Blog
October is National Disability Awareness Month
October 1, 2019
There are many opportunities for APSE members and state chapters to get involved!
- APSE will be sharing stories of competitive, integrated employment (CIE) from across the country via social media throughout the month of October. Our goal is to have at least one story to share from every state, telling stories about transition from school, day habilitation and/or “sheltered workshops,” and sharing examples of customized employment leading to CIE.
- APSE will be educating and advocating in support of proposed legislation that advances the goals of Employment First. We are excited for the opportunity to partner with the Harkin Institute in the development of an NDEAM Advocacy Resource Sheet to help advocates engage with their Members of Congress in October.
- Through partnership with the Coalition to Promote Self-Determination (CPSD), APSE will participate in a Congressional Briefing on Successes of People with Disabilities Transitioning to Competitive, Integrated Employment on Monday, October 28. We are thrilled that APSE will be represented via the participation of Bill and Kyle Stumpf, a father and son advocate team from Iowa, on the panel. Special thanks to Iowa APSE and the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council for their support!
What can you do NOW?
- Send a CIE success story and photo from your state to julie@apse.org to be included in the NDEAM campaign.
- Share the NDEAM Advocacy Resource Sheet with your network and encourage advocates to get involved – particularly during the first two weeks of October, when your Members of Congress will be home in their states/districts.
How can you get involved in October during NDEAM?
- Re-post APSE success stories on your own social media channels.
- Tag National APSE on your own NDEAM posts throughout the month.
- Call, tweet and/or meet with your Members of Congress and tell them why their support of Employment First and competitive, integrated employment is so important (our NDEAM Advocacy Resource Sheet is a helpful guide for talking points and questions you can ask).