October 2014
Dear Friends and Colleagues:
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a national campaign that raises awareness about the employment of individuals with disabilities and celebrates their many and varied contributions to America’s workplace. The theme for 2014 is Expect. Employ. Empower.
Here in New York State, we embrace this theme as evidenced by our major focus on developing employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities in our ongoing effort to achieve full community integration for the people we support.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Employment First Commission was established last month to help the state achieve its goal to increase the employment rate of people with disabilities while making competitive, integrated employment the first option when considering supports and services for people with disabilities.
To help individuals realize their employment goals, the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities developed Pathway to Employment, a person-centered employment planning and support service that: engages individuals in identifying a career or vocational direction; provides instruction and training in pre-employment skills; develops a plan for achieving competitive, integrated employment at or above the New York State minimum wage; and offers supports for people to obtain, maintain, or advance in competitive employment or self-employment.
The OPWDD Transformation Agenda outlines strategies to increase competitive and integrated employment opportunities including efforts to improve employment outcomes for youth transitioning from high school. The Transformation Agenda also aims to support individuals employed at sheltered workshops with the person-centered transition to competitive employment or other meaningful community activities over the next six years.
OPWDD’s Annual Works for Me event, which recognizes businesses across the state that are committed to workforce diversity and hire individuals with developmental disabilities, will take place November 6th at the Huxley Theater in the New York State Museum.
Theodore Roosevelt, our 26th president, said “Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” Please join us in making that chance a reality for New Yorkers with developmental disabilities.
Sincerely,
Kerry A. Delaney
Acting Commissioner
P.S. Communication is critical to our collective success, and OPWDD’s Facebook page is a great place for individuals, family members, employees, advocates, and other stakeholders to exchange thoughts and ideas. Please feel free to join the conversation at https://www.facebook.com/NYSOPWDD.