ANCOR Leads Support Letter for Customized Employment Bill

As part of its leadership role on the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Employment Task Force, ANCOR led a sign-on letter in support of the CAPABILTY Act. The CAPABILITY Act would establish a demonstration program to assist transition-aged youth with covered disabilities in obtaining customized, competitive integrated employment. ANCOR supports this legislation because many of our members offer employment supports to youth with disabilities transitioning from special education programs to adult supports.

As written in the letter:

“Despite reports of historically low unemployment rates in the U.S., it is important to acknowledge that the employment situation for people with disabilities has been deteriorating for years. The number of people with disabilities who are not in the labor force increased by 10 percent between 2008 and 2017. The number of people with disabilities actively looking for work declined by 36 percent from 2010 to 2016. Even more concerning is a twenty-year trend that shows the labor market activity rate for persons with disabilities declined by over 50 percent between 1990 and 2014. People with disabilities consistently maintain a labor force participation rate that is 40 percent lower than the general population, while experiencing a 15 percent higher rate of poverty. When placed in context of predictions about the future of the U.S. labor market, the situation may continue to worsen without a collective effort by the community and policymakers.

The CAPABILITY Act is an important, timely piece of legislation that will benefit the disability community. In addition, the outcomes of increased opportunity for youth with IDD and ASD contributes to the health of the U.S. economy and advances societal goals for an inclusive, prosperous future for all citizens.”