28
Feb, 2023Earlier this month, The New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities (NJCDD) published and distributed a blog post written by, Kevin Nunez, a self-advocate and Vice Chair of the Council. The blog post, which was shared in the context of Black History Month, inappropriately compared aspects of the disability experience to the atrocities of slavery in America. The post was unintentionally hurtful, insensitive, and disrespectful. As leaders in the NJCDD, we take full responsibility for ... Read more
23
Feb, 2023
By Jeremy Einbinder Group homes are a prevalent housing option for people with disabilities, but they often fall short in meeting the needs and desires of those they are meant to serve. Group homes can provide a roof over one's head, but they frequently lack privacy, are isolated, and disconnected from the larger community. This institutionalization of disabled people perpetuates the systemic barriers they already face, hindering their full participation in society and ... Read more
03
Jan, 2023
By Jesse Schwartzman The past year was a successful one for the disability community! Workability offers people with disabilities who are working, and whose income would otherwise make them ineligible for Medicaid, the opportunity to receive full Medicaid coverage. This legislation was signed into law by Governor Murphy this past year to remove income and age caps will finally be implemented in the ... Read more
19
Dec, 2022
By Jeremy Einbinder The Disability Rights Movement has been fighting for the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities for a long time, making it an important part of history, as it pertains to activism. Despite the progress made by the Disability Rights Movement, there is still a long way to go in terms of achieving true equality and inclusion for people with disabilities. Many people with disabilities still face barriers to access and participation in various ... Read more
24
Oct, 2022
By Jesse Schwartzman As National Disability Employment Awareness Month comes to a close, I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to interview an owner of a business that includes people with disabilities in everything the business does. I visited Cornerstone Montclair an inclusive building that includes a general store, an inclusive movement center, a community space, and room for private businesses in the disability field. It was an amazing opportunity to learn more ... Read more
17
Oct, 2022
In a previous blog, there was a mention of competitive integrated employment. Competitive integrated employment (CIE) is having people with disabilities earn the same pay as others without disabilities. It means those with disabilities can work where people without disabilities work. Most importantly it means equal pay for equal work. It is also the preferred outcome for people with disabilities. Read more
10
Oct, 2022
The National Disability Employment Month Programming continues with another focus on hiring people with disabilities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), during the beginning pandemic, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities increased from 7.3% to 12.6%, as compared to a jump from 4.4% to 7.9% for those without a disability. Over two years later, people with disabilities are still finding challenges to employment. Employers must expand to hire more people with ... Read more
04
Oct, 2022
This month we celebrate October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). NDEAM was declared by Congress in 1988 to spread awareness and the contributions of people with disabilities while at work. People in the disability ...
Read more
13
Jul, 2022
By Kevin Nunez
I'm a 35-year-old single male with a developmental disability. I'm a capitalist and I love this country but I am financially suffocating. I am writing this on July 5, 2022. The day after this great nation celebrated its independence. This is the land of the free, the home of the brave, and most of ...
Read more
29
Jun, 2022
By Jesse Schwartzman
I am the type of person who likes to use real life examples to explain my points. If I bring up a real-life example, then it should relate to the disability ...
Read more
