Training Opportunities & Information Updates
From the Kentucky Supported Employment Training Project
April 9, 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.
We will kick off our SETP Book Club 2026 on May 5. Learn more about the book and how it can benefit your work.
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. Below you will find 3.5 hours of training that count toward the blind/low vision hours, along with additional general training hours. 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.
Training Opportunities
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.
Lunch at Learn Series: Enabling Employment Opportunity with Immersive Technology
Date/Time: April 21, 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: Exploring the use of immersive technologies; Increasing awareness of assistive technology solutions; Understanding how these tools can be effectively applied in business and workplace settings. Presenter: Matthew Chaussee, CEP CareerViewXR.
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.
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 ET; Register for the June 25 Quarterly Discussion
Rooted & Rising - Employment and Its Impact on Mental Health
Date/Time: April 29, Virtual, 6:00 – 7:00 pm ET
Location: Zoom - Learn more and Register for Employment and Its Impact on Mental Health
Presented by: Rooted & Rising is a project of the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute
Description: Rooted & Rising focuses on understanding the needs and gaps of mental health services for people with developmental disabilities in Appalachian counties in Kentucky. The series will offer 8 topics, both in person and virtually, open to anyone interested in learning more about mental health and overcoming challenges faced by people with developmental
disabilities.
Kentucky Disability Benefits 101: 5th Thursday Coffee/Tea Break
Date: 5th Thursdays in 2026: April 30, July 30, October 29
Time: 3:15 – 3:45 presentation and 3:45 – 4:15 open Q&A (ET)
Location: Zoom - Learn more and register for the Kentucky Disability Benefits 101 webinar
Presented by: SETP; Speakers include Carolyn Wheeler, SETP/University of Kentucky Human Development Institute, and Jeff White, Division of Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DDID)
Description: At the end of the 30 minutes, you will be able to use the Kentucky Disability Benefits 101 website to show the positive financial impact of employment while still maintaining a person’s eligibility for Medicaid or Medicare.
Work, Waivers, & STABLE Kentucky
Date: April 22, 2026
Time: 9:30 - 10:30 am ET
Location: Zoom; Learn more and register for the Work, Waivers, & STABLE Kentucky webinar
Presented by: SETP; Speakers include Carolyn Wheeler
Description: Learn how having a job can still work with Medicaid waiver eligibility if you know the facts and not the fiction. Check out Kentucky Disability Benefits 101 and STABLE
Kentucky to learn more.
Audience: Case Managers in waiver programs, state guardians, and employment service providers.
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!
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)
Universal Employment Competencies
In 2019, the Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) updated the APSE Universal Employment Competencies. This is a useful tool for understanding best practices in our field, measuring how your agency lines up, using it as a tool in employee reviews, and more.
Impact of Wages on Benefits
How to Describe Supported Employment Services
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
