the past three years.

Now, we look forward as we plan for the 2023 TASH Conference – Opportunity for All in Baltimore, Maryland, November 30 – December 2. I hope many of you will join us to learn, network and grow.

Lastly, as we approach Fall, please learn about and act upon vaccines to mitigate COVID, flu and RSV; soon, it will be time to get updated shots to reduce the risk of severe illness. Learn more at the #TASHcares Vaccine Awareness initiative webpage.

Best wishes to all this Labor Day weekend,

Michael Brogioli

TASH News

2023 TASH Conference News

• Presentation proposal decisions: Conference presentation proposal acceptance and decline notices have been sent to the proposal point of contact. If you haven’t received your Conference proposal decision, contact DeVonne Parks at dparks@tash.org.
• Early-bird registration: Early-bird rates are available for one more week, until Friday, September 8. Learn more about rates and register at the 2023 TASH Conference website.
• Hotel room block: A special rate for TASH Conference attendees is available at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore Inner Harbor through Monday, November 6, 2023. Instructions on how to book your room at the special rate is available at the 2023 TASH Conference website.
• Sponsorship prospectus: We are creating an environment ripe with opportunities for our sponsors to play a meaningful role in our Conference and substantially increase their reach across various diverse stakeholders. To learn more, check out the 2023 TASH Conference Sponsor and Exhibitor Prospectus.
• Volunteering: TASH members who sign up to volunteer for ten hours (two shifts) will receive $150 off the full Conference registration rate. Learn more and fill out the volunteer sign-up form.
• Scholarships: To apply for a scholarship to the 2023 TASH Conference, complete the scholarship application form by Friday, October 6, 2023.

Call for Nominations for the
2024 TASH Board of Directors

TASH is seeking nominations for its Board of Directors. The TASH Board is a governing and working board, responsible for maintaining a fiscally sound organization through membership recruitment, resource development and governance. If you or someone you know is passionate about TASH’s mission and interested in serving on the Board of Directors, please submit a nomination. TASH’s Call for Nominations is open until Sunday, September 17, 2023.

CalTASH 2024 Conference Call for Proposals Open Through October 28

The Call for Proposals for the CalTASH 2024 Conference in Sacramento is open now. CalTASH is actively seeking English and Spanish speaking presenters with a wide range of backgrounds and abilities to present on topics that promote self-determined lives for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the lifespan. Submit your proposals using this webform. The deadline for submission is October 28, 2023. Follow the hashtag #CalTASH2024 on social media for more.

TASH Policy News

• TASH signed on to support direct care support workers with the endorsement of Recognizing the Role of Direct Support Professionals Act (S.1332). You can read the letter here.
• TASH is working with the Collaboration to Promote Self-Determination (CPSD) to mobilize constituents across the country to contact their members of Congress to advocate for the Competitive Transformation Integrated Employment Act (S.533, H.R.1263).
• TASH is also working closely with Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) on our joint policy portal. New accessibility features are coming soon to the portal!

Welcome to the New TASH Website!

TASH has launched its newly redesigned website which includes an updated logo, bolder colors, easier site navigation and other improvements that we hope you will appreciate.

As always, accessibility is a primary consideration, and the new website includes an interactive UserWay widget (the blue circle with a stick figure illustration of a person; this appears in the upper right portion of the home page and other pages) that is designed to enhance accessibility. Check out the new website at tash.org.

The XBB.1.5 Strain Declines as EG.5 Grows in Prevalence

Part of the reason we need a new booster against COVID-19 every year is that SARS-CoV-2 is a fast-evolving virus. As you can see from the Centers for Disease Control data below, in May the XBB.1.5 variant made up the majority of COVID-19 cases, but by mid-August, XBB.1.5 had become a small portion of cases, with the new EG.5 strain, first detected in February, on its way to dominance. Additionally, a new strain, designated BA.2.86, has gained a foothold in the U.S. and is being closely watched by doctors and epidemiologists.

You can read more about EG.5 at the New York Times, the Washington Post, ABC News, CNN or Yale Medicine. You can read more about the BA.2.86 strain at CBS News or Yale Medicine. The CDC’s variant tracker is here.

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Will Meet September 12

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a group of independent experts that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will be meeting on September 12 to consider approval of a new round of vaccines against COVID-19. The ACIP is expected to approve three COVID-19 vaccines: two mRNA vaccines, from Pfizer and Moderna, and a third protein subunit vaccine from Novavax. All three will be monovalent vaccines (vaccinating for a single virus) against the XBB.1.5 strain. Though XBB.1.5 is being rapidly displaced by the EG.5 strain (see previous story), it is expected that the vaccine will be effective against closely related strains.

You can read about the ACIP meeting and the new vaccine at CBS News and CNN. Details of the meeting have been posted in the Federal Register and the ACIP meeting will be webcast live from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Eastern on the 12^th via the ACIP website here.

COVID-19, RSV, flu Trio Recommended for Fall

This Fall will be a watershed in the struggle against respiratory infection, with experts recommending a trio of vaccines against COVID-19, RSV and the flu. Particularly notable is the RSV vaccine, as this is the first time a vaccine has ever been approved for RSV. The vaccine, Arexvy, made by GSK, was approved in June. In a study of 25,000 people, the vaccine was 94% effective at preventing severe disease in seniors. Though RSV is most often associated with children, 160,000 people 65 and older are hospitalized each year with RSV, and 10,000 to 13,000 die from the infection. Three additional vaccines against RSV – by Pfizer, Moderna and Bavarian Nordicare – are also nearing approval.

You can read about the trio of vaccines in articles in NBC News and CNN. The development of a vaccine for RSV has been a scientific quest 60 years in the making. You can learn some of the history of the effort to create an RSV vaccine in the CNN article about its approval.

Let’s Commemorate the Rehabilitation Act of 1973:
The Power of Independent Living & Employment
3:00–4:00 PM Eastern, September 19, 2023

The month of September marks the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehab Act). As we commemorate the milestones that have been achieved, join us for a webinar that will focus on the power of the Independent Living movement in advancing employment. The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) and the RAMP Center for Independent Living will jointly reflect on successful strategies they adopted over the years to move people with disabilities out of institutions and to help them obtain and retain competitive, integrated employment.

Presenters

	Jeremy Munson Employment Services Manager, Regional Access and Mobilization Project (RAMP) Center for Independent Living
	Ron Jackson Fast Track Specialist, Regional Access and Mobilization Project (RAMP) Center for Independent Living
	Mary-Kate Wells Program Director, National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)

Evaluating Employment Outcomes in Diverse Communities: Lessons Learned from CCE Grantees in Texas and Virginia

In 2021, the Administration for Community Living awarded the Community Collaborations for Employment (CCE) grant to seven grantees to help increase and enhance collaborations across systems to maximize a seamless experience for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) as they transition between school and work in the community.

The Virginia and Texas CCE grantees both target youth with ID/DD in racially minoritized communities and limited English-speaking households. Both grantees are conducting internal evaluations of their grants to track progress toward outcomes. Evaluation is an integral part of ensuring the efficacy of employment programs in the CCE grant. In this webinar, participants heard from the Virginia and Texas CCE grantees on evaluation strategies they can apply to their own programs. Watch the full recording here.

Follow DETAC on social media for news and resources:

Community News

North Carolina’s 7th Annual
Inclusion Summit

The 7th Annual Inclusion Summit was hosted by Western Carolina University at the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching on June 26–27. The summit this year included 20 sessions and approximately 100 participants with two dynamic keynote speakers. Dr. Pamela Mims is a Professor and the Associate Dean of Research and Grants for the Special Education Program at East Tennessee State University and spoke on “Equitable Access to the General Curriculum for Students with Extensive Support Needs” and Dr. Marilyn Friend, a renowned researcher, professor, administrator, teacher educators presented a keynote titled “The Importance and Exercise of Inclusivity”. North Carolina TASH is a sponsor of the summit and the consortium of co-sponsors has grown to include WCU, NCCAT, ESU, ASU, UNCC, UNCG, NCTED, ECAC, and NC DPI. The next inclusion Summit is already in the planning stages and will be held during the summer of 2024 at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Three new publications from the
LEAD Center

Advancing Equity: A Financial Toolkit for Individuals with Disabilities

In his blog, “Advancing Equity: A Financial Toolkit for Individuals with Disabilities,” Edward Mitchell discusses his employment journey and why calling attention to the U.S. Department of Labor resource, “Secure Your Financial Future: A Financial Toolkit for People with Disabilities“, is part of his commitment to helping others with disabilities achieve their dreams.

Customized Employment Works for Veterans: A Win-Win Strategy

The LEAD Center video describes customized employment from the veteran, service provider, and employer points of view.

LEAD On! Newsletter – Building an Equity Lens: Strategies for Success

Check out the latest LEAD On! newsletter to learn about LEAD Center equity advisors and dissemination partners, a toolkit on workforce system and bank partnerships, a webinar on advancing financial mobility within Native communities, and more!

Employment Opportunities

Assistant or Associate Professor of Special Education

The University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education is seeking applicants for a tenure-track faculty position in the area of special education. Candidates should demonstrate scholarship focused on equitable access to education for students with disabilities, responding to the intersecting racial, linguistic, and ability-based inequities encountered by students with disabilities in schools. Learn more and apply here.

Upcoming Events

Thank You to Our Donors!

We would like to thank everyone who donated to TASH in July 2023. We are grateful to all of our supporters who help us achieve equity, opportunity, and inclusion for people with disabilities. Thank you!

TASH advances equity, opportunity and inclusion for people with disabilities, with a focus on those with the most significant support needs, in the areas of education, employment and community living through advocacy, research and practice. More information about TASH can be found at www.tash.org.

TASH
1825 K Street NW, Suite 1250, Washington, D.C. 20006 | (202) 808-8148 | info@tash.org

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