Employment Resources, Inc. (ERI)

06/05/2026

Are you looking to make a career move into vocational rehabilitation? Or does your organization need to fill VR positions with qualified, well-prepared staff?

Our partners at StaffUp ASAP recognize the growing demand for skilled VR professionals who are passionate about helping people with disabilities achieve meaningful employment outcomes.

That's why they developed a free accelerated training program designed to help build the next generation of VR professionals. The program was created based on feedback from VR agencies across the country to address the knowledge, skills, and training needs identified by the field.

Learn more about the needs assessment that helped shape the program and why this training is making a difference for VR agencies and professionals alike. 👉 https://ow.ly/Tes350Z6cX3

Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute (SVRI)

A recent national survey by StaffUp ASAP revealed that VR teams urgently need practical training in caseload management, soft skills, career guidance, disability understanding, and cross-agency collaboration to better prepare new staff, many without a traditional VR background, for immediate impact.

06/04/2026

We are seeking an hourly Accessibility Consultant - Screen Reader Testing to help review websites, online trainings, digital documents, and other online materials for accessibility.

We are specifically looking for an individual who is blind or visually impaired and has strong experience using screen reader technology in everyday life.

Learn more 👉 https://ow.ly/kXeg50Z7go3

06/04/2026

We were at the Employment First Conference this week and appreciated the opportunity to connect with professionals, partners, advocates, and organizations who are all working to strengthen employment opportunities and support services for people with disabilities.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to connect with us! We enjoyed the conversations and look forward to continuing the work together.

Wisconsin APSE

06/04/2026

🚨 Now is the time to speak up for DVR services. 🚨

During the last budget cycle, Wisconsin's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) was underfunded, resulting in the implementation of a waitlist for critical services. The Joint Finance Committee (JFC) has an opportunity to address this at their meeting on TOMORROW—but they need to hear from the people who know firsthand why these services matter.

• Have you used DVR services?
• Are you currently receiving support?
• Do you have a child who may need these services as they prepare for adulthood?

Your story can make a difference.

📞 Call
📧 Email
🎙️ Leave a voicemail

Tell decision-makers what DVR support has meant for you and your family—and what life would look like without it. Personal experiences are powerful, and your voice deserves to be part of this conversation.

Learn more and take action:
https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/raw/cid/1994736

Please share to help spread the word.

06/03/2026

Watch this webinar from our partners at National Technical Assistance Center on Transition: the Collaborative titled Sustainable Collaborations: Connecting State Vision, Local Practice, and Youth & Family Leadership in Secondary Transition

This session brings together youth leaders, families, and state and local partners to explore how collaboration becomes operationalized across secondary transition services.

Register Here 👉 https://ow.ly/pVkT50Z5eu6

This interactive session brings together youth leaders, family representatives, and state and local partners to explore how Communities of Practice, peer networks, YETI, and PTIs strengthen cross-agency alignment and close gaps between policy and lived experience.

06/01/2026

🚨 ACTION ALERT: Support Employment Opportunities for Wisconsinites with Disabilities

Tomorrow, June 2, the Wisconsin Joint Finance Committee will decide whether the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) receives the additional funding needed to begin serving thousands of individuals with disabilities who are currently waiting for services.

Today, more than 7,000 people are on the DVR waitlist, and that number could grow to 15,000 by the end of the year without adequate funding.

For many individuals with disabilities, DVR services provide critical support to prepare for, find, and maintain employment. Delays in access to these services can mean delayed opportunities for independence, financial stability, and meaningful careers.

📢 Take action before 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 2:
Contact members of the Joint Finance Committee and your State Senator and Assembly Representative. Share why timely access to employment services matters and how long waitlists impact people with disabilities, families, employers, and communities.

When people are ready to work, they shouldn't have to wait for the support they need to succeed.

ACTION ALERT! The Joint Finance Committee (JFC) is meeting on Tuesday, June 2, to decide whether the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) services should get the extra money it needs to begin helping people with disabilities who are on the DVR waitlist, want to work, and need help getting a job.

The state budget did not set aside enough money to cover the costs of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR). There are more than 7,000 people on the DVR waitlist, and it’s estimated that the list will grow to 15,000 by the end of the year without enough state funding.

ACTION STEP BEFORE 9 AM TUESDAY, JUNE 2: Contact the members of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance and your State Senator and State Assembly Representatives and tell them what it means when people with disabilities and families have to wait for help when they want to work.

LINKS FOR LEGISLATIVE CONTACT INFO:
https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/committees/joint/2920
https://legis.wisconsin.gov/

06/01/2026

How can positive behavior supports improve workplace success for people with disabilities?

ERI’s FREE Positive Behavior Supports in the Workplace training helps professionals explore practical, person-centered strategies that support successful employment outcomes.

Topics include:
✅ Positive support strategies on the job
✅ Discovery and job matching strategies
✅ Empathy and person-centered thinking
✅ Understanding challenging behavior
✅ Factors that contribute to workplace success

This training is designed for professionals working with people with disabilities and focuses on creating supportive, inclusive employment experiences.

⏱ About 2 hours
💻 Free training opportunity

Register today for this training opportunity: https://ow.ly/TRzw50Z5cZR

05/29/2026

ERI is excited to participate in Benefits Management, an upcoming webinar hosted by Disability:IN Wisconsin

This webinar will help employers, hiring managers, and workplace leaders better understand how employment impacts Social Security benefits, Medicaid, and Medicare for individuals with disabilities.

Participants will learn:
✅ How benefits and wages work together
✅ What work incentives can support employment success
✅ How employers can better support employees with disabilities
✅ Practical ways to strengthen inclusive hiring practices

Date: June 10, 2026
Time: 11:00 AM CT
Register Today ➡️ https://ow.ly/yg7C50Z5NtA

The webinar will be presented by Jolene Wanek, ERI Client Services Director, who has nearly 25 years of experience in employment services and benefits counseling.

We’re honored to be part of this important conversation around disability inclusion and employment.

05/29/2026

Our partners at StaffUp ASAP from Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute (SVRI) continue to see the growth in their initiative behind strengthening the workforce that supports employment for people with disabilities.

Learn more about this opportunity:

Staff Up ASAP has launched its second round of training for Vocational Rehabilitation agencies, building on strong early participation and completion rates while preparing to expand future workforce development opportunities for community providers and other professionals supporting employment for p...

05/28/2026

Employment can make a meaningful difference in the lives of people with physical disabilities — but navigating barriers, supports, and services can be complex.

ERI’s FREE training, Competitive Integrated Employment for People with Physical Disabilities, helps professionals better understand:
✅ Employment barriers and hiring benefits
✅ Person-centered planning strategies
✅ Motivational interviewing and career exploration
✅ Benefits and income concerns
✅ Long-term care services and employment supports

This training is designed for professionals working with people with physical disabilities and provides practical tools to support successful competitive integrated employment outcomes.

⏱ Approximately 2 hours
💻 Free training opportunity

Register Today 👉 https://ow.ly/gQel50Z5bIY