Training Opportunities & Information Updates
From the Kentucky Supported Employment Training Project
May 4, 2026
Having trouble viewing this email? View this newsletter in your browser.
Information Updates
SETP News
The SETP Professional Learning Community (PLC) is currently accepting applications for 2026-2027. We will hold one cohort for Employment Specialists and one for Managers. This is a chance to be paired with a mentor to follow a year-long plan for professional growth and development, plus be connected with others across the state. Applications are open through June 8. At least one year of experience required to apply.
Employment Specialists providing Supported Employment and/or Employment & Retention are required to obtain fifteen (15) hours of continuing education, four (4) of which must pertain to serving individuals who are deaf, blind, or DeafBlind. You will find more than 4 such hours listed below. You should track your hours on the Community Rehabilitation Program (CRP) Continued Education Units form. These hours are due by July 1, along with your agency Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) Vendor Contract.
The SETP offers Technical Assistance and training to individuals, agencies, and regions. Need info on a topic? Let us know! You can find additional information, materials, and resources on our website.
Training Opportunities
The following training opportunities are live events.
Visible Voices: Mental Wellness Strategies for Residential & Community Providers Working with Deaf or Hard of Hearing Individuals
Date/Time: May 19, 1:00 - 2:00 pm ET
Location: Register for Zoom event
Presented by: Merge
Description: People with combined mental health and I/DD diagnoses are more than one story – or even two! During this webinar, we will think about how hearing loss, identity, communication choices, and society impact identification, diagnosis, treatment, and support. Participants will think about what access and quality of life may look like for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, and DeafDisabled individuals and consider how their programs or services could be designed to better fit the needs and wants of people in residential and community-based settings.
Lunch at Learn Series: Why Competitive Integrated Employment Matters to Business: The Bottom Line
Date/Time: May 19, 12:00 - 1:00 pm ET
Location: Register for Lunch at Learn webinar via Zoom
Presented by: Training Innovation Project (TIP)
Description: Attendees will gain practical strategies to promote employment opportunities by learning: 1) Why “separate” employment harms both people with disabilities and employers. 2) How Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) expands the workforce and fills labor gaps. 3) What CIE is and how it creates stronger, more collaborative workplaces. Merry-Reid Sheffer, Director of Employment Services at Mattingly Edge will present this event; open Q&A to follow.
The Series: TIP, in partnership with the Kentucky Employment First Council, presents Learn at Lunch. These sessions are designed for rehabilitation professionals and employers to connect, learn, and share ideas in a relaxed space with others in the field. Find additional TIP upcoming events.
SETP Book Club 2026
Date/Time: Weekly on Tuesdays from 12:00 - 1:00 pm ET, May 5 - June 30.
Location: Zoom; Learn more and register for virtual SETP Book Club
Presented by: Supported Employment Training Project
Description: This spring, SETP is reading Sitting Pretty: The View from my Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body, by Rebekah Taussig. Join us in our efforts to form a deeper understanding of disability and inclusion to enhance supported employment practices and ensure effective representation of individuals to employers.
IPS Supported Education Overview
Date/Time: May 28, June 25, July 23, August 27, September 24, October 22, November 19, December 17. This is a repeated event offering the same content each time at 10:00 am ET.
Location: Join the Zoom event at this link; no registration is required
Presented by: Lori Norton and Margaret Lopresto of IPS Supported Employment, UK – HDI
Description: This Supported Education training is designed primarily for those involved in a 1915(i) RISE program and is open to others interested in learning more about Supported Education services. Contact Margaret Lopresto for more information.
SE Roundtable Discussions
The SETP hosts an ongoing series of roundtable discussions intended for those who have attended the Core Training Series in the previous year, but they are open to anyone interested. This allows new (and experienced) Employment Specialists to continue learning and gain practical strategies to assist with their everyday work. This is a valuable opportunity to connect with colleagues and share your experiences, questions, and insights.
Learn more about the Roundtables and find upcoming dates. These are held throughout the year, so if the topic you wanted has passed more will be posted!
The following training opportunities are recorded events.
ADA Live! Podcast
Location: Podcast Episode 152: New Opportunities for Job Success for Workers who are Blind: The Monarch Rise Project. Text transcript also available. 1 hour on employment and blind/low vision.
Presented by: Southeast ADA Center
Description: The employment rate of adults with low vision or blindness (52%) is significantly less than the general population of working-age adults (76%). This data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Research and Training Center (NRTC) on Blindness and Low Vision reveals an overall 24 percent gap in employment (NRTC Data Source). In this episode, we talk with Erin Sigmund, the Director of an American Printing House for the Blind project called
Monarch RISE. We will discuss the ways Monarch RISE empowers project participants to achieve and sustain competitive integrated employment (CIE) and hear from two of the project’s participants, Tim Emmons and Bill Adams, about their experiences.
Navigating Employment with Confidence
Location: Navigating Employment with Confidence recorded webinar,
1.5 hours on employment and blind/low vision
Presented by: The Carroll Center for the Blind
Description: The Navigating Employment with Confidence webinar is designed to support individuals who are blind or visually impaired as they explore the employment journey and learn how to achieve success.
Hiring and Supporting Visually Impaired Employees
Location: Hiring and Supporting Visually Impaired Employees recorded
webinar, 1 hour on employment and blind/low vision
Presented by: Charles River Regional Chamber
Description: This webinar will equip employers with the tools and resources needed to create inclusive workplaces that empower visually impaired employees to thrive. Learn about available resources and services to support recruitment and retention, as well as practical steps to foster an inclusive and accessible work environment. Presenters: Carol Cullins, Employment Services Supervisor, MA Commission for the Blind; Marianne Gilmore, Workforce Development Specialist, Carroll Center for the Blind; Karen McCormack, Job Developer, Perkins School for the Blind; Brian Switzer, CCB, Manager of Technology, Training, and Research, Carroll Center for the Blind.
Note: This is a webinar out of Massachusetts; while overall the information is applicable to all, please contact your consumer's OVR Counselor about services available in Kentucky.
Autism Informed Employer (AIE) Quick Video Series & Discussion
Location: Episodes 1 – 4 are posted and cover information on hiring and the interview process. Check out the short videos, share with employers, and join the quarterly discussion.
Description: This AIE quick video series is presented by the Kentucky Employment First Council and Innovative Supports for Autistic Workers (ISAW). Quarterly conversations build on the short videos shared monthly to learn more and engage in discussions with other employers and employment support providers on topics related to increasing employment opportunities for Autistic Kentuckians.
Next Discussion: June 25, 12:00 – 1:00 pm ET; Register for the June 25 Quarterly Discussion
The following training opportunities are online courses.
SETP 101: Traditional Supported Employment Overview Refresher Online Course
Location: SETP 101 - Traditional Supported Employment Overview Refresher in HDI’s learning management system
SETP 204: Supported Employment Documentation & Descriptive Writing Online Course
Location: SETP 204 - Documentation & Descriptive Writing for supported employment in HDI’s learning management system
SETP 202: Supported Employment: The Nuts & Bolts of the Work Online Course
Location: SETP 202 - Supported Employment: The Nuts & Bolts of the Work in HDI’s learning management system
SETP 105: Employment and Retention (E&R) Online Course
Location: SETP 105 - E&R Training in HDI’s online learning management system
Resources
Kentucky is an Employment First state.
It is the policy of the Commonwealth of Kentucky that competitive integrated employment in the community shall be considered the first and primary option for persons with disabilities of working age who desire to become employed. Learn more and find resources to share:
Understanding Supported Employment & Seeking Services
- SETP has a webpage designed specifically for job seekers and those with a personal connection to them. This webpage is here to support job seekers by providing helpful information for people considering Supported Employment, as well as for those already receiving services who would like more details.
- The How to Get Help Finding a Job flyer is available to share with people looking to work who are not sure where to start.
- Transition Resource Sheet for Students with Disabilities and Families (web-based version is also available)
Impact of Wages on Benefits
Employment Files
The Employment Files YouTube Channel has lots of stories to share! This can be a useful tool in helping job seekers, family members, or other support staff think about employment possibilities.
Short Videos about OVR, Supported Employment, and Pre-ETS
Looking for ways to share information about OVR, Supported Employment, and Pre-ETS to those not familiar with the agency or supports? The Human Development Institute (HDI) and OVR have partnered to create 3 short videos:
The Americans with Disabilities Act Resources
Disability Webinars shares upcoming and archived events held by the Southeast ADA Center, covering a wide range of ADA-related topics
ADALive! is a free monthly show/podcast broadcast nationally about the Americans with Disabilities Act. Moderated by the Southeast ADA Center.
Questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act? Call the Southeast ADA Center at 1-800-949-4232 for expert guidance.
Questions?
Please don’t hesitate to reach out! The Supported Employment Training Project is here to offer training and technical assistance to providers across Kentucky. We are available to bring trainings to your agency and for individual conversations. Contact Katie Wolf Whaley at kwolf@uky.edu (or reply to this email).
Thank you for all you do to move Employment First forward and help people find successful employment.
Katie
