These community projects provide services, supports, and assistance for people with disabilities and their families, professionals, paraprofessionals, policy-makers, and other members of the community.

Social Security Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach

This project, funded through the Social Security Administration, provides benefits analysis and counseling to individuals who receive Social Security SSDI and/or SSI disability benefits. The project gathers information about the individual’s circumstances and benefits package to assess the availability and impact of using work incentive programs to help them make informed choices about returning to work.

People First: Anchorage Chapter

The Anchorage Chapter of People First is part of a national organization of people with disabilities. The local chapter fosters self-advocacy, empowerment, and community inclusion through monthly meetings, a monthly newsletter, workshops, and technical assistance to developing chapters statewide.

Partners in Policymaking

Partners in Policymaking is a national model of leadership training for people with disabilities and their family members who wish to become leaders and advocates in the disability rights movement. This project identifies individuals from across the state who have not held a leadership position and helps them develop partnerships with people in policy making positions.

Promoting Safety and Dignity for Women with Disabilities

In response to the growing concern for violence towards Alaskan women with disabilities, the Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education, in partnership with the UAA Center for Human Development and AWAIC, applied and received grant funds from the Office of Violence Against Women to present training, outreach, and technical assistance to victim advocates, provider agencies, individuals with disabilities, and families. Alaskans Speak Up: Ending Violence Against Women with Disabilities is a collaborative effort between the disability field and the victim advocate field. Goals of the campaign include:

• Promote training of risk reduction skills;
• Increase the ability of providers to recognize symptoms of victimization;
• Increase access to and satisfaction with victim services;
• Increase awareness of victims rights and choices;
• Increase knowledge of criminal justice system, and
• Promote the dignity of women with disabilities.

For more information about the Alaskans Speak Up project, contact Karen Ward, Director at afkmw@uaa.alaska.edu, UAA Center for Human Development at (907) 264-6229.

Self-Employment Project

This project provides technical assistance and support for individuals with disabilities seeking self-employment as a means to achieve independence, productivity, and self-determination. Individuals are assisted in developing a business plan as well as locating additional community resources for self-employment. The Self-Employment project coordinates with the Alaska Works project and support agencies to provide needed assistance.

Specialized Clinic for People with Disabilities

This project provides wrap-around support and interventions for children, adolescent, and adult females and males with disabilities with histories of victimization who remain at risk. Among the services provided are assessment, psychosocial skills training, sociosexual skills training, clinical case management, and case consultation. Personal safety and risk reduction strategies are design to assist individuals to live safely in their home communities. Behavioral risk management services are available for individuals with a history of inappropriate sexual behavior. Staff provide conference presentations, workshops, technical assistance and support and are published writers in the area of disability and abuse.