The TIP Brief: Beyond the Surface
July 2026 Newsletter

Join Us for the Workforce & Employer Engagement Summit 

The Training Innovation Project (TIP) is excited to host its inaugural Workforce & Employer Engagement Summit on September 22, 2026, from 1:00–4:00 p.m. ET.

As part of TIP's work to strengthen the capacity of vocational rehabilitation professionals through innovative training and technical assistance, this virtual summit will bring together workforce partners, employers, vocational rehabilitation professionals, and others to share lessons learned, explore practical strategies for employer engagement, and highlight tools and resources that can be adapted across settings.

The agenda will feature:

• National insights on employer engagement and workforce partnerships.
• Practical strategies for building stronger employer relationships. 
• Timely topics and emerging trends in disability employment. 
• Partner perspectives on what successful employer engagement looks like in practice. 
• New TIP resources, training opportunities, and upcoming initiatives.

Registration is now open! We will share additional details about the summit agenda, featured speakers, and session highlights in the August newsletter. We hope you'll register now and join us in September.

Professional Learning Series to Launch Fall 2026

The TIP series of self-paced and instructor-led courses will soon be available online. The Professional Learning Series lets learners earn micro-credentials and continuing education units. Courses use evidence-based strategies such as case studies and collaborative problem-solving to promote engagement, skill mastery, and immediate on-the-job application. Stay tuned for the launch date!

Strengthening the Workforce: The Business Case for Hiring and Retaining Qualified People with Disabilities

Learn at Lunch

July 21, 2026 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET 

Presenters: Johnny Collette and Laurie Mays

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the workforce participation gap for people with disabilities and its implications for employers and workforce systems.
• Summarize the evidence supporting the business case for hiring and retaining qualified employees with disabilities.
• Identify employer practices, workplace strategies, partnerships, and resources that support the recruitment, hiring, retention, and advancement of qualified employees with disabilities.

Driving Employment Outcomes Through Innovation and Partnership: Four-Part Listening and Strategy Series

Talk with TIP

Session One

August 5, 2026 12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. ET 

The Training Innovation Project (TIP) presents a four-part Talk with TIP listening and strategy series designed to engage vocational rehabilitation professionals in identifying, prioritizing, and addressing the most pressing challenges impacting competitive integrated employment outcomes. Findings will inform TIP’s year-two professional development activities. Continuing Education Units (CRCs) and SHRM Professional Development Credits (PDCs) will be provided. 

Presenter: Christina Espinosa, MRC, CRC; UK Human Development Institute, Division Director, Community Education 

Session One – Understanding Current Challenges
Topic: What barriers and/or systemic issues are vocational rehabilitation professionals facing in supporting competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities?
This session will focus on gathering perspectives from the field to better understand emerging employment and labor market trends, persistent barriers, including systemic issues and service delivery gaps, as well as workforce challenges, employer engagement concerns, and policy impacts.

Each session of this series uses the same registration link but participants must select the desired session date from the dropdown menu.

Driving Employment Outcomes Through Innovation and Partnership: Four-Part Listening and Strategy Series

Talk with TIP

Session Two

August 12, 2026 12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. ET 

Presenter: Christina Espinosa, MRC, CRC; UK Human Development Institute, Division Director, Community Education 

Session Two – Validating and Prioritizing Needs
Topic: Which challenges require the greatest attention, and what may still be missing from the conversation?
Participants will review and refine themes identified during Session 1, validate whether the findings reflect real-world practice, identify overlooked issues, and collaboratively prioritize areas of greatest urgency and impact.

Each session of this series uses the same registration link but participants must select the desired session date from the dropdown menu.

Services Available from Vocational Rehabilitation to Support Businesses and Employees

Learn at Lunch

August 18, 2026 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET 

Presenter: Ryan Henson

Learning Objective: Learn about the specific benefits and services provided to employers and employees through the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Employer Services Branch.  

Biography: Ryan Henson is a 22-year employee with the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and has served in a variety of roles including Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, Branch Manager, Regional Program Manager, and Employer Service Branch Administrator. Throughout his career, he has been committed to advancing employment opportunities and improving outcomes for individuals with disabilities while strengthening partnerships with employers across the Commonwealth. Ryan is a graduate of the University of Kentucky's Master of Rehabilitation Counseling (MRC) program and brings extensive experience in vocational rehabilitation programming and workforce development.

Driving Employment Outcomes Through Innovation and Partnership: Four-Part Listening and Strategy Series

Talk with TIP

Session Three

August 19, 2026 12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. ET 

Presenter: Christina Espinosa, MRC, CRC; UK Human Development Institute, Division Director, Community Education 

Session Three – Advancing Solutions and Innovation
Topic: What strategies, tools, partnerships, and training approaches could help address these challenges?
This collaborative brainstorming session will focus on practical and innovative solutions, including training and technical assistance needs, systems improvements, employer engagement strategies, emerging practices, and opportunities for peer learning and resource development.

Each session of this series uses the same registration link but participants must select the desired session date from the dropdown menu.

Training Innovation Project

Communities of Practice (COP)

August 25, 2026 12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. ET 

Communities of Practice (COP) are groups of people who come together because they care about improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Members share ideas, solve problems, build skills, and create practical tools that support competitive integrated employment.

The COP is meant to grow naturally over time and will eventually be led by its members, giving participants the chance to shape discussions and activities around what matters most to them and their work.

Driving Employment Outcomes Through Innovation and Partnership: Four-Part Listening and Strategy Series

Talk with TIP

Session Four

August 26, 2026 12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. ET 

Presenter: Christina Espinosa, MRC, CRC; UK Human Development Institute, Division Director, Community Education 

Session Four – TIP’s Role and Commitment Moving Forward
Topic: How can TIP meaningfully support the field moving forward?
The final session will focus on defining the role of Training Innovation Project in responding to identified needs through training, technical assistance, communities of practice, resource development, partnerships, and ongoing engagement with vocational rehabilitation professionals and stakeholders.

Each session of this series uses the same registration link but participants must select the desired session date from the dropdown menu.

2026 Autism Informed Employers Video Series

The Kentucky Employment First Council, Innovative Supports for Autistic Workers (ISAW), and the Training Innovation Project (TIP) share Episode 6 of the 2026 Autism Informed Employers quick-hit video series. This is a monthly 2-minute video series along with quarterly topical conversations. 

Episode 6: Sensorimotor needs of the autistic worker shares information on movement differences in autism, what this may look like at work, and simple ideas on how to accommodate sensorimotor needs of autistic people.

TIP National Advisory Panel member Bob Drake is Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. He is an active clinician and has studied psychiatric rehabilitation for over 50 years. Along with Deborah Becker, he developed the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment, the IPS Employment Center, and the International IPS Learning Community. He has published more than 700 articles and books on psychiatric rehabilitation. TIP is grateful for his expertise and tremendous contributions to the field that help inform what we can offer to rehabilitation professionals around the country.