National Disability Employment Month
June 2008

In recognition of National Disability Employment Month, the EMCBC held various Disability Awareness activities. On October 8, 2008 five EMCBC employees took part in a "Disability for a Day." Those participating were Ralph Holland using a manual wheelchair, Josephine Brownlee using a Power Scooter, Erin Clark who was blind, JoAnne Merritt who was deaf, and Jackie Schoultheis who used an arm sling to portray an amputee. The five EMCBC employees experienced what it is like to live with various disabilities and learned how to best adapt to work situations given their "disability". The ultimate goal of the participants was to gain greater awareness about inclusive environments concerning disabilities, and promote greater awareness through understanding.

On October 9, EMCBC employee participants in the disability for a Day program as well as a guest panel of professional individuals with various disabilities from the Greater Cincinnati area joined together to discuss encounters, barriers, thoughts, disability law, cultural, and social issues in a moderated forum discussion with all EMCBC managers and employees entitled "Disability For A Day- Awareness For a Lifetime." Guest panel members included Suzanne Hopkins, Cincinnati Center for Independent Living Options, Jennifer Holladay, Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Peter Keiser, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Maryann Barth, Assistant Principal St. Rita School for Deaf, and Louise Burns, Interpreter, St Rita School for Deaf. Attendees evaluated the program as "outstanding", "very enlightening" and "well received; the reality of our world is that we all are diverse, unique, and contributing individuals.

On October 15, the EMCBC welcomed Evan Sprague who is an area high school participant in "Disability Mentoring Day", a National Disability Mentoring program by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) held each year the second week of October for individuals with disabilities to identify possible career options through mentor opportunities. Evan was mentored by John Muskoff, Information Technology Specialist from the Office of Information Resource Management.

Millions of Americans live with disabilities, and many other Americans will become disabled at some point in their lives. To integrate people with disabilities more fully into every aspect of life, our country is working to advance greater freedoms at work, in schools, and throughout communities. By expanding employment opportunities and fighting false perceptions that hinder people living with disabilities from joining the workforce, we can uphold America's moral values, strengthen our economy, and make America a more hopeful place. National Disability Employment Recognition Month is held each year during the entire month of October.