Creating Healthy Organizations Conference ’s Post

You know that classic “accessible” entrance, the one relegated to the back of a building? The one at the end of the cracked and uneven path, next to the trash, with hardly any light? With a wobbly ramp that seems more a hazard than help? ☑ That wobbly ramp is the physical representation of a checkbox—bare minimum disability compliance. It is a representation of the fact that only 5% of organizations have inclusion programs focused on disability. It’s a representation of the fact that the majority of people with disabilities are afraid to disclose their #disability, chronic illness, or #MentalHealth difference at work. That wobbly ramp is also a material equivalent of the begrudging sighs, eye rolls, and lengthy “prove it” processes that meet basic accessibility requests for nonapparent conditions, like adding transcripts to training videos or removing migraine-inducing visual effects. It is a symbol of a performative illusion of disability #inclusion. An afterthought. A reminder to “know your place and be grateful for what you get.” A reminder that you don’t really belong. There are ways to do better. Inclusion should be at the core of every aspect of an organization’s operations, not an add-on. From building design to hiring processes and leadership development, the main route should be the inclusive one. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gNfqjzuA

Those of us involved with Equal Access Public Media talk a lot about reporting through a disability lens. What exactly does it mean? Let's break it down (and use some current news examples). Remember: about a quarter of American adults identify as disabled; about half have at least one chronic illness; one in four have a mental illness; nearly 1 in 10 have a developmental disability; as many as 25 percent have a learning disability; roughly 20 percent are neurodivergent; about 6 million have low vision or are experiencing vision loss, and 1 million are blind; and more than 15 percent are deaf or hard of hearing. 1. When a journalist is covering a story, they will ask, "How does this affect disabled and chronically ill people?" Example: When Congress starts considering budget bills (as they do every couple of months), and the House of Representatives starts talking about how important it is to cut from services such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP and other social safety nets, when statistics show that disabled people are more likely to be unemployed than their nondisabled peers, and twice as likely to live below the poverty line even when employed as their nondisabled peers, we need to ask, "How will cuts to these services affect people with disabilities and chronic illnesses?" 2. If a reporter is covering a story, even without a clear disability link, we need to ensure that coverage is presented in an accessible manner so that the news is available to as many people as possible. That means presenting videos with ASL interpretations, closed captioning and audio descriptions. It means having pullout boxes with plain language bullet-pointed information. It means audio needs to be slow and clear. It means written articles need to be accompanied by a "listen to this article" option. It means graphics need to accompany articles because some people are visual learners. Example: The U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia recently issued a lengthy ruling regarding former president Donald Trump's assertion that he is immune from prosecution. As a media outlet, we need to present this news in as many ways as possible – at minimum: a written article, with an audio readout of the article; a video with ASL, with captions, and with audio descriptions; and with plain language bullet-pointed pullout – so that we are offering as many people as possible a way to access and understand the court opinion. 3. Finally, reporting through a disability lens means making sure jobs are accessible so they are open to journalists with disabilities and chronic illnesses who may not normally find a job (without hiding their disability or illness; or without sacrificing their health) in a typical newsrooms. Example: Jobs are remote and reporters work their 20 or 40 hours around the news and their needs. It means better pay and benefits. It means a place to be themselves. That's what it means to report through a disability lens.

12 Barriers to Effective Accessibility Supports in the Workplace 👇🏽 Today is International Day of Persons with Disability, and we had the honour of having Mahadeo Sukhai presenting to us at OPS. "The current policies still see disability as a health outcome, something that is acquired and not part of a person's identity." "Duty to accommodate is an ableist/disableist framework." What are those 12 barriers? 1) There are no effective accessibility supports in the workplace 2) Lived experience with disability is not "one size fits all" 3) Disability policy in the workplace was built for yesterday's workers with disabilities - the idea that a worker acquires a disability due to illness or injury. Today, we can encounter workers who are born with disabilities (visible/invisible). 4) Policy and application don't (always) line up 5) Intersecting histories - of work, of disability, of productivity 6) The persons who came up with "Duty to Accommodate" (probably) never had to use it. Likely, persons with disabilities were not involved in developing these policies. 7) Bona fide occupational requirements and duty to accommodate. These occupational requirements may actually be discriminatory against persons with disabilities. 8) Hidden assumptions with disclosure. Although disclosure could enable a person-centred approach to establishing accommodations, it often also acknowledges, "I have to tell you about my disability." 9) Disclosure is person-centered but can cause self-doubt on own abilities. 10) Disclosure and Trust get Conflated. Worker = "My employer won't trust me If I don't disclose my disability" or "My co-workers will think that I'm hiding something or getting special treatment." Employer = "Why did they hide this?" 11) Disclosure doesn't (always) work. An employer can simply refuse to provide accommodations. 12) Accommodations alone are insufficient, even when they are working. Accessibility supports should be designed to facilitate the successful completion of tasks. How do you support persons with disabilities in the workplace? Arthritis Society Canada Global Healthy Living Foundation

Loved this article! Showcasing commitment to disability inclusion in hiring isn't just about compliance—it's about tapping into diverse talent and fostering a supportive workplace. By actively recruiting individuals with disabilities, organizations not only enrich their teams with unique perspectives but also enhance innovation and employee morale. It's a strategic move that boosts reputation, aligns with ethical values, and ensures long-term sustainability. To demonstrate this commitment effectively, companies can implement inclusive policies, provide accessibility accommodations, offer training on disability awareness, partner with advocacy groups, and track progress transparently. Embracing diversity isn't just good practice; it's a path to a stronger, more inclusive future for all How can you impact disability inclusion in your workplace? #Inclusion #Disbailities #DEI

As freelance pitches come in, there's a lot of questions about what we cover. I want to reiterate that we are a national news organization that covers the news. We will not just cover disability news or chronic illness news just because we intend to make jobs open to people with disabilities or chronic illnesses or just because we intend to make news accessible to people with various disabilities who may not be able to access news at a mainstream news site. We will cover the news. We will use a "disability lens" to see how we can make news more accessible. We will also use a "disability lens" to see how a large portion of Americans are regularly left out of the conversation, especially when it comes to government funding. But this is not a competitor to ABILITY Magazine or to Disability Scoop. Both of those do a great job of covering the national disability scene. We are not a competitor to Able News, which does a wonderful job of covering the disability news in Metro New York. Equal Access Public Media's mission is two-fold: • Report the news (as I like to say, "the regular daily news") in an accessible way. • Create accessible jobs.

National Industries for the Blind remains disappointed and dismayed by the continued focus the National Council on Disability (NCD) places on eliminating the AbilityOne Program; a program that provides employment for nearly 37,000 individuals who are blind or significantly disabled, meets federal laws and regulations, and provides a variety of career opportunities that align with people’s desires and expectations.   In "National Disability Policy: A Progress Report, 2024," instead of learning more about the work of NIB and others, NCD relied on anecdotal, antiquated, and inaccurate data about the AbilityOne Program. AbilityOne associated nonprofit agencies provide safe, secure, and welcoming work environments where accommodation is not seen as a requirement, but as a normal course of business—ensuring individuals who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired work in inclusive and supportive workplaces.    NIB has worked closely with the U.S. AbilityOne Commission to update and improve the AbilityOne Program and has implemented past NCD recommendations. We believe that this collaboration with the federal government should continue to ensure we continually modernize and improve the program. People who are blind or have significant disabilities deserve to benefit from a community of organizations that focus on identifying all options for securing employment that provides good wages, excellent benefits, and an environment in which to achieve success. It is disconcerting that NCD would want to take this away.   It is NIB’s hope that, instead of advocating to scrap the AbilityOne Program, NCD would instead embrace a spirit of cooperation to provide the freedom of informed choice, opportunity, and fulfillment of the American Dream in order to, one day, significantly reduce unemployment in our community.

Buy Supply Corp. is an Authorized Ability One Distributor and partner for non-profit agencies in the National Industries for the Blind family and a supplier for SourceAmerica agencies that employ tens of thousand of blind and disabled people to support the essential missions of the military and civilian agencies of the Federal Government. We personally witness the incredible difference that these programs make in the lives of so many people and the amazing personal impact that they have had for almost 100 years. Like any program, not everything is perfect and there is always room for improvement. Continuous improvement and reforms are a perfectly acceptable and also effective way to keep up with the times as things change...completely eliminating a program that is so essential and positive is not the answer to dealing with the issues. Furthermore, the Ability One program is one of few government programs that has a positive ROI for taxpayers...as recently as 2023, the data indicates that every dollar spent by our government through Ability One programs have a $2.35 return on the investment that the taxpayers are making here. That track record of success and the positive ROI for the program should speak for itself...but it apparently doesnt. So you know what to do...reach out to your elected representative or Congressperson and let them know that you support Ability One and all the good that they do for us all. If you would like to learn more about this amazing program and the impact that it makes, please reach out to me so that I can share my own personal story with you and I can promise you that you will understand why this program deserves to not only be "saved" but expanded in the years to come!

In 2023 only 22.5% of people with a disability were employed. For National Disability Employment Awareness Month, let’s highlight the significant role that employment plays for individuals with disabilities. Employment not only provides financial stability, purpose, and healthcare but also fosters a sense of belonging and community. Organizations that value diversity often discover dedicated and skilled team members with unique abilities. At Joni and Friends, we encourage enhancing access and opportunities for individuals with disabilities in your workplace. Here’s why hiring people with disabilities benefits your organization:  •  It demonstrates a strong commitment to inclusion and community engagement.  •  Employees with disabilities frequently excel as team players, boosting overall productivity.  •  A diverse workforce that attracts a wider range of customers and clients.  •  People with disabilities often stay longer with a company and deliver high performance.  •  They are usually open to creative solutions for accommodations, making workplace adjustments smoother.  •  Including them in your team helps raise awareness and sensitivity, benefiting everyone. Is your workplace leveraging the unique talents and perspectives of people with disabilities? Discover more on this topic from author and writer, Dave Deuel. 👇 https://lnkd.in/e89Kmc_9. #DEI #Disability #Employment #Accessibility #EqualOpportunity #NDEAM

The decision to disclose a disability can be full of uncertainty. Whether in the workplace, educational settings, or social environments, disclosing a disability can be a challenging and deeply personal choice. Despite progress in disability rights and awareness, the fear of negative consequences often stops people from being open about their disabilities. We recently shared an article on our JJ's List blog about this fear of disclosure in the workplace. Read more and find resources here: https://lnkd.in/gEjzDe7D #DisabilityAwareness #DisabilityRights #DisabilityInclusion #WorkplaceInclusion #InclusionMatters #DisabilitySupport #ChallengingStigma #JJsList #FearofDisclosure

Hurry and sign up for this if you haven’t yet — it’s happening next week! If you’re an employment service professional, don’t miss this opportunity to raise your level of disability awareness and confidence so you have the knowledge you need to: –Develop effective strategies for job seekers who have a disability –Engage with businesses about disability-inclusive hiring Sign up now for our final online Disability Awareness and Confidence Training for Employment Service Professionals session of 2024: https://lnkd.in/gJb_Djta It’s being facilitated by Disability Employment Inclusion Specialist Jenny Hope. It’s happening next Monday (December 2) and Tuesday (December 3), on Zoom. It runs from 1–4 p.m. ET both days. December 3 is International Day of Persons with Disabilities, so what better way to spend half this day raising your disability awareness and confidence?! You’ll receive the webinar link after you register. There’s no travel involved. And it’s spread over two half days to make this professional development and learning more convenient, and easier to absorb. There are still some spots left — but register *now* to secure yours! [Image Description] Visual testimonial has a main background that’s orange. On the left, white headline text in a purple bar says, What participants say. Underneath the bar, testimonial reads, "one of the most significant takeaways from the [Disability Awareness and Confidence Training] was the importance of empathy and understanding. Through the training, I learned to approach interactions with individuals with disabilities with sensitivity, respect, and a genuine desire to understand their unique needs and perspectives. Additionally, I gained valuable insights into practical strategies for fostering inclusivity and accessibility in various environments. Overall, the training deepened my appreciation for the diversity within the disability community and equipped me with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively support and advocate for individuals with disabilities in both professional and personal settings." There are large light blue quote marks behind the black text. On the left there’s a photo of a young garden centre employee, holding a tablet and smiling at the camera. Underneath the photo white text in a purple rectangle says Disability Awareness & Confidence Training for Employment Service Providers. There’s a white ODEN logo in the bottom right corner.