National Disability Employment Awareness Month
National Disability Employment Awareness Month ("NDEAM") is a national campaign that raises awareness about disability employment issues and celebrates the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities.
NDEAM's roots go back to 1945, when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." In 1962, the word "physically" was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to "National Disability Employment Awareness Month." Upon the agency's establishment in 2001, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) assumed responsibility for NDEAM and has worked to expand its reach and scope ever since.
Although led by ODEP, NDEAM's true spirit lies in the many creative observances held at the grassroots level across the nation every year. Employers, schools, and organizations of all sizes and in all communities are encouraged to participate in NDEAM, and ODEP offers a variety of resources to help them do so. Activities range from simple, such as putting up a NDEAM poster, to comprehensive, such as implementing a disability education program. Regardless, all play an important part in fostering a more inclusive America, one where every person is rightly recognized for his or her abilities — every day of every month.
The theme for NDEAM 2011 is "Profit by Investing in Workers with Disabilities," which promotes the valuable contributions people with disabilities make to America's workplaces and economy.
U.S. Census Releases 2010 Disability Income and Poverty Statistics
The latest report from the Census Bureau shows that while median income for all households dropped in 2010, income of households run by people with disabilities dropped more than households run by people without disabilities. The report also found that earnings for full-time, year-round workers with disabilities were overall lower than those without disabilities in 2010, and that the poverty rate of people with disabilities rose from 25% to 27.9%, while the poverty rate of people without disabilities rose from 12% to 12.5% from 2009 to 2010. See the report for additional details.
http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p60-239.pdf
A New Documentary About Tourette Syndrome, "Different is the New Normal"
The national Tourette Syndrome Association, Inc., would like to inform you that the new documentary, "Different is the New Normal," a film that demystifies the stigma of Tourette Syndrome, which premiered earlier this month on WNET in New York, is now available for the national audience. To watch the video, click below.
http://watch.thirteen.org/video/2135738235
More news you might have missed this past month:
Disability Practice Toolkit - a resource for public health
http://www.aucd.org/template/page.cfm?id=765
Adaptive Sports Forums – a way to bring the adaptive sports community together
http://www.adaptivesportsforums.com/forums/