dignified and meaningful employment for people with ... 2016 maswm newsletter.pdf · which reached...

One of the biggest issues continuinginto 2016 involves workshops and mini-mum wages.

On local, state and national levels,well-meaning individuals seek to increaseminimum wages so that all workers canhope for a “living wage.” There are manysides to this issue, but sheltered work-shops are deeply concerned that a blanketincrease would include workers with dis-abilities, without considering where theextra money would come from.

Budget RealitiesWorkshops may pay employees with

disabilities “subminimum” wages underSection 14(c) of the Fair Labor StandardsAct. Workshop costs—including wages—are generated largely by contracts forpackaging, assembly, recycling or otherbusiness services, with state and countytaxes making up the difference. In orderto increase wages for approximately7,000 workers with disabilities in Mis-souri, taxpayers would need to fund a

massive increase in workshop budgets. The only other option is that work-

shops would increase their charges forbusiness services such as packing and re-cycling. But workshops have already beenlosing contracts for years because manycompanies have moved such work over-seas. If workshops raise their businesscosts, they’ll lose even more business andincome. Workshops would be forced tolay off workers with disabilities, and

50 Years of Joy and Challenge Serving Missourians

Minimum Wage Issue Gains Attention Locally and Nationally

MASWMNewsletter

Winter 2016

Dignified and meaningful employment for people with disabilities...Quality services for Missouri.

Inside this Issue:Help for Managers 2State Budget Includes Full Funding 3Warren County Expands 3Casco Featured by Newspaper 3

Coverage to Meet ACA 4Congresswoman Visits Shop 4“Active Shooter” Threats 5Shop Opens in Kirksville 5Workshop Updates 5

Joplin Hosts Officials 6Big Events for 2016 7Camdenton Adds Services 7WIOA Brings Issues 8Crowder Supports Charity 8

MASWMwww.moworkshops.org

www.facebook.com/moworkshops/

(please continue to next page)

by MASWM President Brent BlackwellThe Missouri Extended Employment

Sheltered Workshop (EESW) programcontinues to face challenges, even as wecelebrate 50 years of success.

In some cases, this is due to a lack ofunderstanding of how the program actu-ally works. Back in the 1960s, the work-shop system was started largely byparents and guardians. These caring Mis-sourians wanted a safe place in theircommunity where individuals could goand perform tasks allowing them to learnskills and be productive. Until then,many had simply sat at home, not social-izing, not producing, not earning.

Over the years, workshops have blos-somed into businesses that provide dig-nified, meaningful employment and theopportunity to develop the skills neededto move into competitive employment inthe community. Although the program isspecifically meant for those who do nothave the capability to be competitivelyemployed, there are groups pushing for

the EESW to be eliminated and replacedwith community placement programs.

So where will these individuals end upafter time? Our concern is that they willbe placed in day habilitation programs orend up at home on the couch, which isexactly what parents and guardianswanted to avoid over 50 years ago!

EESW companies also face challengesjust like any other business, especiallysince the bulk of our funding comesfrom contract sales. Although the econ-omy continues to struggle, rather thanclosing, the managers and boards of di-rectors are developing new lines of busi-ness and offering a diversity of services,including community placement oppor-tunities. Change is never an easy thing toaccomplish, but the EESW has beendoing just that for 50 years. The gluethat holds everything together is madeup of the managers, staff, board mem-bers and supporters, including our statelegislators.

You may wonder why we fight so hard

and endure all the criticism, but all ittakes is one smile from an employee whois proud of accomplishing a job welldone to make it worth it.

MASWM President Brent Blackwell:one smile from a worker with a disabilitymakes it all worthwhile.

Missouri Association of Sheltered Workshop Managers

Some managers may wonder about thevalue of the association. It’s a good ques-tion.

With federal, state and even local lawsand regulations threatening workshops

almost daily, the importance of a unitedfront and effective communicationsshould be obvious. But connections toorganizations like the Sheltered Work-shop Insurance of Missouri are importantfor other reasons.

A recent case showed other help in-volves a newer manager.Real-World Help

Susan Adams, general manager ofJoplin Workshops, Inc, recently receivednotice that her shop would be subject toa Department of Labor wage and houraudit. She noted that the MASWM Oc-tober meeting in Branson had included avaluable overview of DOL regulations,but now that her workshop was facing anaudit, she wanted more detailed informa-tion.

Susan contacted MASWM editor DaleGarrison who forwarded her request tothe Joplin area director and theMASWM leadership. The response wasalmost unbelievable. Within minutes,

Susan was answered by Aaron Martin,Randy Hylton, Brent Blackwell and stateofficials.

Advice from Hylton and Martin wasespecially notable for any manager facingthis situation—first contact your DESEfield supervisor. Adams’ comments arealso worth sharing. In Adams’ case,DESE workshops Director Fulvio Franziand Field Supervisor Dan Gier contactedher immediately.

“I have been so impressed with thegenerosity and support from otherMASWM members,” she added.“Within my first few weeks on the job, Iwas able to visit the workshops inCarthage, Lamar and Neosho and each ofthose managers offered up ideas, sugges-tions and solutions. They referred me tobusiness resources and recounted theirown best practices. MASWM has helpedme feel as though I’m on a lot more sta-ble footing than I would have imaginedwith this new career!”

Minimum Wage Issue Gains Attention

MASWMOfficersPresident Brent Blackwell Carrollton

(660) 542-1401 [email protected] President Bruce Young Columbia (573)

442-6935 [email protected] Ginger Williams Farmington (573)

756-6406 [email protected]

Treasurer, Dee Froneyberger, St. Louis (314) 487-7200 [email protected]

Past President Bob Koch Washington (636)239-2744 [email protected]

Board of DirectorsArea I—Susan Legaard, Bethany

(660) 425-6300 [email protected] II—Aaron Martin, Independence

(816) 796-7070 [email protected]

Area III—Pamela Martin(660) [email protected]

Area IV—Judd Chesnut, Lamar(417) 682-3506 [email protected]

Area V—Kit Brewer, Moberly,(660) 263-6202 Fax: (660) [email protected]

Area VI—C.J. Welch, Boonville(660) 882-5576 [email protected]

Area VII—Lon Little, Fulton (573) 642-7333 [email protected]

Area VIII—Courtney Murphy, Pomona (417)257-1550 [email protected]

Area IX—Dave Orr, St. Louis (314) 231-6600 [email protected]

Area X—Jeff Arnold, Poplar Bluff (573) 785-1624 [email protected]

MissionSheltered Workshops in Missouri share a com-mon mission of providing dignified and mean-ingful employment opportunities for peoplewith disabilities.

If you have questions regarding the Missouri As-sociation of Sheltered Workshop Managers,please contact: Legislative Co-Chairs RandyHylton at (816) 781-6292 or [email protected]; Jim Guyre, 314-583-1125or [email protected]; or President BrentBlackwell at (660) 542-1401 or [email protected].

Missouri Managers’ Association Helps In Many Ways

many of these individuals would end uplanguishing at home with no assistance,socializing or supervision. One easternstate that eliminated workshops has seentwo-thirds of the former employees fail tofind and keep any job! Some seem to be-lieve workshops can wave a magic wandto create millions of dollars in new wages. Missouri Examples

In Missouri, a proposed state law (HB722) would have increased Missouri’sminimum wage and included shelteredworkshops. Several municipalities, in-cluding Kansas City and St. Louis, laterconsidered their own minimum wagebills. Proposals on the federal level seemto appear almost weekly.

The Missouri Association of ShelteredWorkshop Managers (MASWM) hasworked with organizations to protect therights and opportunities of people withdisabilities while ensuring that a range ofemployment options is fully funded.

One of the most dramatic examples in-cludes the City of St. Louis discussionswhich reached a climax in early October,2015, with an approved exemption ofsheltered workshops to a then-proposed

minimum wage bill. Although the ex-emption eventually passed, a major con-cern arose when proponents proposed agradual phase-in of minimum wage re-quirements. Without identified budgetresources, these proposals are simplywishful thinking and would be cata-strophic for people with disabilities.Television Network

This discussion in Missouri evenreached a national television network, AlJazeera. Though relatively new, the NewYork based network broadcasts a widerange of new programming that this fallincluded a special look at Missouri’s mini-mum wage topic. Their work includedinterviews with a St. Louis workshop andwith MASWM Legislative Co-ChairRandy Hylton.

Unfortunately, the broadcast repeatedseveral times the arguments of a small butvocal opposition group to even the con-cept of sheltered workshops. This groupsays workshops are an old and outdatedmodel that is going away. As most parentsand guardians of people with disabilitiesknow very well, workshops are in fact theone sustainable, affordable program thathas proven its worth over decades.

(continued from Page 1)


It’s always a reason for Missouri’s work-shops to celebrate when legislators pass abudget that includes their funding, butthe FY16 budget was especially notewor-thy as it included full funding for the firsttime in several years.

In May 2015, legislators passed and theGovernor signed Missouri budget billswith an additional $500,000 to cover fullfunding, including a “set-aside” that hadbeen withheld because the Governorfeared other budget problems. Although

Missouri workshops rely on a mix of stateand county revenues, and especially theirown business contract revenues, eachcomponent is important. This combina-tion is critical for the more than 90 work-shops that, in essence, are smallbusinesses employing more than 7,000workers with disabilities across Missouri.

MASWM members were at the fore-front of ensuring this happened. Led byLegislative Co-Chairs Randy Hylton andJim Guyre, managers worked hard to en-

sure that legislators learned the impor-tance of the workshop budget. Efforts in-cluded the January legislative meetingand, perhaps most of all, individual con-tacts and workshop tours by legislators intheir home communities. As is often thecase, seeing is believing. Touring a localworkshop, legislators are quick to realizethe important services performed forbusinesses and individuals with disabili-ties.

State Budget Includes Full Funding for FY16

Warren County Sheltered Workshop inWarrenton has been busy with a 5,000s.f. expansion and more.

The new building has been operationalsince May, but the shop is growing sorapidly more space is likely to be needed.

The workshop also completed the ISO9001.2008 process and now is ISO Cer-tified as of September. This certificationhas allowed the shop to attract morecomplex job opportunities for employees.With this process complete, WarrenCounty is able to employ more certifiedworkers, as well as more staff.

After several years of applying to theMissouri Department of Transportation,the workshop now has a wheelchair-ac-cessible minivan to directly transport em-ployees who are in wheelchairs to andfrom work, instead of relying on other

transportation. There is no cost to theworkers.

Over the holidays, the shop held aChristmas Party for employees andhosted a large Christmas dinner duringworking hours (so that everyone could at-tend), complete with Santa.

“Most of all, we got to enjoy a few

hours of hanging out, wishing each otherwell and making sure all the employeesknow how very grateful we are for them,”explained Executive Director Kelli Clod-felter. “This great growth we have beenaccomplishing is because of them andtheir hard work and dedication.”

Warren County Workshop Expands—and Continues Growth

The Cass County Democrat Missourifeatured Casco Area Workshop in Har-risonville in an outstanding article in2015.

The story noted concerns for the ex-ploitation of workers who are paid mini-mum wage. Then, in what is oftenunusual, the writer Max Londberg did athorough job of explaining the financiallimits for extended employment and theimportance of workshops for socializingand community involvement.

“…Others say workshops like Cascoare a gathering place for disabled individ-uals—a place for them to socialize andcontribute to society by way of steadyemployment,” Londberg wrote.

The article appeared in April when afederal bill had been proposed to raise thewage rates of workers with disabilities.

The article also explained “piece rate”calculations used by workshops to calcu-late commensurate wages for workerswith disabilities. Without massive tax-payer subsidies, workshops would other-wise go out of business.

“For example, say the piece rate is $10an hour for filling bags with rice hulls,”the article noted. “If a nondisabled em-ployee can fill 100 bags with rice hulls inan hour, and a Casco employee fills 50bags an hour, then the Casco employeewould earn $5 per hour.”

The feature told how workshops are

more than “just jobs” and that many ofthe workers with disabilities would notbe able to obtain or keep competitive po-sitions in the community.

Parent Nancy Baalman explained thisaspect of workshops. “When you watchthem work, a lot of them need a lot ofsupervision; a lot of help,” Baalman said.“I support the way the pay structure isarranged, based on how much each indi-vidual can produce. I think it’s fair, andthe reason I do is because Casco works togive my son a sense of purpose and asense of belonging. Everyone wants to dowell and be involved, and we all needjobs and a purpose. Casco has given thatto John (her son).”

Casco Area Workshop Is Focus Of Newspaper Feature Article

A ribbon cutting recently launched Warren County’s new location.


Many workshops and managers con-tinue to struggle with definitions and re-quirements of the Affordable Care Act(ACA).

One of the biggest questions involveshow it relates to Medicaid and meetingACA’s requirements for “minimum essen-tial coverage.”

MASWM recently received a reportfrom the human resource management-consulting firm, Mark Knuckles Associ-ates, Inc. (www.markknuckles.com).

One of the most important elementsfor workshops is actually at the end of areport summary: “If the worker, includ-ing a client or consumer worker, is full-time, as defined by the ACA, whether ornot they receive Medicaid, the employermust offer the ‘opportunity’ for theworker to enroll in the employer’s healthplan if the worker does not have MEC,minimum essential coverage. Medicaid orMedicaid Waiver is considered minimumessential cover, MEC.”

The report emphasizes that a MedicaidWavier has no bearing on a worker’s sta-tus under the ACA. This includes a tradi-

tional employee, trainee, client or a con-sumer worker. The ACA contains no ex-ception in the definition of “employee”for workers who are receiving Medicaidor Medicaid Waiver.

Knuckles also reported that to decide ifan employer is a “large employer,” with50 or more full-time or equivalent em-ployees, all workers receiving compensa-tion must be included in the calculation,whether or not they receive Medicaid orMedicaid Waiver.

“This includes all clients and otherconsumer workers paid minimum wagesand commensurate wages who are en-rolled in paid work activity,” the reportnoted. “Only those workers enrolled in aformal vocational rehabilitation typetraining program of a defined duration,typically a short program of four to sixmonths, preparing them to return tocompetitive employment, are excluded bythe IRS from ‘employee’ status.”

According to the ACA, large employerswith 50 or more full-time/equivalent em-ployees must offer all full-time employeesthe chance to participate in the em-

ployer’s health plan. The plan must alsobe affordable and have minimum essen-tial coverage (MEC) or the employermust participate in the shared responsi-bility by making an assessable payment (apenalty).

A full-time employee has 130 or morehours of service in the standard measure-ment period selected by the employer.

Paid hours of service include paid ben-efit hours and hours the employee is enti-tled to payment. It does not includenonpaid “alternate nonwork” activitytime such as recreation, therapy, basic ed-ucation, job seeking skills training andsimilar nonwork activities.

Hours of service include all time inpaid work, paid travel, compensablemeetings, compensable emergency drillsand compensable downtime betweenwork.

Hours of service may also includehours where payment is not required bythe Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) orother law but where the employer decidesto pay the employee a piece or hourlyrate, such as a training wage.

Minimum Essential Coverage to Meet ACA Requirements

Central Missouri Subcontracting En-terprises (CMSE) in Columbia recentlyhosted Congresswoman Vickie Hartzler.

Congresswoman Hartzler spoke withmany of CMSE’s employees during hervisit. She also spoke with eight CMSEemployees who work at a nearby automo-bile supplier, Otscon. CMSE has had acrew at Otscon for over 20 years.

Congresswoman Hartzler has been astrong advocate of Missouri’s workshopprogram and its nearly 7,000 employees.“She understands that work is importantto everyone and that it provides a certainlevel of confidence and self esteem,”CMS Director Bruce Young. “Just re-cently, she’s been helpful in our effortswith WIOA.”

Congresswoman Visits Central Missouri Subcontracting

Congresswoman Vickie Hartzler (atright) recently spoke with Dale, one of sev-

eral employees at Central Missouri Subcon-tracting Enterprises. Dale was working on

some of the 75,000 admission packagesCMSE is producing for the University of

Missouri.


Even before the tragic terrorist shoot-ing at a center employing people withdisabilities in San Bernardino, Ca., Mis-souri workshops have been concernedwith security and related issues.

At the October MASWM meeting.Alan Schmitt, vice president of Loss Pre-vention Services for Arthur J. Gallagher& Co., made a presentation for ShelteredWorkshop Insurance of Missouri(SWIM). His information includes manygood points and material. If this threatoccurs, some of the key points are:

Quickly determine the most reasonableway to protect your own life. Customersand clients are likely to follow the lead ofemployees and managers during an activeshooter situation. In order of probability,consider:1. Evacuate

• Have an escape route and plan inmind

• Leave your belongings behind • Keep your hands visible

2. Hide out • Hide in an area out of the active

shooter’s view. • Block entry to your hiding place and

lock the doors; call 911 when it is safe todo so 3. Take action

• As a last resort and only when yourlife is in imminent danger

• Attempt to incapacitate the activeshooter

• Act with physical aggression andthrow items at the active shooter

Other information involved how tolook for warning signs of psychologicaldistress or other personal issues:

An active shooter may be a current orformer employee. Alert your human re-sources department if you believe an em-ployee exhibits potentially violent

behavior. Indicators of potentially violentbehavior may include one or more of thefollowing:

• Increased use of alcohol and/or illegaldrugs

• Unexplained increase in absenteeismand/or vague physical complaints

• Depression/withdrawal • Increased severe mood swings and

noticeably unstable or emotional re-sponses

• Increasingly talks of problems athome

• Increase in unsolicited commentsabout violence, firearms and other dan-gerous weapons and violent crimes

The presentation included an extensivelibrary of downloadable materials and anFBI video link that are especially useful.All of this material is available on theMASWM website,www.moworkshops.org.

Joplin Workshops, Inc. recently an-nounced that Susan Adams has joinedthe company as general manager. Execu-tive Director Ron Sampson, who servedworkshops and the area’s disabled com-munity for over 22 years, has retired butwill remain active through the transitionin leadership. Susan was DESE Employerof the Year in 2012. The office phone is417-781-2862 and the website iswww.jworkshops.com. Her e-mail [email protected].

Adams previously held the position ofDirector of Human Resources for AbleManufacturing & Assembly, LLC, alsolocated in Joplin. She has served on vari-ous nonprofit boards of directors insouthwest Missouri and is a past chair ofthe Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce.

She was named the 2008 “Breaking Tra-ditions” Employer of the Year by theState of Missouri Department of Elemen-tary and Secondary Education (DESE).

Courtney Murphy, manager at OzarkSheltered Industries, Inc., in Pomona, hasa new e-mail address: [email protected].

David Kesten is the new executive di-rector at Lafayette County Enterprises,Inc. in Higginsville. His e-mail [email protected] and his phone number660-584-7232.

Cindy Schaefer, executive director ofMacon Diversified Industries, Inc., inMacon, announced a new website for theworkshop: www.macondiversified.com.Her e-mail is [email protected] the phone is 660-385-3111.

Martin Keller has replaced Kelly Pol-ston as the manager at Handi-Shop inMexico. His e-mail [email protected] and hisphone is 573-581-1191.

Shauna Hasek at Casco Area Workshopin Harrisonville notes the organizationhas been very busy! The workshop washonored early in 2015 with a visit byCongresswoman Vicky Hartzler (Mis-souri 4th District). This fall, the shopparticipated in the annual Rotary Clubpicnic in September, Halloween party inOctober, Thanksgiving dinner in No-vember and planned a winter ball. OnDec. 3, they visited the homeless shelterand donated long johns that were madeat the workshop as part of a past contract.

Active Shooter Threats Are All Too Real

Shop Opens Store in Kirksville

Workshop Updates Include New Managers, Information

Executive Director Katy Fine-Newman of Community Opportu-nities in Kirksville reports the opening of Franklin Street Outlet onNov. 13.

This new venture was a year in the making and is designed to pro-vide more employment and revenue to support the workshop.

The workshop “elves” have been hard at work making ornaments,wreaths and pallet Christmas trees to sell in the store. The store alsosells liquidated overstock merchandise.


Joplin Workshop held a CommunityOpen House on Oct. 22 with 200 guests,including Missouri Department of Ele-mentary and Secondary Education Shel-tered Workshop Director Fulvio Franziand Technical Field Supervisor Dan Gier.

The workshop’s business partner,Downstream Casino and Resorts, pro-vided a delicious lunch. Missouri SenatePresident Pro Tem Ron Richard pre-sented retiring Executive Director RonSampson with a proclamation recogniz-ing his years of service to the workshop.Representative Tom Flannigan presentedSampson with U.S. and Missouri flagsthat had been flown over the state capitalbuilding. Also in attendance were Repre-sentative Bill White and former legislatorGary Burton. The Joplin Area Chamberof Commerce also hosted a ribbon cut-ting.

In November, the workshop convertedto 100 percent payroll direct deposit andthe transition went very smoothly. Work-shop staff worked closely with familiesand case managers to accomplish this,and all coworkers are pleased with theease and efficiency of having their payrollavailable first thing on Friday mornings.The administrative staff is thrilled withno more check distributions, lost checks,bank reconciliations or other payroll re-lated paperwork!

The Joplin Workshop announced onDec 8 that they will begin immediatelyaccepting cardboard, paper and plasticsfor recycling. The City of Joplin haspromised to provide a bin for drop-offs,and the workshop will pick up from areasmall businesses. They have had greatsupport from the managers at theCarthage, Lamar and Macon workshops,

Innovative Industries, Lamar Enterprisesand Macon Diversified Industries, inlaunching this new venture.

Joplin Workshop Hosts State Officials, Legislators

Missouri Senate President Pro Tem RonRichard presented retiring Executive Direc-tor Ron Sampson with a proclamation rec-ognizing his years of service to theworkshop. At the same meeting, Representa-tive Tom Flannigan presented Sampsonwith US and Missouri flags that had beenflown over the state capital building.

Holiday Parties Are Part of the Fun for Many WorkshopsLike many workshops in Missouri,

Lake Area Industries in Camdenton re-cently held their annual holiday party fortheir employees, in celebration of theholiday season and in appreciation of alltheir hard work throughout the year. LAIwas grateful for the generosity of severalarea businesses and individuals whosecontributions helped make this a memo-rable event for their employees.

“Our annual holiday party is one ofthe many ways for us to show our appre-ciation to our employees. They all havesuch pride and dedication for their workand our organization. It truly is amazingto have the opportunity to do somethingspecial for them,” stated Executive Direc-tor Tiffany Maasen.

During the celebration, LAI recog-nized their Employee of the Year, JohnnyDutton. Johnny has been a loyal em-ployee since 2005 and was July’s Em-ployee of the Month. His main functionat LAI is in the wood products depart-ment, where he works to the best of hisabilities. Good attendance and positiveattitude are keys to being awarded Em-ployee of the Month, which is whyJohnny was honored in July. His willing-ness to always lend a helping hand andoutgoing attitude all year long is whatmade him stand out to his supervisorswhen being selected Employee of theYear. “Johnny is a kindhearted individ-ual. He has worked at LAI for over 10years, always with a big smile on his face.

We were proud to award him our Em-ployee of the Year,” said ProductionManager Lillie Smith.

Lake Area Industries, Inc. is a shelteredworkshop in Camdenton. Since 1983,LAI has been providing meaningful em-ployment for individuals with disabili-ties, providing them daily challenges andsupport to reach their greatest potential.To learn more about Lake Area Indus-tries contact 573-346-7934 or followthem on Facebook.


No matter what line of business youare in, there is always something to pro-tect while discarding of documents—from a client’s private information totrade secrets you wouldn’t want yourcompetitors getting a hold of.

We all have to take extra measures tosecure this information. At Lake Area In-dustries we guarantee the security of yoursensitive information, while at the sametime making it cost effective for yourbusiness. Protect your business and yourclients by staying compliant with privacy

laws in regards to document destructionby setting up an ongoing pick up con-tract with LAI. We will provide yourbusiness with a secured bin to dispose ofsensitive documents and arrange pick uptimes that best meet your business needs.

Using Lake Area Industries for your se-cure document shredding and recyclingneeds assures your business that your sen-sitive information is being handled withthe upmost security, while not heavilyimpacting your bottom line.

Since 1983, Lake Area Industries, Inc.

has been providing meaningful employ-ment for individuals with disabilities,providing them daily challenges and sup-port to reach their greatest potential. LAIalso partners with and supports othernonprofit organizations in an effort tohelp others in the Lake Area, strengthen-ing and bettering our community everyday!

To learn more about Lake Area Indus-tries contact 573-346-7934 or followthem on Facebook.

Camdenton Shop Adds Secure Document Shredding Services

MASWM members already have twomajor events on the 2016 calendar.

The first involves the important Janu-ary MASWM meeting is at the CapitolPlaza Hotel in Jefferson City on Jan. 26and 27.

This is both an important and enjoy-able opportunity to meet with legislatorsand talk about workshop priorities withthe people who will set the budget!

The Legislative Breakfast on the 27thin Hearing Room 2 in the State CapitalBuilding.

Workshops statewide will also celebratetheir 50th anniversary during 2016.

MASWM is planning a special publica-tion in April, so stay tuned!

Big Events Coming Up for MASWM Members in 2016

MO RIDES referral service coordinatesaffordable rides for people with transporta-tion challenges throughout Missouri. Theservice can especially benefit senior citi-zens, individuals with disabilities and thosewith low-to-moderate incomes by helpinglocate a transportation company that willget the rider to job interviews, work, med-ical appointments and other placesthroughout the state of Missouri.

The mobility managers at MO RIDES

will assist people in finding the most af-fordable public transportation options tomeet specific needs. Riders pay the trans-portation company of their choice for theride and there is no fee to call MO RIDESfor assistance.

Visit www.morides.org/search-counties)to learn about some of the transportationproviders available in each Missouricounty.

New Service Offers Transportation Help

Handi-Shop Manager Kelly Polston (background, left) recently accompanied Congress-woman Vicky Hartzler from Missouri's 4th District on a tour of the sheltered workshop inMexico. Clients Caleb Clagget and Kelsay Hobbs, along with Production Supervisor SteveWoodward, were busy assembling Christmas trees for the Handi-Shop's thrift store, Secondsto Go.

Christmas celebrations at Opportu-nity Sheltered Industries in Houstonalso brought some nostalgia. ManagerSharon Tyger was joined by employeeswho have been with the workshop sinceit opened in 1987: Kenneth Morrison,Lowell Stilley and (seated) Carla Crum.


Signed into law in 2014, the Work-force Innovation and Opportunity Act(WIOA) continues to approach full im-plementation, which will likely impactevery workshop in Missouri.

The “Final Rule” detailing implemen-tation of WIOA is expected in April2016. An initial announcement con-cerned only the regulation’s impact onsubminimum wage and not the totalpackage of he act.

Some preliminary in-formation connectedwith WIOA was highlycritical of extended em-ployment, “segregated”programs such as shel-tered workshops. Also receiving criticismwere subminimum wages allowed underSection14(c) of the Fair Labor StandardsAct.

MASWM’s legislative team of RandyHylton and Jim Guyre has worked dili-gently on its own and with national or-ganizations such as ACCSES to share theimportance of workshop services andhow they actually function, including theoften misunderstood budget process.ACCSES represents more than 1,200 dis-ability service providers across the coun-try as the Voice of Disability ServiceProviders.

Bob Engemann of MASWM’s Finan-cial Stability Committee noted that someof the criticisms of workshops comes

from so-called “advocates” who havebrought a lot of attention, much of itnegative, to extended employment as anoption, as well as commensurate wages.

Even with workshop input, WIOA re-quirements will certainly bring majorbudgetary challenges. Workshop opera-tions receive some funding from MissouriGeneral Revenue, subject to yearly appro-priations, at a rate of only $19 per day

per employee in atten-dance through theDepartment of Ele-mentary and Second-ary Education. WIOAwill require significantincreases in revenue to

meet all of the new requirements forcompliance.

An even greater concern involves callsto eliminate workshops entirely. ACC-SES recently noted a troubling example.A group preparing WIOA recommenda-tions decided to accept testimony fromparents of workshop employees—afterthey had already issued a preliminary re-port. What is often lacking is extensive“on the ground” research, which hasshown that where workshops have beenreduced or eliminated, up to two-thirdsof the workers with disabilities do notfind community employment. Instead,they end up staying home, a situationreminiscent of the days before parentsand guardians joined to create the work-

shop network.“While there are some positive recom-

mendations included in the Interim Re-port, we believe that anyrecommendations on the elimination orphase-out of sheltered workshops andFair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) 14(c)Certificate Programs is systemicallyflawed,” said Leann Fox, ACCSES Direc-tor of Government Relations.

“The almost complete lack of data inthis field is striking,” Fox continued.“The latest federal analysis was nearly 15years ago. There has been no comprehen-sive review of what happens to individu-als with disabilities in communities wherethese programs have been shut down,and there has been limited study of howmany individuals are transitioned out ofemployment and into day habilitationprograms as a result of ending the pro-grams. We continue to urge you to userestraint in regard to your recommenda-tions moving forward. Please take thetime to fully research outcomes beforeeliminating jobs.”

WIOA Issues Continue to Develop, Including in Missouri and Nationally

Crowder Industries Supports Salvation ArmyCrowder Industries in

Neosho rang bells for theSalvation Army Red KettleCampaign in early Decem-ber. It was a great experi-ence for employees andserved the community.

Ten employees fromCrowder rang in one-hourshifts throughout the day.

Denise Moore, CrowderIndustries office manager,said, "We had greatweather to be outside. Itwas a good opportunity forus to serve in the commu-nity."

Crowder employees Calvin Henslee and Don Depung wereamong those ringing bells for the Salvation Army over theholidays.

Early this fall, clients from Rehabilita-tion Institute Industries wrote letters toSanta describing what they would likefor Christmas. On Dec. 10, holidaywishes came true at the annual Rehabili-tation Institute of Kansas City (RIKC)Ladies Auxiliary client holiday party.Clients gathered over lunch to eat pizzaand cookies and unwrap their presents.Patrick, a client of two years with R.I.Industries, received a portable radio. Hewas so happy he expressed his joy and histhanks for his family, friends, and gift.

WIOA will require significantincreases in revenue to meet all

of the new requirements forcompliance.

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