We should strive every day to ensure everyone has access to opportunities to make the most of their own abilities. It’s a moral imperative, but it’s also a fact that we only achieve our potential as a state when we tap into the talents of all of our people.
Too often certain groups of individuals are left behind including those people with disabilities. A quarter century after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, less than 30 percent of the 54 million Americans living with disability are in the workforce.
But we are making great progress in our state through the efforts of many committed advocates like The Ability Network of Delaware. Thanks to its partnership with community service providers, 600 Delawareans with disabilities have found employment. That helped Eric Rayfield, who has a severe heart and lung disease, earn a position as a Food Service Supervisor at Governor Bacon Health Center.
Together these employment opportunities have saved the state nearly $1.4 million through a reduced dependence on public benefit. And thanks to companies like SAP, who hosted forum this week to focus on growing employee autism programs and CAI have committed to hiring more people with autism—these employers and others have realized that when given a chance, individuals with disabilities can excel in the workplace.
We must continue to bring business leaders and advocates together to highlight the benefits of employing people with autism, and other disabilities. It’s good for the bottom line of companies, and it strengthens our workforce. We’ll continue to build on those efforts to ensure that all Delawareans have the opportunity to realize their full potential through meaningful work—and that, will keep Delaware moving forward.