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Disabled Worker Inspires Others

October 23rd, 2007 Posted by Amelia

One of ODEP’s success stories is Lois C., an artist and entrepreneur living in DeKalb, Georgia. Lois has mental disabilities. Beginning in adolescence, she lived for decades in state institutions for people with disabilities. No one ever expected Lois to live independently…but she proved them wrong. Lois benefited from a WorkFORCE Action Grant. Lois used her grant to start a business marketing her original artwork, including portraits in pastels and acrylics. Today, Lois’ artwork is sold in galleries, and appears on postcards and calendars. Lois’ success has inspired others, and motivated her to make art her life’s work.

WorkFORCE grants help disabled people in institutions successfully make the transition to employment, living and working as part of the community. The grants are funded by ODEP.

Programs like WorkFORCE exist because underemployment of workers with disabilities persists. It remains a chronic problem, says the Office for Disability Employment Programs, or ODEP. The problem was particularly acute before 1990, when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed. The ADA made it illegal to discriminate on the basis of disabilities when it came to training, promotion and hiring of employees.

Another program to help individuals with disabilities on the road to independence is disabilityworks in Illinois. This project uses a business model targeting both the supply and demand sides of the employment picture. Disabilityworks collaborates with companies to develop employment opportunities for workers with disabilities by increasing awareness about work incentives and workforce development services. The program also conducts educational programs for youth and adults with disabilities.

Disabilityworks is funded primarily by the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, with support from the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and the city of Chicago. The project partners with the Chicagoland Provider Leadership Network, which represents 117 organizations, and the Chicagoland Business Leadership Network, which has 63 member businesses.

In its first year, disabilityworks helped create jobs for 194 people with disabilities. More than 90% of those jobs were in private industry.

In 2006, the Secretary of Labor and ODEP recognized disabilityworks with a New Freedom Initiative Award for demonstrating exemplary and innovative efforts in furthering the employment and workplace environment for people with disabilities.

Another act, the New Freedom Initiative of 2001, works to insure that people with disabilities are guaranteed complete participation in society including employment, training, and education. The “Ticket to Work” plan was designed to encourage the admission of the disabled to placement and training services.

October is National Disability Awareness month, declared by President George W. Bush as a time to recognize the achievements of Americans who have disabilities. It remains a time to stress a commitment to insuring employment for the disabled, and to guarantee workplace diversity.

Dr. Roy Grizzard was, until recently, the director of ODEP, and was himself an example of the potential opportunities for disabled workers. Dr. Grizzard suffered a degenerative disorder of the retina called retinitis pigmentosa when he was in his 20’s, and by 40 was legally blind. Nevertheless he earned a PhD and established careers as both teacher and school administrator. From there he joined a state agency for the disabled and eventually became head of ODEP.

During his leadership, ODEP developed an intensive program with state and local agencies to stress the need for bringing disabled employees into the workplace.

Dave Dravecky received ODEP’s first SPIRIT Award, recognizing disabled people who demonstrate factors like integrity, being a role model, independence, success, leadership, and perseverance in pursuit of success. He was a pitcher for the Giants who got back into the sport after treatments for bone cancer in his pitching arm. Eventually the cancer returned, and Dravecky was forced to have his left arm and shoulder amputated. That did not stop him. He went on to a new career as a motivational speaker and best-selling author.