Governor Announces Federal Grant to Enhance Employment and Training Services for Persons with Disabilities

SPRINGFIELD -- Governor George H. Ryan today announced the U.S. Department of Labor is awarding a nearly $1 million grant to the Illinois Workforce Investment Board to expand training and job opportunities throughout the state for persons with disabilities.

"This grant will help us expand services in our successful One-Stop Career Centers to better assist persons with disabilities in seeking employment," Gov. Ryan said. "We'll be able to make sure all of the One-Stop Career Centers in Illinois are fully-accessible and we will expand the use of assistive technology in these centers."

Illinois was singled out by the Department of Labor for its ongoing efforts to increase resources and improve the ability of clients to use the state's One-Stop Centers. The Illinois Workforce Investment Board received one of only 23 similar grants issued this year by the Department of Labor.

The $998,000 grant will be used to provide enhanced assistive technology hardware and software, ensure all One-Stop Career Centers are fully-accessible and to provide training and on-going technical support to staff so that resources are appropriately utilized.

The grant program will be implemented over two and a half years. There are currently 44 comprehensive One-Stop Career Centers throughout the state.