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By Lance Robertson, ACL Administrator and Assistant Secretary
for Aging
Today marks the close of National Disability Employment
Awareness Month (NDEAM). This year's NDEAM theme, "the right talent,
right now," perfectly captures the many contributions people with
disabilities are making to our nation's booming economy today and the
potential they hold for employers willing to judge every applicant based
solely on their skills and talents.
“What’s important to remember about workers with disabilities
is that we’re workers,” Hocker said. “We’re contributors, we’re teammates,
and we’re leaders.”
We also know that when people of all abilities have the
opportunity to work, they are happier, healthier, and more financially
secure. Creating pathways to competitive, integrated employment for people
with disabilities is truly a win-win for all of us.
This is why the Administration for Community Living (ACL) is
excited to announce a competition for American business to expand their
talent and diversify their workforce by including people with disabilities.
The
Challenge: An Inclusive Talent for Pipeline for American Businesses
will offer cash prizes from a total pool of $380,000 to support rapid
innovation and adopting models to help businesses improve their performance
by recruiting and retaining workers with disabilities. The submission
period opens on November 22 and ends on February 14, 2020.
At ACL, we are also proud to be leading a first-of-its-kind
Multi-Agency Task Force on Expanding Employment Opportunities for People
with Disabilities. This effort is harnessing the power of 11 federal
departments to identify – and eliminate – critical obstacles to employment
for people with disabilities.
When Ashley was 18, she had a hemorrhagic stroke, which left
her unable to walk, talk, or eat. Six months after her stroke, she enrolled
at a community college.
She started with one class her first semester, and it did not
go well. "I fell on my face without accommodations," she recalls.
When she sought help, a vocational rehabilitation counselor
questioned whether her educational and career goals were
"realistic" and suggested she look into a sheltered workshop
instead.
But Ashley was not ready to give up. She went back to her
community college and worked with staff to obtain accommodations and find
classes that fit with her rehab schedule. Her persistence paid off and she
graduated with an Associate of Arts degree.
Armed with her transcript, she went back to her vocational
rehabilitation counselor. Her counselor helped secure funding for her to
continue her education. She earned a bachelor’s degree with a focus on both
Social Work and Fitness and Wellness in 2017, and a master’s in social work
in 2018. Today, she works for Missouri's Department of Mental Health where
she helps connect other people with disabilities to resources.
"I am only sharing my story to let other individuals that
have survived a brain injury, or that have any type of disability, know
that it is possible to achieve whatever you put your mind to," she
said. "There will be obstacles, but the human spirit is resilient,
just keep going forward."
I cannot help but wonder how many people with disabilities, who
find themselves in similar situations, end up in different situations
because they don’t have access to the resources and support to help them
pursue their dreams.
We have to set the bar higher.
At ACL, we are fortunate. Our staff includes people from all
walks of life, with and without disabilities. That diversity of experiences
makes us better, and by ensuring equal opportunity, regardless of
disability, so that we get the right talent, right now.
NDEAM may be coming to an end, but our focus on increasing
employment opportunities and expectations for people with disabilities
continues every day of the year.
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