Disability Employment Awareness Month

What is Disability Employment Awareness Month?

NDEAM is held each October to commemorate the many and varied contributions of people with disabilities to America’s workplaces and economy (Office of Disability Employment Policy).

National Disability Awareness Employment Month is led by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability and supported by the many observances held at the grassroots level across the nation every year (The Campaign for Disability Employment).

Scroll to the bottom of the page for downloadable resource lists and resource trackers.

As part of our Read Wider program we have downloadable resource lists and resource trackers.

Downloadable resource lists are full of books, movies, music, and online resources. Each list is carefully curated by our collection librarians to highlight own-voice stories, stories of struggle, and stories of strength.

Resource trackers for kids and teens or adults are a great way to record and highlight your favorite books, movies, music, and online resources for this month. Teens can choose to use the kids and teens or the adult resource tracker. 

History

Congress enacted Public Law 176 in 1945, declaring the first week of October each year as National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week. This was an effort to educate the public about issues related to disability and employment. The word “physically” was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. About 25 years later, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to the one we use today: National Disability Employment Awareness Month (Library of Congress).

Statistics

The employment-population ratio- that is, the percentage of the population that is employed- for people with a disability was 17.9% in 2020, a decrease from 19.3% in 2019. The ratio for people without a disability was 61.8% in 2020, down from 66.3% in the prior year. Data for 2020 reflect the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to contain it. 

(Graphs from United States Census Bureau and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Local Organizations 

Challenge Aspen

Mission: Challenge Aspen is dedicated to impacting lives through year-round adaptive experiences for individuals faced with cognitive and/or physical disabilities. Challenge Aspen creates life-changing opportunities by encouraging participation in activities designed to redefine limits, recognize abilities, and transfer newfound courage to everyday life. 

Center for Independence

Mission: The Center for Independence (CFI) works to promote community solutions and to empower individuals with disabilities to live independently.

Mountain Valley Developmental Services

Mission: Our Mission is to encourage and support individuals with developmental disabilities, enhance their ability to live, learn, and work in an independent and inclusive manner, and to educate the community about their contributions and capabilities. Our work provides life span services for those individuals, their parents and family members, guardians, colleagues at work, neighbors and friends to promote independence, quality of life, and rights protection. 

Recommendations to Start With

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