As highlighted in a previous post on the KRA Corporation website, the issue of disabled individuals in the workforce continues to draw increased attention at high levels. Most recently, it was broached at the 105th National Governors Association (NGA) during its Summer Meeting in Milwaukee, WI.
During the 3-day meeting, that host Governor Scott Walker described as “an opportunity to share experiences and discuss critical issues facing our states” where “governors are focused on finding solutions to our most pressing challenges”, one of the highlights was the initiative of the meeting’s Chair, Delaware Governor Jack Markell.
His initiative, A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities, looks at employment challenges faced by individuals with intellectual and other significant disabilities. In his own words, the initiative “was designed to raise awareness about how the untapped talents of people with disabilities can contribute to a business’s bottom line.”
On the NGA website, in talking about his initiative, Governor Markell posited that: “Because government, business, the general public, individuals with disabilities and their families all stand to benefit from increased employment of people with disabilities, all have a role and shared responsibility in reaching this goal.”
His initiative came complete with A Blueprint for Governors, wherein he outlined experiential-based concrete and practical directions for governors to adopt in advancing employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
He believes that “A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities looks at ways both state government and businesses can partner to bring opportunities to individuals with disabilities in the competitive labor market.”
In speaking about individuals with disabilities in the workforce, Governor Markell remarked: “We’re making strides on this front, but the work is far from over. I look forward to the discussions we’ll be having on this topic this weekend.”
KRA Corporation has been fortunate enough to be on the ground floor in aiding individuals with disabilities, assisting the Administration on Developmental Disabilities in numerous event management, information dissemination, and technical assistance initiatives, culminating in the Secretary’s Outstanding Distinguished Services Award for our work on the Developmental Disabilities Program Resources Management Project.
KRA Corporation is optimistic that Governor Markell’s initiative and his assertion of “together, we can ensure that individuals with disabilities will have opportunities for a brighter future” will receive the attention and support it is due by the other attending state representatives. We applaud his foresight and efforts on behalf of this segment of the U.S. workforce.
Dr. Boone’s 20+ years’ experience in the industry is extensive and her expertise in private-, public-, and non-profit sector workforce-services organizations is unparalleled, particularly in the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan area.
