On Tuesday, July 25th, New York Daily News published a commentary by ICD's Co-Presidents titled, “NYC can better address disabilities: Help people help themselves in school and work.”
In the piece, ICD’s Co-Presidents say, “New York City has a population of about 7.9 million, nearly 1 million of whom live with a disability. That should be enough for the city to design and implement a holistic approach to addressing disabilities. That approach should include early diagnosis, supports for students with disabilities to make the transition from school to career, assistance for disconnected youth, and greater emphasis from businesses on job certifications, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training. The cost can be justified by the enhanced career trajectories of the students (and increased income tax revenue) and by costs avoided (such as preventable criminal justice involvement).”
To address this, ICD launched a two-school pilot program that provides career guidance to all students with disabilities and offers a model that the organization hopes can grow to be citywide.
ICD’s Co-Presidents go on to say,
“It’s time for all employers in New York City to value people with disabilities and what they can bring to their work settings. It’s time for New York City to set a new pace for the nation by implementing a holistic approach to addressing the career needs of people with disabilities.”
To read the full piece, click here.
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