March 4, 2009 – The Virgin Islands Department of Labor was awarded a discretionary grant of $110,000. and has entered into a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration to establish paid positions for the Disability Program Navigators (DPNs) to facilitate universal access for job seekers with disabilities through their One Stop Career Centers. Navigators will receive the training and on-going, technical assistance needed to develop expertise on issues that impact job seekers with disabilities, including beneficiaries of Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income, according to a press release from Commissioner of Labor Albert Bryan Jr.
"The DPN initiative has been on-going in 17 States since 2003. The Virgin Islands was invited to participate in this initiative in 2008. We are very excited about this award and look forward to delivering more comprehensive, seamless, integrated employment services to job seekers with disabilities," Bryan said.
For more information about the DPN initiative, contact Lisa Newton at 776-3700.