"The Virtual Center for Independent Living for West Virginia""The Virtual Center for Independent Living for West Virginia"Home > Advocacy in Action > Disability Employment Awareness Month
"America's People, America's Talent... America's Strength!" is the official 2008 theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month by congressional designation. U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao said the 2008 theme captures the accomplishments highlighted in the latest progress report on President Bush's New Freedom Initiative for people with disabilities. "Full access to community life for Americans with disabilities is an imperative and this year's theme conveys the tremendous contributions that these Americans can make in the workplace," said Secretary Chao.
At Mountain State Centers for Independent Living (MTSTCIL) we support the employment of people with disabilities all year - not just in October.
Mountain State Centers for Independent Living will celebrate Disability Awareness again this year in partnership with Dee DeLancey of WOWK-TV (Channel 13 CBS). Dee will be simulating being a person with a vision impairment. Read more about Disability Awareness Day 2008.
This year MTSTCIL will continue its annual observance of Disability Employment Awareness Month through its Kids ADA Program. Kids ADA is an educational program designed to promote awareness of people with disabilities.
MTSTCIL staff and consumers visit students in third through eighth grades to provide an opportunity for them to interact with people with disabilities and to learn more about the assistive technologies that people with disabilities use, such as wheelchairs and seeing eye dogs. MTSTCIL believes that if we promote disability awareness at an early age we can reduce attitudinal barriers and help children to realize that we are all more alike than different. Read more about the Kids ADA program.
The Foundation for Independent Living, the fund raising arm of Mountain State Centers for Independent Living, offers a Supported Employment program for people with disabilities who need support on the job. The program operates under the philosophy that all people have work potential, some just need additional support in learning and adapting their abilities to a job. This program helps people with disabilities transition into the workforce. Read more about Supported Employment.
A survey published by the United States Department of Labor in 2001 shows that only 37 percent of people with disabilities are employed. Starting in October of 2008 the Foundation for Independent Living on behalf of MTSTCIL consumers will be offering a new program to address this issue - Employment Readiness Services.
Staff will provide training in basic life skills as well as occupational skills for specific jobs. Each skills training course has a specific curriculum that includes the planned length of the course, course components, materials and requirements for completion. Read more about the Employment Services Division and the services offered through this program.
"People with disabilities are the next great wave of diversity, and diversity fosters innovation to drive our economy and our nation into the future" - Neil Romano, assistant secretary for the Labor Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy.
