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RA Capital Reserve Account (RACRA): Orientation to the Dispersal Process

RA Capital Reserve Account (RACRA): Orientation to the Dispersal Process. Barbara Lybarger, ADA Coordinator Liaison Massachusetts Office on Disability One Ashburton Place, #1305 617 727-7440 ext. 27315. Mission Statement.

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RA Capital Reserve Account (RACRA): Orientation to the Dispersal Process

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  1. RA Capital Reserve Account (RACRA):Orientation to the Dispersal Process Barbara Lybarger, ADA Coordinator Liaison Massachusetts Office on Disability One Ashburton Place, #1305 617 727-7440 ext. 27315

  2. Mission Statement • The Reserve Account is a back stop when an agency finds that it cannot meet the costs of providing reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities. • Note: The RACRA Fund is not meant to supplant existing agency resources to respond to reasonable accommodation requests, but to supplement them.

  3. Available Funds $100,000 Per Year For Five Years

  4. Goals & Objectives • Five-year goals • Provide some financial relief to agencies that are successful in hiring and retaining employees with disabilities • Determine long-term funding needs for this activity • Begin to establish a centralized structure for addressing reasonable accommodation issues in the workforce.

  5. The Process • Agency assesses: • Need for accommodation and less costly but equally functional alternatives • Cost(s) • If over $2500 consider applying to the Reserve Account • Spending for RA so far in the Fiscal Year -- If over .05% of Agency Budget consider applying to the Reserve Account • Complete and transmit application to Barbara Lybarger at MOD barbara.lybarger@state.ma.us

  6. The Process (cont.) • MOD: • Review Agency application and discuss alternatives if appropriate. • Certify eligibility to ANF • ANF Office of Access and Opportunity: • Review MOD certification and either: • Authorize dispersal to the agency, or • Where under DCAM jurisdiction, authorize DCAM to proceed with the work using RACRA Funds.

  7. Time Tablefor Initial Requests • Initial Applications due to MOD by close of business on Friday, August 21st • MOD will transmit eligibility certificates to ANF OAO by Friday, August 28th • Initial awards from OAO by Friday, September 4th • Dispersals to be arranged beginning Tuesday, September 9th

  8. Subsequent Requests • Will be processed in the same manner. • They will be subject to available funds, and • They will be addressed on a first come first serve basis.

  9. Other Resources • Technical Assistance • MOD 800-322-2020 • US Job Accommodation Network http://www.jan.wvu.edu/ • Evaluations and Other RA Funding Options • Employees eligible for federally funded Vocational Rehabilitation Services: • Mass. Commission for the Blind for employees who are legally blind • Mass. Rehabilitation Commission for all other employees

  10. Other Resources (cont.) • For Technology Related Needs • MassMatch run by Mass. Rehabilitation Commission http://www.massmatch.org/ • Assistive Technology Regional Centers to learn about, try out or borrow a needed AT device. • GetATStuff.org shop for used equipment or advertise what you are no longer using. • And More • ITD Assistive Technology Laboratory -- Testing accessibility of proposed hardware and software solutions for state government • For Technology Related Needs • MassMatch run by Mass. Rehabilitation Commission http://www.massmatch.org/ • Assistive Technology Regional Centers to learn about, try out or borrow a needed AT device. • GetATStuff.org shop for used equipment or advertise what you are no longer using. • And More • ITD Assistive Technology Laboratory -- Testing accessibility of proposed hardware and software solutions for state government

  11. Other Resources (cont.) • All other Employee needs, check with Massachusetts Agency that serves people with the disability involved, for example: • Mass. Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing • Mass. Department of Mental Health • Mass. Department of Mental Retardation • Mass. Department of Public Health • Mass. Department of Veterans’ Services

  12. What MOD Does • By Statute • Created in 1981, by M.G.L. c. 6, sec. 185, as the state advocacy agency that serves people with disabilities of all ages. MOD's primary mission is to ensure access. • Client Services Unit – • information about government related programs rights and services • Advocacy resolve individual disability related problems, such as employment discrimination. • Community Services Unit – • Work with local communities on access and integration issues • Train anyone interested about disability based rights, and physical access standards and enforcement

  13. What MOD does (cont.) • By Executive Orders and Assignment • ADA Coordinator, • Write and maintain Disability Handbook for the Executive Branch • Provide technical assistance • Maintain the ADA Coordinator List for Massachusetts contact Barbara or Myra • Provide Disability Rights and Obligations Technical assistance to : Other agency ADA Coordinators and related contacts RACRA Fund Initial Eligibility Evaluation contact Barbara

  14. Contacts for RACRA • Ron Marlow – ANF Assistant Secretary for Access and Opportunity • Myra Berloff – MOD Director and ADA Coordinator for the Executive Department • Sandra Borders – ODEO, Director • Barbara Lybarger – MOD General Counsel and ADA Coordinator Liaison

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