OCTOBER IS NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH NMDVR
Promotes Disability Employment Throughout New Mexico
SANTA FE (September 20, 2022) – The New Mexico Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (NMDVR) is participating in this year’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a campaign that takes place each October. National Disability Employment Awareness Month aims to educate Americans about disability employment issues and celebrates the many and varied contributions of workers with disabilities. This year’s theme is “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation.”
“New Mexicans with disabilities are a huge untapped resource, with a range of skills and abilities to help businesses grow,” says NMDVR Director Casey Stone-Romero. “We bridge that talent, helping both companies and employees succeed, and we’re committed to helping employers find candidates who are skilled, loyal, and committed to their success.”
Throughout October, NMDVR will be engaging in efforts to spread the word to businesses regarding the benefits of employing New Mexicans with disabilities and share the agency’s mission of “ensuring that every New Mexican with a disability achieves their employment goals and thrives in their communities.”
National Disability Employment Awareness Month’s history can be traced to 1945, when the United States Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year as “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” In 1962, “physically” was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. Congress expanded the week to a full month in 1988 and gave it its current name.
“Our national recovery from the pandemic cannot be completed without the inclusion of all Americans, in particular people with disabilities,” says U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “Their contributions have historically been vital to our nation’s success and are more important today than ever. We must build an economy that fully includes the talent and drive of those with disabilities.” For information about becoming an employer partner of NMDVR, call 505-954-8500 or visit www.dvr.state.nm.us/locations/ to connect with your local office. For more information about National Disability Employment Awareness Month, visit www.dol.gov/NDEAM.