FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
State Education Department Recognizes Employers of Individuals with Disabilities
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)
This month, the New York State Education Department will celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) by recognizing businesses from across the State that do an outstanding job of employing individuals with disabilities. The Department’s Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Services (ACCES), with the help of several partner organizations, will host several events across the State to highlight the connection between businesses seeking qualified workers and workers, who just happen to be individuals with disabilities. Through the Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR) program, the Department assists individuals with disabilities in securing and maintaining employment so they can live independently. Now through the end of October, businesses of all sizes from all parts of the state will be celebrated for their willingness to invest in qualified people with disabilities in their communities by offering them employment opportunities.
“An individual who is qualified for a job and who wants to work must have the opportunity to do so. The businesses being recognized this month not only understand that notion but also understand that it applies to every person, regardless of disability,” Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa said. “I urge New Yorkers to support these businesses for doing the right thing, and I hope we have even more businesses to celebrate for this reason next October.”
“All month long, we will be recognizing businesses that are doing the right thing for their communities, their customers, and their checkbooks by employing qualified, capable, and hard working men and women who also happen to have a disability,” State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia said. “These businesses not only help these adults live independently and provide for their families, but they also create new customers for local businesses and enrich their communities by making these individuals a part of them. Put simply, that’s good business. I encourage other businesses to follow their lead.”
ACCES-VR offers individuals with disabilities a wide range of supports—from counseling and guidance, assessment, job placement, and job coaching to tuition assistance and equipment and inventory for those who are self-employed—to help them make a career and earn a living. These individuals work with Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors who connect them with the right programs and people so they can reach their employment goal. In 2015, more than 27,000 individuals became eligible for ACCES-VR services and more than 12,000 secured employment. There are 15 ACCES-VR offices statewide.
ACCES-VR works closely with the DOL and the New York State Commission for the Blind in helping individuals with disabilities find jobs and identifying employers that hire these individuals. The Commission for the Blind provides vocational rehabilitation for people who are blind and nominates businesses to be recognized this month. Additionally, DOL vets all businesses nominated as part of NDEAM.
Twenty events are happening across the state this month, during which selected businesses will be recognized for their work in giving individuals with disabilities employment opportunities. The full list of events by region is included at the end of this press release and on the NYSED website.
To find out more about ACCES-VR services, please go to www.acces.nysed.gov/vr/ or call 1-800-222-JOBS (5627).
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2016 National Disability and Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) & Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) Statewide Event Listing |
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|---|---|---|---|
| DISTRICT OFFICE |
DATE |
PLACE |
TIME |
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New York City Region |
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White Plains District Office Office Westchester NDEAM |
10/14/16 |
DoubleTree Marriot by Hilton Hotel 455 S Broadway, Tarrytown NY 10591 |
8:00am - 10:30am |
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White Plains District Office Rockland Office NDEAM |
10/28/16 |
The Chalet at Spook Rock 233 Spook Rock Road, Suffern NY 10901 |
8:00am -10:30am |
|
White Plains District Office Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) |
10/27/16 |
Westchester County Office for the Disabled 148 Martine Avenue, Room 102 White Plains, NY |
9:30am – 1:00pm |
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Manhattan District Office NDEAM Award Ceremony |
10/6/2016 |
Whitney Museum 99 Gansevoort Street, NY, NY 10014 |
8:30am-10:30am |
|
Long Island/Queens Region |
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NDEAM Award Ceremony |
10/14/16 |
Carlyle on the Green, Bethpage State Park 99 Quaker Meeting House Road Farmingdale, NY 11735 |
8:30am-11:30am |
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Capital District/Mid-Hudson Region |
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Albany District Office NDEAM Award Ceremony |
10/6/16 |
Treviso’s by Mallozzi’s (Italian-American Community Center) |
11:30am-2:30pm |
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Albany District Office Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) |
11/9/16 |
Price Chopper/Market 32 |
9:30am-2:00pm |
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Albany District Office Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) |
10/19 |
MetLife 500 Jordan Rd., Troy (Rensselaer Technology Park) |
9:00am-2:30pm |
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Mid-Hudson District Office NDEAM Award Ceremony |
10/6/16 |
Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel 40 Civic Center Plaza Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 845-485-5300 |
7:45am-10:00am |
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Mid-Hudson District Office NDEAM Award Ceremony |
10/20/16 |
Otterkill Country Club 100 Otter Road Campbell Hall, NY 10916 845-427-2020 |
6:00pm-9:00pm |
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Central New York Region |
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Utica District Office NDEAM Award Ceremony Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) |
10/19/16 |
Radisson Hotel 200 Genesee St Utica, NY 13502 (NDEAM awards and DMD Breakfast after DMD events) |
8:00am – 12:00pm (actual start time may be later) |
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Syracuse District Office NDEAM Award Ceremony Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) |
10/19/16 |
Drumlin Country Club 800 Nottingham Rd. Syracuse, NY 13224 |
8:00am-10:00am |
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Syracuse District Office NDEAM Award Ceremony Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) |
10/27/16 |
The American Foundry 246 West Seneca St. Oswego, NY 13136 |
8:00am-10:00am |
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Southern Tier District Office NDEAM Award Ceremony |
10/5/16 |
Springbrook Community Services 5588 NY-7 Oneonta, NY 13820 (Otsego-Delaware JSEC sponsored event – NDEAM ceremony precedes a training on “Autism in the Workplace”) |
8:30am–12:00pm |
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Southern Tier District Office NDEAM Award Ceremony |
10/6/16 |
Binghamton Club 83 Front St. Binghamton, NY (Broome-Tioga JSEC and STAHR sponsored event – NDEAM ceremony precedes a training on “Creating an Inclusive Workplace”) |
7:30am –10:30am |
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Southern Tier District Office NDEAM Award Ceremony |
10/13/16 |
Tag’s 3037 NY-352 Big Flats, NY 14814 (HRATT sponsored event – NDEAM ceremony precedes a training – topic TBD)
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11:45am –1:30pm |
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Southern Tier District Office NDEAM Award Ceremony Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) |
10/18/16 |
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel 225 Water St. Binghamton, NY (DMD kick-off breakfast sponsored by the Broome-Tioga DisAbility Awareness Committee) |
7:30am – 9:30am |
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Southern Tier District Office NDEAM Award Ceremony |
11/10/16 |
The Country Club at Ithaca 189 Pleasant Grove Rd. Ithaca, NY
(SHRMTC sponsored event – NDEAM award presentation followed by a training) |
8:30am –10:15am |
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Western New York Region |
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Buffalo District Office NDEAM Award Ceremony |
10/20/16 |
The Columns 2221 Transit Rd, Elma, NY 14059 |
12:30 p.m. |
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Rochester District Office NDEAM Award Ceremony |
10/4/16 |
Kodak Center for Performing Arts 200 West Ridge Rd. Rochester, NY 14615 |
5:30pm-7:30pm |
Media Contact
Reporters and education writers may contact the Office of Communications by email or phone at:
Press@nysed.gov
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