Patrick Administration Launches Public-Private Partnership to Support Employment for People with Disabilities

BOSTON — As part of National Disability Employment Month, the Patrick Administration today launched a public-private partnership called Work Without Limits to improve the job opportunities for people with disabilities across the Commonwealth.

Work Without Limits (www.workwithoutlimits.org), a collaboration between the state and the University of Massachusetts, has a multi-pronged approach to addressing the barriers people with disabilities face in finding employment. The disability employment summit at which Patrick appeared is part of the partnership’s focus on getting employers engaged as part of the solution.

Appearing at the “Putting Our Abilities to Work!” summit in Boston, Patrick announced the next phase of his own Model Employer agenda as part of a challenge to private business to join him in making work a reality for thousands of people with disabilities.

“I am thrilled to announce this dynamic partnership between the public and private sector,” said Governor Patrick. “In taking this step, we affirm the basic civil rights and acknowledge the economic necessities of countless individuals across the Commonwealth.”

The campaign is designed to raise awareness of disability as a reality in the state workplace and to create environments where people can confidentially disclose their disability. The next phase of the state’s Model Employer effort involves actively improving the recruitment and retention of people with disabilities, including those who age into disability.

“We know that fewer than four out of every ten working-age adults with disabilities in Massachusetts are employed,” noted EOHHS Secretary JudyAnn Bigby. “People’s life opportunities are constrained and the Commonwealth’s vision of assuring that disabled individuals can live in the ‘community first’ cannot be realized if we do not take on barriers to employment.”

Attending the conference today were over 225 business representatives, people with disabilities, state officials and vocational service providers. The discussions focused on highlighting strategies that help employers recruit, retain, promote and support people with disabilities in the workplace.

“The Governor’s message was a strong one today,” noted EOLWD Secretary Bump. “He is saying that if we are going to make a difference in the employment of this chronically under-employed group, we are going to have to do it together with the private business community.”

The conference featured business representatives who have grappled with the challenges of creating a welcoming and supportive workplace for people with disabilities. Jim Salzano of The Clark Company, committed to leading up a Business Advisory Group for the partnership.

“The leadership of the business representatives present today will be vital to shifting the economic opportunities for people with disabilities,” said EOHHS Assistant Secretary Jean McGuire. “And part of what we want them to know is that the partnership and the state are here to help make this vision a reality.”

Kicking off the event was Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission director Charlie Carr, himself a beneficiary of disability related employment support after an early diving accident.

The Model Employer plan, unveiled earlier this summer, also includes broad-based training of hiring managers, shifting recruitment strategies, and the examining of review and promotion efforts to make sure that the pathway in and through state employment opportunities is an affirmative one for people with disabilities across the lifespan.

Work Without Limits is a collaboration between the Executive Office of Health and Human Services and the University of Massachusetts Center of Health Policy and Research and is supported by a $6 million, multi-year grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. It aims to improve employment opportunities for youth and adults in Massachusetts who experience some form of disability, approximately 15 percent of the state's population.

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