Description

On October 21, 2021, New York State (NYS) Governor Kathy Hochul announced a commitment of $11.1 million in federal workforce development funding over the next three years to expand the already successful network of Disability Resource Coordinators (DRCs) to all 33 Local Workforce Development Areas (LWDAs) to increase the capacity of their service delivery and better serve individuals with disabilities.

This initiative is being referred to as the New York Systems Change and Inclusive Opportunities Network (NY SCION).  The word “scion” is often used in gardening, and it refers to a process by which new plants are grown from old ones.  Similarly, NY SCION builds upon the work of four rounds of federal Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) pilot funding and the Disability Program Navigator before it.  These two initiatives sought to improve education, training, and employment opportunities and outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities including those receiving Social Security disability benefits. NY SCION will do the same – only taken to scale in nearly every LWDA across NYS.