Events across the State Highlight the Abilities of People with Disabilities in the Workplace in Recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month
WHAT: This month the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) is joining others across the state and nation in recognizing National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Inclusion Works is the national theme of the 2016 National Disability Employment Awareness Month, which highlights the contributions, the diversity and the impact people with disabilities make in the workforce.
TDHS, partner agencies and service providers will conduct events and take part in social media campaigns to inform communities of the skills, talents, strengths and abilities people with disabilities bring to the workplace. A partial list of scheduled events is below:
October 12
Disability Employment Awareness Month Recognition Day with Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Career Coach
8:30 am to 11:30 am
TN Rehabilitation Center at Manchester
91 Volunteer Parkway
Manchester, TN
Contact: Deborah Michael (931) 393-0143
October 18
Paris Small Business Expo
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Henry County Fairgrounds
517 Royal Oakes Drive
Paris, TN
Contact: Paris Henry County Chamber of Commerce (731) 642-3431
October 19
Disability Employment Awareness Month Community Open House
10:00 am to 2:00 pm
TN Rehabilitation Center at Cleveland
3069 Overlook Drive Suite B
Cleveland, TN
Contact: Delwyn Smith (423) 478-0332
October 20
Disability Employment Awareness Month Recognition Day with Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Career Coach
8:30 am to 10:30 am
TN Rehabilitation Center at Cookeville
955 East 20th Street
Cookeville, TN
Contact: Amy Howell (931) 520-2508
October 21
Disability Employment Awareness Month Community Open House with Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Career Coach
10:00 am to 2:00 pm
TN Rehabilitation Center at Winchester
135 Baxter Lane
Winchester, TN
Contact: Kim Hasty (931) 968-3481
October 24
Disability Employment Awareness Month Community Open House for area high school students, employers and employment partners
9:00 am to 2:30 pm; To RSVP contact Robert.Breon-Turk@tn.gov
TN Rehabilitation Center at Smyrna
460 Ninth Avenue
Smyrna, TN
Contact: Jamie Tomlin (615) 223-2704
October 27
Knoxville Area Employment Consortium Awareness Breakfast
With Speaker Josh Blue
7:45 am to 9:30 am
Hilton Hotel
501 West Church Ave
Knoxville, TN
Contact: Tina Jones (865) 594-6757
November 10 *Date has been updated*
Community Open House & Recognition
9:00 am to 2:00 pm
TN Rehabilitation Center at Dyersburg
1365 Morgan Road
Dyersburg, TN
Contact: Susan Newbill (731) 286-3922
MORE: Housed within TDHS, the Division of Rehabilitation Services offers several programs and services focused on employment success and independent living skills for people with disabilities. One of its programs, Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), provides a variety of individualized services to persons with disabilities in preparation for their employment in the competitive labor market. The VR program partners with customers to reach employment outcomes that are consistent with their individual strengths, resources, abilities, and capabilities. In the last year the VR program has assisted more than 2,250 Tennesseans reach their employment goals.
Vocational rehabilitation offices across the state as well as the 17 Tennessee Rehabilitation Centers located in rural communities and the residential comprehensive Tennessee Rehabilitation Center in Smyrna provide numerous services to clients, including vocational training, physical or occupational therapy and transitional life skills.
For more information on the Vocational Rehabilitation program and other disability services, please visit http://www.tn.gov/humanservices/section/disability-services.
For more information on National Disability Employment Awareness Month visit http://hiremystrengths.org/toolkit/ and/or https://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/ndeam/.
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CONTACT: Devin Stone, 615-313-5786