To the Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by DigitalCommons@ILR Cornell University ILR School DigitalCommons@ILR Federal Publications Key Workplace Documents 11-15-1999 Re-charting the Course: If Not Now, When? U.S. Presidential Task Force on the Employment of Adults with Disabilities Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/key_workplace Thank you for downloading an article from DigitalCommons@ILR. Support this valuable resource today! This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Key Workplace Documents at DigitalCommons@ILR. It has been accepted for inclusion in Federal Publications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@ILR. For more information, please contact [email protected]. If you have a disability and are having trouble accessing information on this website or need materials in an alternate format, contact [email protected] for assistance. Re-charting the Course: If Not Now, When? Keywords Key workplace documents, federal, ILR, Catherwood, employment, adults, disabilities, policy, justice, right, work, program, data, cost, accommodation, training Comments Suggested Citation U.S. Presidential Task Force on the Employment of Adults with Disabilities. (1999). Re-charting the course: If not now, when? Washington, DC: Author. This article is available at DigitalCommons@ILR: https://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/key_workplace/158 RE-CHARTING THE COURSE: IF NOT NOW, WHEN? THE SECOND REPORT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL TASK FORCE ON EMPLOYMENT OF ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES PRESENTED TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES NOVEMBER 15, 1999 A Report of the Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities. Produced pursuant to Executive Order No. 13078. Printed November 1999 Copies of this report are available from the Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities Web site http//www.dol.gov. The Task Force is located at 200 Constitution Avenue, NW,Room S2220D,Washington, DC 20210; 202-693-4939 (V); 202-693-4290 (TTY); and 202-693-4929 (Fax). Alternative formats of this report are also available by contacting the Task Force. Any modifications to the report, or material contained in this report, must be specified clearly,along with a description of the modification(s). Notice of modification(s) must be displayed prominently and must contain, if applicable, a notice that the modification(s) may compromise the validity and reliability of the conclusions or data in this report. This report is a product of the Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities. Prepared with the assistance of Health Systems Research, Inc. Report layout and cover design by Leaird Designs. ii The Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities Re-charting the Course: If Not Now, When? n March 13, 1998, President Commissioner of the Social Security William J. Clinton signed an Administration, the Administrator of O Executive Order which the Small Business Administration, the created the Presidential Task Force on Chair of the Equal Employment Employment of Adults with Disabi- Opportunity Commission, the Chair of lities. The President named Secretary the National Council on Disability,and of Labor Alexis M. Herman to Chair the the Chair of the Federal Communi- Task Force, and appointed Tony cations Commission. Coelho, Chairman of the President’s Committee on Employment of People The President urged Federal agencies with Disabilities, as Vice Chair. to move swiftly in beginning the work outlined in the Order. Several interim The purpose of the Task Force is to reports are called for in the Executive create a coordinated and aggressive Order, and the final report is due July national policy to bring adults with 26, 2002, the 10th anniversary of the disabilities into gainful employment at initial implementation of the employ- a rate that is as close as possible to ment provisions of the Americans with that of the general adult population. Disabilities Act. Task Force members include the Secretary of Education, the Secretary This second report of the Presidential of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Task Force on Employment of Adults Health and Human Services, the with Disabilities has the unique Second Report iii opportunity to come at a time when demand from people with disabilities we are closing out a century and across the nation who want to work, beginning the next millennium. The who want the benefits and choices opportunity is now to substantively that come with economic indepen- redirect the policies of our nation so dence, and who want to fully that people with disabilities can work. participate in their communities. There is tremendous demonstrated support from President Clinton and President Clinton and Vice President Vice President Gore, who endorsed Gore, the Task Force recognizes that and acted on every recommendation change of the magnitude we are made by the Task Force in its first asking is hard. But if we cannot report, Re-charting the Course. address needed changes now,with There is investment and support from expressed support and commitment 14 Cabinet members and other agency from so many sectors, when will it be leaders across the Federal Govern- possible? If Not Now, When? This ment, who are developing action plans second report of the Task Force is to address policy barriers and creating intended to push forward the message systemic change government-wide. to all stakeholders, including but not There is the expressed need of limited to the Administration, employers across the nation, who are Congress, Governors, State and local pleading for dedicated workers for officials, people with disabilities and their businesses at this time of record- other interested parties: The Time low unemployment. And there is the For Action Is Now. Staff of the Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities Rebecca L. Ogle, Executive Director Paul Bennett, Senior Advisor, Detailed from the Office of Hearings and Appeals, Social William R. McKinnon, Ph.D, Senior Public Security Administration Health Advisor, Special Assistant to the Executive Director. Detailed from the Public Julie Clark, J.D., Policy Analyst Health Services, U.S. Department of Health Randy Cooper, Policy Analyst, Detailed from and Human Services the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Christopher Button, Ph.D., Senior Policy Programs, U.S. Department of Labor Advisor Robert G. Goldstraw, Policy Analyst, Detailed Richard L. Horne, Ed.D., Senior Policy from the Office of Operations, Social Advisor Security Administration John R. Davey, Director of Operations, Linda D. Kontnier, J.D., Policy Analyst, Detailed from the Office of the Secretary of Detailed from the Employment Training Defense, U.S. Department of Defense Administration, U.S. Department of Labor LaToya Plater, Office Automation Assistant iv The Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities SHORTAGE OF LABOR: Where have all the workers—Naples Daily gone? News Companies Anxious in Tight Labor Markets —USA Today According to research, three-quarters of working-aged people with severe disabilities are not in the labor force. Northern Kentucky Faces Worker Shortage—The Cincinnati Enquirer Economy at Risk with Possible IT Worker Shortage! Report Predicts Major Shortage of Highly Skilled Workers by Year 20005 —National Technical Information Service Professor says … worker shortage hurt —Boulderbusiness. News Good Economy Means Low Worker Pool for State Business —Career Times December 4, 1999 The Honorable Alexis Herman Chair The Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities 200 Constitution Avenue N.W., Rm. S2220D Washington, D.C. 20210 Dear Ms. Herman: I recently received notice of the Town Hall meeting on employment opportunities for adults with disabilities. I have been going the rounds with school districts regarding transition and my daughter’s right to be with a peer group of her own age for some time and in several States. I won a few battles, but generally lost that war. Tamara is now 21, no longer in school and we pay a person over $900 per month to be with her during the day. Tamara has autism and is unable to speak. She communicates in a variety of ways, including typing with facilitation, using pictures, etc. She is a personable and happy person despite her challenges. I recently took a teaching job at the high school to work with students with moderate to severe disabilities so that I might start a student run business for students that was integrated with typical peers and provide the experiences that I had hoped my own daughter would be able to receive. What I have found is that vocational training for students with moderate to severe disabilities is disjointed and uninspired. Students are placed in stereotypical job training and there is little coordination or collaboration between the high school and the vocational agencies who will be serving the students when they leave the high school. I implore the Task Force to consider the notion of job development along the lines of student strengths and needs, to strengthen VR evaluations so that students with moderate to severe challenges receive appropriate VR services, and to ensure that services are provided to those with the most significant challenges. Despite a lot of theory and discussion of educational best practices, despite talk of inclusion and equal opportunity,there is the reality that many of our young people are sitting at home or in group homes doing close to nothing after they leave high school. I’m sure this is not new information to anyone who has been working with the system. However, what I would like to suggest is that we give real backing to the notion of using technology and encouraging entrepreneurial development. I recently submitted a grant for my daughter to start her own vending business. We’ll see if such a venture can be funded, since it is not typical of most supported employment strategies.