Disability Resource Center
Employment Services
Projects with Industry - Competitive Employment l Job Seekers Services l Employer Services l Customized Work Experience Program l Job Postings l First Impression Men's Suit Program l Job Readiness Classes l Employment Day & Mini Job Fair l Testimonials
If you want to Contact the Center's employment program, please call (502) 589-6620 for Louisville and surrounding areas, or (270) 753-7676 for Murray & West Kentucky. You may also email bdavis at calky dot org.
Projects with Industry (PWI)
Career Choices
Career Choices is a Projects with Industry (PWI) Program, funded by the US Department of Education (Projects With Industry Award # H234R050174), is for persons with disabilities seeking competitive jobs and career opportunities. Career Choices is offered at both Center for Accessible Living sites, located in Louisville and Murray, KY.
The Projects with Industry (PWI) Program creates and expands job and career opportunities for individuals with disabilities in the competitive labor market by engaging the participation of business and industry in the rehabilitation process. PWI promotes the involvement of business and private industry through the Business Advisory Council (BAC), that identifies jobs and careers available in the community and provides advice on appropriate skills and training. Private industry partners help identify competitive job and career opportunities and the skills needed to perform these jobs to create practical job and career readiness and training programs and to provide job placement and career advancement.
Career Choices provides job development, job placement, career advancement, and training services, such as job readiness training or job skills training for program participants. The Program also provide supportive services and assistance for individuals with disabilities in work settings.
Job Seekers
If you are a person with a disability and are searching for employment, you may qualify for FREE assistance.
The Employment staff is ready to assist you with:
- Resume Preparation
- Interviewing Skills
- Internet Access
- Monthly Job Readiness Classes
- Job Seeking
- Weekly Job Hunt Club, Thursdays 9:30 - 11:30 A.M. (Except the First Thursday of the Month)
- Skills Training
- Career Development
- Customized Work Experience Program (Transitioning Youth With Sensory Processing Disorders)
- Job Leads
- Access to Employers with an Interest in Hiring People with Disabilities
- Job Development & Placement
- Professional clothing for low-income participants
- Employment Day
What is a Disability?
A person with a disability is defined as: A person with physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; or a person with a record of such a physical or mental impairment; or a person who is regarded as having such an impairment.
Examples of disabilities are:
Visible Disabilities include:
Paraplegia/Quadriplegia, Cerebral Palsy, Hard of Hearing/Deafness, Muscular Dystrophy, Blind or Visually Impaired, Amputation, Spinal Bifida, and more...
Hidden Disabilities include:
Learning Disability (such as ADD, Dyslexia), Arthritis, Heart Disease, Mental or Emotional Illness, Epilepsy/Stroke, Back Injury, Diabetes, Cancer, HIV, Head Injury, Autism, and more...
Job Readiness Classes
The Center offers Job Readiness Classes on the first Thursday of every month. These classes are designed to give you the tools and confidence necessary to finding employment. All job readiness classes are free, RSVP required to Barbara Davis, (502) 589-6620.
Topics:
August: IT STARTS WITH CONFIDENCE
September: BUSTING THE JOB SEARCH RUT
October: JOB INTERVIEWS SCARE ME TO DEATH
November: RESOURCES FOR COPING WITH UNEMPLOYMENT
December: ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT
Employment Day
Our next semi-annual EMPLOYMENT DAY will be in the October 28th, RSVP is required.
Fun & Informational. FREE AND OPEN TO ANY INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY.
Employment Day is a half day event designed to make the job seeker with a disability more job ready. Regular events
include a Resume workshop, mock interviewing with volunteer HR professionals, and seminar topics related to gaining
and maintaining employment. The event is followed by a mini job fair with
disability friendly employers and information from service providers.
Past topics have included:
Job Readiness, How to Dress, the ADA, FMLA,
Effective Networking, Your rights as an applicant, Effective Job Search Tips, and more.
INFORMATIONAL SEMINAR TOPICS:
RESUME WORKSHOP:
A team of specialists will be available to help make a great resume.
MOCK INTERVIEWS:
Volunteer human resource professionals will be available to facilitate mock interviews.
RSVP
Please RSVP to Barbara Davis, (502) 589-6620.
Event is at 305 W. Broadway on the corner of 3rd and Broadway in Louisville. We are located in the Fincastle Building on the 2nd floor.
Parking validated for the lot on the corner of 3rd and Broadway.
Customized Work Experience Program (CWE)
Transitioning Youth With Sensory Processing Disorders, Including ASD
Customized Unpaid Work Assignments Empower Youth In:
- Assessing Job Readiness Needs
- Accommodations Exploration
- Decision-Making
- Adjusting to Change
- Exploration of Career Choices
- Accessing Transportation
- Knowing Your Rights
- Basic Work Routines
- Work Place Social Skills
- Building Confidence
- Achieving Goals
- Basic Job Search Skills
- Job Retention Skills
- Entering Training Programs
- Integrating into the Workplace
- Other Workplace Skills
Services Provided By the Program Include:
- Customized Task Assignments, actual tasks that are assigned based on how they meet a goal
- Accommodations are explored through trial and error in tasking
- Career exploration is provided through task assignment
- Inclusion in office social events is provided
- Collaboration with Others (With permission from participant)
- Sharing goals, progress and accommodation needs with Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors, Job Coaches, Parents and Teachers, Other Transitioning Team Members.
For more information about participating in CWE, contact Barb Davis, Senior Employment Specialist at (502) 589-6620.
Space is limited in this program and available on a first come, first serve basis.
First Impression Men's Suit Program
Because first impressions last a lifetime!
To make a great first impression on their potential employers…
The Center For Accessible Living has a collection of men's professional clothing for job seekers in Louisville and surrounding areas that need Interview attire.
Individuals do not need to have a disability to receive a suit.
To Get a Suit
Men must be actively seeking employment and referred by an approved agency. To become an approved agency,
call Ed Kirby at (502) 589-6620 or email Keith Hosey for more information.
WALK-INS WILL NOT BE SUITED.
For more information or to get the referral form, please call or email.
To Donate Clothing
The Center is always accepting donations.
Please keep us in mind when talking to family, friends, at church and when going through your own closet.
Donation Guidelines
First Impression Suit Closet is very appreciative to the community for it’s generous donations to our Program. As you plan to bring your items, please consider the following guidelines:
** Please note that any clothing we determine to be not appropriate for our mission may be given to another worthy community agency serving disadvantaged individuals.
We ARE currently accepting new or nearly new, cleaned contemporary interview-appropriate:
Please bring all items cleaned and on hangers. NO BAGS OR BOXES PLEASE.
We are NOT currently accepting:
Donations are currently accepted:
Mondays - Fridays by appointment only between 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Volunteering:
We are always accepting volunteers at the Center for Accessible Living and First Impression Suit Program. There are many ways you can be a part of our programs, no matter your availability.
Please contact our office for more information about donations or volunteering. You may call at (502) 589-6620, email Keith Hosey to donate or email Beverly Alford to volunteer .
Center for Accessible Living
305 W. Broadway, Suite 200
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 589-6620 PHONE
(502) 589-3980 FAX
(502) 589-6690 TTY
All donations are tax deductible.
To donate Women's professional clothing, please contact Dress For Success at (502) 584-8050.
Job Openings
Center For Accessible Living l Office For Employment and Training l Citi Cards l Volunteers Of America l US Army Corps of Engineers l National Patient Account Services l Caesars l Courier-Journal
Currently no positions open.
To Self Register and Apply for Jobs:
Office For Employment and Training
Sales and Customer Service Associate
Collections Associate
Apply Online:
Please visit Career Builder to view the most recent openings with Volunteers Of America of Kentucky and Tennessee.
To view current openings and to apply:
Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville Jobs
Collections Specialist
Part Time Nights; Monday- Thursday 5:30pm-10pm and Saturdays from 9am-1pm.
Full Time Days; Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.
GENERAL SUMMARY OF DUTIES - Performs account follow-up and resolution of patient receivables.
SUPERVISOR - Operations Supervisor/Operations Manager
SUPERVISES- N/A
DUTIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
Referring calls/accounts to appropriate parties based on customer inquiries
Identify problem accounts and escalate as appropriate
Update the patient account record to identify actions taken on the account
Work with patients and guarantors to secure payment on outstanding account balances
Maintain minimum production standards
Achieve passing quality review scores per unit requirements
Produce acceptable unit collection volumes
Work within company attendance guidelines
Provide excellent customer service
Work with other team members and management in a professional manner
Practice “Gung Ho” principles
Attend Privacy and Security Training a required by the HIPPA Awareness Program and comply with all guidelines,
policies and procedures to assure sensitive or confidential information is protected in accordance with the HIPPA rules and regulations.
Other duties as assigned
KEY COMPETENCIES TARGETED FOR COLLECTIONS SPECIALIST
Communication - Clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or
groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the message.
Key actions: Organizes the communication, Maintains audience attention, Adjusts to the audience,
Ensures understanding, Adheres to accepted conventions, Comprehends communication from others
Continuous Learning - Actively identifying new areas for learning; regularly creating and taking advantage of
learning opportunities; using newly gained knowledge and skill on the job and learning through their application.
Key actions: Targets learning needs, Seeks learning activities, Maximizes learning, Applies knowledge or skill, Takes risks in learning
Customer Focus - Making customers and their needs a primary focus of one’s actions; developing and sustaining productive customer relationships.
Key actions: Seeks to understand customers, Educates customers, Build collaborative relationships,
Takes action to meet customer needs and concerns, Sets up customer feedback systems
Decision Making - Identifying and understanding issues, problems, and opportunities; comparing data from different sources to draw
conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent
with available facts, constraints, and probable consequences.
Key actions: Identifies issues, problems, and opportunities, Gathers information, Interprets information,
Generates alternatives, Chooses appropriate action, Commits to action, Involves others
Negotiations - Effectively exploring alternatives and positions to reach outcomes that gain the support of acceptance of parties.
Key actions: Clarifies the current situation, Identifies points of agreement/disagreement, Keeps discussion issues oriented,
Develops others and own ideas, Builds support for preferred alternatives, Facilitates agreement
Stress Tolerance - Maintaining stable performance under pressure or opposition (such as time pressure or job ambiguity); handling
stress in a manner that is acceptable to others and to the organization.
Key actions: Maintains focus, Maintains relationships, Copes effectively
Work standards - Setting high standards of performance for self and others; assuming responsibility and accountability for
successfully completing assignments or tasks; self imposing standards of excellence rather than having standards imposed.
Key actions: Sets standards for excellence, Ensures high quality, Takes responsibility, Encourages others to take responsibility
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES
PC skills - demonstrates proficiency in PC applications as required
EDUCATION
High School diploma or G.E.D. required
EXPERIENCE
At least one year of collections or customer service experience required.
CERTIFICATES/LICENSE- N/A
PHYSICAL DEMAND/WORKING CONDITIONS- Requires prolonged sitting, some bending, stooping and stretching. Requires eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity sufficient to operate a keyboard, photocopier, telephone, calculator and other office equipment. Requires normal range of hearing and eyesight to record, prepare and communicate appropriate reports. Requires lifting papers or boxes up to 50 pounds occasionally. Work is performed in an office environment. Work may be stressful at times. Contact may involve dealing with angry or upset people.
Addendum
Sr. Representative Responsibilities
DUTIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:
Exceed minimum production standards
Achieve exemplary Quality Review scores unit requirement
Produce outstanding unit collection volumes
Exceed company attendance guidelines
Lead and train as requested other members of team
Promote positive attitude and work ethic for other team members
Sr. Representative EXPERIENCE
Minimum six months of NPAS experience
Apply Online:
Apply Online:
To view current openings and to apply:
Testimonials - A Rich History of Success
How PWI Helped me Find a Job
By Ian Mooney
My name is Ian Mooney. I am 16 years old. I have never had a job before, and did not have any idea how to look for one or what to say about my disability. I started working with an employment specialist at the Center last year to learn how to look for a job. He gave me some job applications and had me practice completing them. I am glad he did. I thought all applications were the same, but they are not. It would have been hard for me to look for a job for real if I had not understood this. He taught me how to keep my ID and Social Security information and reference information in a notebook so I would have it for job applications. He also helped me learned how to tie a tie for a job interview. He also helped me understand how to handle issues about my disability, how to act while waiting for an interview, and how to shake hands with an interviewer.
I went to the Employment Day for Youth last spring. There I learned how to write a resume using the skills I gained in Scouts, volunteering and cooking at home. I also listened to a lady talk about how to dress for a job interview. Another lady talked about the best ways to get a job when you have never had one before. She helped me a lot. I continued to come to the Center after that to work with my employment specialist.
At this last Employment Day, I came after school and went to a mock interview. The man told me the things I did right and gave me some ideas on things I could do better. Soon after that, I turned 16 and started to look for a job. I put in a lot of applications and talked to everybody I knew about what I was looking for. One waitress at a restaurant gave me a job lead which generated an interview, but I didn’t get the job. Then, after nearly a month of looking, I put an application in online to Kroger. This was Friday night at home. Saturday afternoon the manager called me and asked could I come in Sunday for an interview. I did, and I got the job. I am working now as a bagger and utility clerk, which means bringing in the grocery carts. I really like it.
Thanks to the Center and my employment specialist for helping me.
My Success Story
By Peggy Bassford
After moving here from Tennessee to be with my mother, I saw a flyer for a peer support group for people with disabilities at the Center for Accessible Living. I asked about when the next meeting was going to be an attended that meeting. During the meeting I met with staff and including, my Employment Specialist, to help me get a job, and someone I was able to discuss benefits with, since I had been trying to apply for SSI. I was grateful for this meeting because I had no other source of income at this time.
My Employment Specialist listened to me. We were able to talk about my past job experience. She was able to help remember all the jobs that have held in the past, including dates and supervisors, in order to determine what jobs I should on applications. Together we developed a resume and put together a list of good references and filled out several employment applications. My Employment Specialist was also able to help me talk to some employers to determine what types of places be the best fit for me. She also sent me to vocational rehabilitation. At VR I was able to get help purchasing clothes for an interview and job coach after I started a job to help me train.
I glad that I am able to work. I have been working at Ryan’s Steakhouse for almost a year now, washing dishes and cleaning for them. I started out part-time but have recently found out that I may start working full time now. The staff at the center still are there for me. My Employment Specialist is still here whenever I have time to work to listen and help me figure out how to handle it. I have also recently decided to move out. The Independent Living Specialist at the center and is helping me look a place to stay, and with questions I have about housing applications. Staff at the center have really been able to help me out a lot and I am glad they are here.
SUCCESS STORY: HOW PWI HELPED ME FIND A JOB
By John Monaghan
How I came to need the aid of the Center for Accessible Living is inconsequential to my story. Suffice it to say that I made some bad choices in my life regarding my education and the way I've dealt with family and friends in the past. Fortunately, I've never had to deal with addictions of any kind but because of my attitude toward the world alone, I still had to hit rock bottom to see that I needed to change the way I was living and interacting with people. I was angry at the world for having been disabled at birth and believed I could just throw my life away and somebody would always bail me out when I got into trouble. I never thought that I would actually ever be homeless and penniless until I found myself trying to get some sleep in the bushes alongside a hotel just off interstate 64 under a flattened cardboard box in the rain. And yet there I was!
With the help of some good Samaritans, I made my way to the Wayside Christian Mission where I found many people like myself. Unlike me, they had given up on life altogether and were content to waste away there, eventually to end up back up on the street and most likely dead. I had heard many of them say Wayside was the Cadillac of men's shelters compared to others they had stayed in but I can assure you it was in no way a healthy, safe or pleasant place to stay. I had to find a way back to a life of my own but I didn't have any of the means to do so. I needed a job but to get the job, I needed interview worthy clothing and lots of access to an Internet capable computer.
After many miles of footwork, I found the Center for Accessible living and an employment specialist who is a real gentleman.
He didn't judge me or dismiss me. Instead, he put all his efforts into helping me as much as he could. He fitted me with a "like new"
suit from
the Center’s First Impressions job interview suit closet, helped me with my resume and gave me access to the center’s computers.
Thank You Letter
To Whom It May Concern:
Before I found the program Career Choices, I was in a position of being unable to work and being placed on disability. I had no time or reason to wake up or go to bed, I was in a very depressed state in my life.
Career Choices slowly helped me find the right position for me to work my way back into the workforce without taking away my disability money. Instead, I traded my disability check for a paycheck. I will admit the steps were not easy, but today I look back and have a job and a future. I have more today because of Career Choices than I had when I was only on disability, I have opportunities and freedom; I thank God for Carissa Johnson and her team of dedicated workers that help people like me live a normal life.
Most Sincerely,
A Client (Consumer has asked to remain anonymous).
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