Recession’s Bite Hits Americans With Disabilities Extra Hard
They "tend to be the last hired and first fired," says one advocate
And so, when the California budget was stymied for nearly three months this fall, halting a key source of funding, the nonprofit was in trouble. To ensure that clients could still get healthcare and staff their average wage of $11.50 an hour, Teri took out a $500,000 loan. Although the state is responsible for it, Teri has to pay $9,000 in interest.
But at least they could stay open.
"We got down to the point where we had to actually send out notices to our clients, to our families, that said, if that budget doesn't get signed by a particular Friday—it was a Friday in October—we will be closing our doors on Monday. We do not have the funds to go beyond this week," White says. "The governor wound up signing that Friday."
Meanwhile, for companies whose primary goal is simply to stay in the black, projects aimed to help people with disabilities may get left behind. One convenience store the Disability Network/Lakeshore was working with to make its building more accessible, for example, planned to install an automatic door opener. But with sales down 50 percent, they've had to put it off.
All of those hurdles are leading to another trend that worries Diamond.
"I can't think of a person now with a physical disability, literally today, that I'm working with, who isn't also struggling with depression," he says.
- Read more from Amanda Ruggeri.
Reader Comments
Hiring the Disabled
As the Disability Program Navigator (DPN) for a large Workforce Board in West Texas it is trulely a sad fact that during difficult economic times that individuals with impediments / barriers to employment are the first to go when companies are facing a reduction in workforce.
As we move forward to educate employers on dispelling the myths of hiring people with disabilities and in recognizing that this is an under utilized applicant pool of highly skilled applicants ready and eager to work. It has become very frustraiting to know that the opportunities to improve ones quality of life,self respect and a scence of belonging is for the most part a matter of available funding.
disability work
I believe that those who are disabled could start up their own companies that hire the disabled. This is the way to help those who help themselves.
The disabled are an Important part of america's workforce
Thank you for writing this piece. As a mother of an autistic child I constantly think of his future without me. If somehow there is a way to create almost "recession-proof" jobs and careers for the community then we need to all come together as one to ensure that security for our children and loved ones. After reading this it has certainly given me food for thought . I work with a non-profit organization that is primarily funded and ran by parents. We all come from different walks of life and there are many talented,motivated members. This is something I will absolutely share with them as we plan our future projects to empower our children in their communities.
Thank you for opening my eyes and mind to the possibilities.
Sincerely,
Stacey
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