Arizona Organizations Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month
Press Contact:
Heather Dietrich, Employment First Statewide Coordinator
Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities, University of Arizona
Phone: 541-610-7621
Email: [email protected]
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities want to work—and in the spirit of expanding opportunities for those seeking employment, a coalition of Arizona groups encourages the employer community to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) this October. This year's theme, Access to Jobs for All, promotes creating opportunities at all levels for people with disabilities to enter employment.
Arizona continues to experience significant disparities in employment between individuals with and without disabilities. In 2021, out of an estimated 906,000 Arizonans with a disability, only 39%, or approximately 353,000, were employed. Additionally, about 1 in 4 young Arizonans with disabilities (ages 16-24) were neither employed nor enrolled in school. On a positive note, educational attainment has improved: 28% of Arizonans with disabilities held an Associate’s degree or higher in 2021, an increase from previous years.
Employment First proactively promotes competitive employment in the general workforce for people with any type of disability and is working with partners across Arizona to increase public and employer expectations about the abilities and capacities of all people with disabilities to work in the right job with the right level of support.
“By providing appropriate resources and supports to individuals, we can transform the landscape of equitable and inclusive employment in Arizona,” said Heather Dietrich, Employment First Statewide Coordinator. “We urge employers, policymakers, and community leaders to embrace the Employment First initiative and take actionable steps to ensure that every Arizonan with a disability has the opportunity to work.”
Throughout October, partners will be engaging in a variety of activities to educate the Arizona community on disability employment issues and demonstrate their commitment to creating a diverse workforce. These efforts include creating videos that highlight personal employment stories and recognizing Governor Hobbs's Proclamation designating October as Disability Employment Awareness Month in Arizona and her support for justice and fairness for Arizonans with disabilities.
The coalition encourages employers to review their hiring practices, offer inclusive training programs, and provide necessary accommodations to create workplaces where everyone can succeed. By doing so, employers not only enrich their organizations with diverse talents and perspectives but also contribute to a more inclusive and equitable society.
Partners include the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Network — Disability Rights Arizona, Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, Institute for Human Development at Northern Arizona University, and Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities at the University of Arizona; the Arizona Association People Supporting Employment First (APSE) Chapter; First Place AZ, a residential model that maximizes independence, community integration, personal enrichment, and quality of life for individuals with autism and other neuro-diversities; and the Arizona Department of Economic Security-Vocational Rehabilitation, which provides employment services to individuals with disabilities.
For more information on how to participate and support Employment First initiatives during National Disability Employment Awareness Month, visit www.dol.gov/NDEAM and the Arizona Employment First website at www.azemploymentfirst.org.
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