Press Releases
GOV. MALLOY RE-APPOINTS AMY PORTER AS COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION SERVICES
(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that he intends to re-appoint Amy Porter as Commissioner of the Department of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) when his second term in office begins on January 7, 2015.
"Commissioner Porter has been working closely with community partners to ensure that the office meets its goals of benefiting those who receive its services," Governor Malloy said. "We have an obligation to ensure that the safety net is protecting those who need it most, and I look forward to continuing our work in this area with Commissioner Porter."
"I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve in this administration," Porter said. "Governor Malloy's commitment to disability issues, combined with his commitment to addressing workforce challenges, has paved the way for the work of our new agency. These commitments will allow the department, through the extraordinary work of our staff and community partners, to achieve its mission of maximizing the opportunity for Connecticut citizens with disabilities to live, learn and work independently."
Commissioner Porter began the position as head of the office
in January 2012
. The agency which was recently created by merging programs that were formerly known as the Department of Social Services' Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, the Board of Education and Services for the Blind, the Commission on the Deaf and Hearing Impaired, the Workers' Rehabilitation Program and the Driver Training Program for People with Disabilities.
Under Commissioner Porter's leadership, the department's major accomplishments include:
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Oversaw the creation of the new Department of Rehabilitation Services. Proposed by Governor Malloy, the department consolidated and aligned disability service programs including the former Department of Social Services (DSS) Bureau of Rehabilitation Services programs, the State Board of Education & Services for the Blind, the Commission on Deaf & Hearing Impaired, and portions of the Workers' Compensation Commission and Department of Motor Vehicles.
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Maximized opportunities for Connecticut citizens to live, learn and work. In the past fiscal year, over 11,800 consumers were served under the Department's employment programs; approximately 5,400 people participated in Independent Living programs; 48,900 hours of sign language interpreting services were performed; and over 42,000 disability claims were processed.
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Built a Coordinated, Equitable Strategic Map to Improve Employment Outcomes for Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities. DORS convened a multi-agency strategic planning team focused on building blocks to ensure youth and young adults with disabilities, as well as their families, have early access to and education about transition planning.
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Created a Distance Learning Initiative. DORS developed an online training platform for job seekers with disabilities, their family members, educators, employers, other professionals and state agency staff. The free online trainings focus on the areas of employment and independent living issues for individuals with disabilities, as identified and prioritized through broad stakeholder input. As of July, 2013, 51 training modules have been created and 2266 users have registered in the learning management system.
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Created a New Workforce Model for Job Seekers with Disabilities. The department developed and implemented a new workforce development training model to respond to the needs of Connecticut businesses. The model, called the Industry Specific Training and Placement Program (ISTPP) is geared toward connecting businesses with a qualified workforce of job seekers with disabilities, and training these individuals based on the needs of the industry and the specific business. To date, a total of 8 ISTPPs have been implemented statewide with plans to expand to additional businesses. As of December, 2014 approximately 300 individuals have been trained and 170 of those individuals are working in the jobs for which they were trained.
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For Immediate Release: December 18, 2014
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