Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month

To the Johns Hopkins Medicine community

Dear Colleagues,

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and we want to use this opportunity to shine a light on our valued faculty members, trainees, staff members and patients living with a disability.

Anyone can be stricken with a disability — at any time in life. In fact, 61 million adults in the United States, or 26% of the population, have a disability. According to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, people with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory (such as hearing or vision) impairments, which may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. People with disabilities make up an underrepresented minority group, one that anyone may unexpectedly find themselves a part of.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month is a campaign that raises awareness about disability employment issues and celebrates the varied and priceless contributions of workers with disabilities. In 1945, Congress passed a law that the first week of October would be National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week. By 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month, recognizing a wide spectrum of physical and cognitive disabilities and changing the name to National Disability Employment Awareness Month. And next year marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life.

At Johns Hopkins, we strive to focus on what people can do and offer all our employees a welcoming environment and the opportunity to realize their potential.

In support of our dedication to inclusion and diversity, we encourage you to attend one or more of the National Disability Employment Awareness Month events taking place at Johns Hopkins. To learn more about the history and meaning of disability awareness, we are pleased to release this information guide, which will increase your awareness of co-workers and trainees who have a disability. Importantly, this guide will review protections under the law and accommodations set to maximize the potential of all employees. You can also learn more in the attached fact sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

We at Johns Hopkins believe inclusion helps us push boundaries of discovery, transform health care, advance medical education and create hope for humanity.

Sincerely,

Sherita Hill Golden, M.D., M.H.S.
Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer
Johns Hopkins Medicine