October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. While the unemployment rate in Iowa remains low at 4.1%, the unemployment rate for Iowans with disabilities is 9.1%. 

As the number of FIP enrollments continues to decline, those remaining are more likely to include people with physical, mental and other disabilities. One national report estimates that of those who qualify for TANF, 25 to 33 percent have a serious mental health problem and 20 percent have physical disabilities. Particularly at-risk are individuals with hidden or invisible disabilities such as learning disabilities and mental health conditions because they tend to fall through the cracks (source: American Psychological Association). 

In FY21, 18% of families who enrolled in the FaDSS program identified as having a disability (source: Iowa FaDSS). People with disabilities tend to have less educational attainment, higher levels of poverty and increased rates of discrimination. Additionally, disability impacts minorities at disproportionate rates. 10.4% of Iowans with disabilities are African American, however, only 3.71% of the total population in Iowa is African American (source: Iowa Data Center). 

While people with disabilities face added challenges, they are a largely untapped pool of workers. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, “Our national recovery from the pandemic cannot be completed without the inclusion of all Americans, in particular people with disabilities,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “Their contributions have historically been vital to our nation’s success, and are more important today than ever. We must build an economy that fully includes the talent and drive of those with disabilities.”

With the right services and supports, all FaDSS families, including those with disabilities, can work and reach their goals. FaDSS can and does play a critical role in helping families with disabilities achieve self-sufficiency including finding and maintaining employment. 

For more disability workforce resources, click here. NDEAM resources can be found here. 

Barb Coenen has been a FaDSS Specialist with MATURA since 2018. She manages a full caseload of 21 and serves FaDSS families in Madison, Adair, Taylor, Ringgold, Union and Adams counties. 

Prior to joining the FaDSS program, Barb ran a family scrapbook store for 13 years and before that she worked at MATURA in the JTPA and PROMISE JOBS programs for 11 years. 

Barb's favorite thing about being a FaDSS Specialist is meeting the families and seeing their progress and success. Outside of work she likes to spend time with her husband, kids and grandkids. She is in her 20th year of volunteering for the Crestron Appalachia Service Project, a high school mission trip to work on homes in the Appalachia mountains. 

"Barb is a very dedicated and reliable employee. She is constantly eager to learn new skills and ready to assist in any way possible. She often will not take credit where credit is due for the things she does for others. Barb is always learning about what resources are available to best serve her families too," stated Katie Christensen, FaDSS Coordinator at MATURA. 

The FaDSS program is proud to have a GEM like Barb Coenen!

The Community Action Agency of Siouxland FaDSS programs serves Woodbury county with a program capacity of 63. In FY21, the program served 74 families. 

The FaDSS team (pictured left to right) includes FaDSS Coordinator Jessi Bergin, Community Services Director Antoinette Green, and Specialists Zulema Alvarado, Mallori Cadena and Teresa Schulte. 

Community Action Agency of Siouxland is lead by Executive Director Jean Logan who emphasizes that the FaDSS program is not a hand-out but a hand-up. "It is probably important to know about the agency that we do emergency assistance and we also do longer-term programs that allow us to engage with families and strengthen the families to help them meet their goals," stated Jean Logan. 

The DCAA thanks the Community Action Agency of Siouxland FaDSS Program staff for their dedication to the families of Woodbury county!

Able Up Iowa is a statewide resource aimed at making financial independence possible for all Iowans. They help people of all abilities become independent by providing solutions to financial needs and empowering them to achieve their financial goals. Able Up Iowa offers financial coaching, resource counseling, credit coaching, benefits planning and credit builder loans. 

"Able Up Iowa has collaborated with community experts across the state to develop a program that helps folks from all walks of life succeed in setting and achieving their financial goals. This tried-and-true process involves setting a goal, creating a plan, and then working one-on-one with a coach to help you achieve your goal. Every 3 months you have the chance to check in, evaluate your progress and determine if you would like to continue for another 3 months. By working with us from beginning to end, we can help you gain the skills and habits you need for long-term financial independence."- Able Up Iowa 

For more information, visit their website.