About Empower Missouri

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Welcome to the Empower Missouri Home Page. Empower Missouri is a userfriendly employment resource tool with information for employers, persons with disabilities, their families, educators, service providers and other interested Missourians. It is designed to provide links to comprehensive information that will assist employers with the recruitment, hiring, retention and promotion of persons with disabilities. It further provides links to information to persons with disabilities, educators and other interested Missourians to assist willing workers with disabilities to equal access to employment opportunities and to improve diversity in the workplace. This education and resource program is housed within the University of Missouri, Kansas City's Institute of Human Development.

Americans With Disabilities Act

Over the last 20 years, great strides have been made in expanding opportunity for the full range of American workers without regard to race, religion, or other factors. It is now time to improve opportunities for employers to take advantage of an under-utilized pool of quality workers.

Yet, many businesses find the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) intimidating. Empower Missouri provides information and resources like our plain language summary of the ADA will help dispel myths and raise employer comfort with the requirements of the legislation.

Institute for Human Development

The University of Missouri, Kansas City, Institute for Human Development was established in 1985 to strengthen The University Center for Excellence and to help expand opportunity for Missouri employers and the under-utilized pool of workers through community based programs for people with disabilities. IHD maintains the Missouri Developmental Disability Resource Center (MODDRC) web page.

Medicaid Infrastructure Grant

Empower Missouri is funded by a Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG) which is overseen by the United States Centers for Medicaid and Medicare. Established in 1999, the purpose of the program is to assist states to develop Medicaid infrastructures to support the competitive employment of individuals with disabilities.