HILLS & DALES TO SERVE AS SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT IN HHS NEON PROJECT

Hills & Dales is excited to participate in Iowa’s Health and Human Services National Expansion of Employment Opportunities Network (NEON) project awards from the US Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy.

Iowa NEON has two areas of focus: helping Day Habilitation providers transform services to promote community inclusion and competitive integrated employment, as well as provide Benefits Liaison Tools to assist transitioning youth with disabilities to more easily access benefits planning services leading them into competitive integrated employment.

Kara Huss, Community Services Director at Hills & Dales will serve as just one of five subject matter experts advising the Iowa NEON project. Huss has worked in the field of Home and Community Based Services for nearly 20 years and currently oversees various programs within the Home and Community Based Services department at Hills & Dales. Her experience stems from a strong family background and passion for competitive integrated employment. As an effective advocate for Employment First, she was a key player in assisting Hills & Dales with adding a Supported Employment Program in 2017.

“In a tight workforce landscape such as ours in Iowa, Hills & Dales is proud to facilitate solutions to labor supply needs by championing access to employment for people with disabilities,” said Jack Mescher, CEO of Hills & Dales. “This work will focus on areas where the system can be reformed to empower employment rather than impede it. Work is a source of meaning and associated with so many people’s core identity. Advocating for access to employment is core to our mission of building meaningful lives, and we are honored to be invited to offer our experience to help systemize solutions.”

Hills & Dales has a growing Supported Employment Program that has worked cohesively with the organization’s Day Habilitation program to provide natural job discovery opportunities for clients. Staff look forward to sharing with other providers and showcasing how Hills & Dales has been providing these unique and meaningful opportunities to individuals with various interests and of all skill levels.