Client News and Media Recognition

NC organizations support the national effort to improve the disability employment landscape.

January 5, 2010 (RALEIGH, NC) – RHA Howell Inc. and SENET (Supported Employment Network), have announced their support for the Campaign for Disability Employment, a new collaborative effort to promote positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities.

The Campaign for Disability Employment is a national initiative designed to increase the employment of people with disabilities and dispel negative stereotypes about disability and employment. Every day, people with disabilities can and do add value to America’s workplaces. Yet in both good and bad economic times, studies show that people with disabilities have far fewer job opportunities than the general population.

RHA Howell, a statewide organization that has been serving people with disabilities in North Carolina for nearly 40 years, launched SENET a year ago to provide vocational support for people with disabilities and support for area businesses seeking qualified, reliable employees from entry-level to professional.

By joining the Campaign for Disability Employment, RHA Howell and SENET will actively work to draw public attention to the website, www.whatcanyoudocampaign.org, which offers users the chance to learn, express their commitment to disability employment efforts, and share what they “can do.” The website also features grassroots tools and tangible ideas for supporting the Campaign’s goals, as well as video, radio and print public service announcements (PSAs) that challenge assumptions about people with disabilities and employment.

Specifically, RHA Howell and SENET will feature the Campaign for Disability Employment in their newsletters; create links to the campaign and PSAs on their websites; work with area TV, radio and print media to feature the PSAs and support the Campaign; and distribute educational materials, including the Campaign’s “What can YOU do?” posters.

“We are thrilled to take part in this groundbreaking national campaign to advance America’s promise of opportunity for all,” said Sam Hedrick, president of RHA Howell, Inc.

“Through SENET, we have been opening doors to careers for people with disabilities in North Carolina who want to be in the workplace,” added Tommy Cox, Director of Vocational Services for SENET. “Supporting the national Campaign for Disability Employment underscores our commitment to this worthy and necessary mission. Together, we can drive positive change by illustrating that, at work, it’s what people can do that matters.”

About the Campaign for Disability Employment:

The Campaign for Disability Employment seeks to promote positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities by encouraging employers, and others, to recognize the value and talent that people with disabilities bring to the workplace, as well as the dividend to be realized by fully including people with disabilities at work. The Campaign is a collaborative effort between the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD); National Business and Disability Council (NBDC); National Council of La Raza (NCLR); National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC); Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM); Special Olympics (SO); and the U.S. Business Leadership Network (USBLN).  The Campaign is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), receives technical assistance from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) and is supported by the Disability Policy Research Center (DPRC) at West Virginia University. For more information, visit www.whatcanyoudocampaign.org.

About RHA Howell, Inc:

RHA Howell is a not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) organization that has been helping people with disabilities and special needs, and their families, make choices to live more independently for nearly 40 years. Integrity, high standards for quality, and hard work are at the core of every RHA Howell program. RHA Howell is a pioneering force in the field of human services for children and adults across North Carolina with the mission “Opening the world for people with disabilities and in turn, enriching the lives of everyone they touch.” For more information, go to www.rhahowell.org.

About SENET:

Supported Employment Network (SENET) is a statewide program dedicated to increasing job opportunities for people with disabilities. Our mission is to build networks that help people find long-term employment through local and regional partnerships within the business community. SENET offers a win-win solution for skilled workers with disabilities eager to join the workforce and for area businesses seeking qualified, reliable employees.  For more information visit www.rhasenet.org.