October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month
EASTTOWN TWP. » According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, just 18.7 percent of individuals with a disability were employed last year.
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, a 106-year-old national nonprofit partner for individuals, families, schools and communities, serving individuals in areas of autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities, is working to improve that number.
“October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), and at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, we believe all individuals should be given the opportunity to be included and make a positive impact in their communities,” noted Devereux Vice President of Operations, Adult Services Stephen Bruce.
In his role at Devereux, Bruce manages the care, treatment and outcomes of Devereux’s adult population who are living with emotional, behavioral and cognitive differences throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.
“Employment is a big part of people’s lives,” Bruce said. “We help with that and so many different avenues in the community, getting people out into the community, which enhances integration, which then helps the community and our individuals understand each other.”
Landing employment is more than just a job for Devereux individuals, Bruce allowed.
“It’s the same as it is for you or I; it creates a meaningful day for them, which is what we all strive for. We are here to celebrate what they do, their skills and how our individuals are great employees … dedicated, hard working and very appre-
ciative of their opportunities.”
Established in 1962 as a valuable tool in the therapeutic process, The Shops at Devereux, 119 Old Lancaster Road, Devon, Easttown Township, Chester County, are a nonprofit business entity of Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, providing employment and training opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The businesses produce goods and services for the community and are open to the public, ranging from auto repair, with state inspection capability; bicycle repair and sales; customized apparel and floral shop.
“Our employment programs and services are designed to foster community inclusion and help our individuals develop essential living and communication skills,” Bruce noted. “As Devereux continues its mission to help people with special needs prepare for competitive employment – for instance, completing a task, being on time and working as part of a team – we want to spread awareness that hiring individuals with special needs can enhance the workplace and our community.”
The Shops at Devereux also offers job skills, education and assessment, situational assessments, employment task analysis, career development counseling, academic and tutorial services, and acts as a liaison to help businesses comply with the American Disabilities Act regulations, Bruce allowed.
“These small businesses provide opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to learn skills, earn a paycheck and potentially go out into the community and use the skills they’ve learned to get jobs. We also have a large number of individuals who are volunteering in different settings, which gives them a job sample of what they might be interested in, whether it’s health care, or a pharmacy or veterinarian clinic. We try to have programs for individuals who are in all stages of readiness and ability. They may not become competitively employed, but there are different steps, from a pre-employment program, with settings like The Shops at Devereux where there are opportunities to learn skills and how to complete work that may lead to employment.”
Job coaches help with building resumes and improving interviewing skills, Bruce said.
“We also have our Harvest program, which connects our individuals with businesses like Wegmans and Wawa, which have excess food that needs to be delivered to homeless shelters on a volunteer basis, and it’s another example of how they can work side by side with everyone else in the community.”
NDEAM is a nationwide campaign, observed each October, that celebrates the contributions of workers with disabilities throughout American history, and emphasizes the importance of ensuring that all Americans have access to the services and supports to enable them to work.
“That’s what this month is all about, raising awareness of our ability to provide employees. We’re at an all-time low of unemployment, but only about 20 percent of people with disabilities are employed. So there really is a gap there.”
For more information, visit devereux.org.