MCEP Kick-Off Event

In the spring of 2004, the Maryland Customized Employment Partnership (MCEP) was officially introduced to the community of Montgomery County. MCEP is a five-year demonstration model development project funded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), U.S. Department of Labor, and led by the Montgomery County Workforce Investment Board. The initiative provides the incentive for planning and implementing provisions for people with disabilities to obtain universal access to workforce development services that are offered to the general public.

Over sixty (60) community representatives interested in the expansion of career opportunities for jobseekers with disabilities attended the open house at MontgomeryWorks in Wheaton, Montgomery Countyıs One Stop Career Center. Attendees included disability employment service providers, One Stop staff, members of the Workforce Investment Board, as well as representatives from the Developmental Disabilities Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council. Representatives from Congressman Chris Van Hollenıs office, and the U.S. Department of Labor also attended.

The eventıs speakers included Eric Seleznow, Director of the Division of Workforce Investment Services; David Edgerley, Director of Economic Development for the County (representing County Executive Douglas Duncan); Dewey Thomas, President of the Workforce Investment Board; Nancy Floreen, County Councilwoman; Richard Luecking, President of TransCen, Inc., and Lisa Cuozzo, MCEP Project Manager. The overall focus of the event was to introduce the purposes of the Maryland Customized Employment Partnership:

  • To expand the capacity of MontgomeryWorks to serve customers with significant disabilities;
  • To leverage and align resources from typically disparate categorical service systems; and
  • To provide a demonstration model for statewide replication.

For more information on the activities of the Maryland Customized Employment Partnership, please contact Lisa Cuozzo.