How would you decrease the near 70 percent unemployment rate amongst disabled Americans?

I would give them jobs that aren%26#039;t so difficult that is able to be done by the disabled

How would you decrease the near 70 percent unemployment rate amongst disabled Americans?

Expand opportunities for part-time employment with benefits, telecommuting, part-time telecommute/part-time in office, to learn how to use computers that use adaptive equipment, and micro-enterprise loan funds so people can start up business that are small.

The main issues is not difficulty of the job itself - it is commuting difficulties, health benefits, and inability to work full-time.

How would you decrease the near 70 percent unemployment rate amongst disabled Americans?

loan

I agree with Chiliswoman. Also, I would change the Soc. Sec. rules on working so that the disabled can keep their health benefits and not have to lose $1. in benefits for every $2. earned. My brother got a job, yet with the cut in his disability pay, he earns just enough to be able to buy himself lunch, carfare for work, and to skimp out a few packs of cigarettes a week. He%26#039;s basically working so that he isn%26#039;t as bored- the material benefits of working are very small.|||I agree with Chillswoman and That Girl. I would also make changes to the Vocational Rehabilitation program. They are not helping the disabled get jobs like they should. I have talked to several professional people who have told me that there are major problems with that program I have also tried to get a job through them.|||Well, a first step is being proposed now-the %26quot;Americanswith Disabilities Restoration Act%26quot; that seeks to put some teeth back in the ADA. At this point,it has been so watered down by 12 years o fneoconservatives in Congress its not worth the paper its printedon. Sothat%26#039;s a beginning.

There are three important steps that need to be taken. One is to reform tehe teaching of children with disabilities. They are not being served adequately--and without adequate education, they have little chance of working

The second isto restore job training and placement programs (over 100 have been cut by the Bush administration).

But the biggest thing that is needed is to change the public perception of people with disabilities. We continue to see ourselves portrayed as helpless and unproductive. If a woman or black person were presented the way disabled children are , say on the %26quot;Muscular Dystrophy Telethon,%26quot; the outcry would rattle every windo in the country. But such derogatory and stereotyped images and attitudes are still applauded in America. That needs to change. Things like tehe MD telethon belong inthe same category as a cross-burning by the KKK--a disgusting example of bigotry and prejudice.|||In my mind there are four categories of disabled people. Those who want to work, those who can work, those who can%26#039;t work, and those who don%26#039;t want to work. Those who don%26#039;t want to work do that for a purpose. Those who can%26#039;t work (well that%26#039;s understandable). Those who want to work can work state, county and city jobs more easily than any other jobs, they can have MLM%26#039;s, and they can work on the net, can do warehouse jobs or be baggers, or work behind the scenes in business, or even work among the public, but it depends on what they %26quot;can%26quot; do, so first they need to be tested to find that out. Vocational Rehabilitation is the place to go to get that checked out. ....ok, then there are those who %26quot;can%26quot; work and are hesitant to work, so they will need to be trained or retrained and Voc Rehab does that too. A lot of people don%26#039;t work certainly because they don%26#039;t have the transportation or they need equipment (which not all employers can supply however they can accommodate). It is harder for a disabled person to get things done so the jobs have to be, (in my mind) more rote...like we here have the Assn for the Blind whose disabled people make large clocks, so we know disabled people can accomplish tasks and can work in industry. The problem is that a lot of our industry went overseas so it%26#039;s not just disabled people who are out of work. Those people who are in really tough situations can maybe do art for thank you or greeting cards, or cartoons, or for automated dialing on the phone they can plug in a recorded message to remind people to do something (like even for the elections to vote, or to call a number if a person needs a ride). Or they can duplicate videos or cd%26#039;s for a company who made the original. These days disabled people who can still multitask can have websites, and now with 2008 being better for exporting they will have more of a chance to own their own business. I%26#039;ve heard of places out there that would lend money for small ventures (do an internet search for that). There are lots of ideas and jobs that are now available...but a lot of time there is difficulty connecting people to the jobs that are available...so there needs to be researchers who do that and people who connect them to the jobs plus get the proper transportation, etc. And Voc Rehab is one of the groups that does that. In fact they are constantly searching among large companies to locate jobs for their clients.|||MOney to help us start businesses.|||There is a terrible fear of losing your social security and medicaid/medicare benefit if you work part time. SSI docks you for every $2 you make (and that first $65 is free is a joke - food stamps cuts you right away!) So if you have a part time minimum wage job, you are down to $3.50 an hour right off the bat because of the SSI docking you, but it costs money to get to your job, you are still disabled, so you are tired and maybe have to eat more convenience meals which cost more, need more nice clothes, etc. NOT WORTH IT!

I have severe mental illness. What I am doing is sewing doll clothes to sell at craft shows. If I%26#039;m too sick to go to the show, I get a sister to do it for me. I sell on Ebay a little bit too. I still only make $3.50 an hour, though. But I can work when I am a bit less depressed, and I feel less useless because I am contributing something to society.

I think it is cheaper for the government to pay someone to sit at home than it is to provide supportive work for many disabilities.|||eSight.org has a some wonderful articles on debunking the myths on disabilities such as disabled people take more time off , they don%26#039;t . Disabled people cost you more , they don%26#039;t and they usually know where to get their adaptive devices either paid for or for free.

Another myth is because I can%26#039;t imagine a disabled person doing any job , doesn%26#039;t mean they can%26#039;t . Attitude against disabled people being able to function in society independently and just like everyone else is the biggest obstacle disabled persons face.

Oh and despite eSight%26#039;s emphasis on blind and visually impaired people , it is a cross disability site, as all the nformation applies to other types of disabilities as well.|||Dramatically change the %26#039;payback%26#039; rate for %26#039;working%26#039;. The existing rate makes it %26#039;not worth it%26#039; economically to %26#039;nickel and dime%26#039; your way up for most USA people on disability. My case, I am too educated for many (employment) jobs. I would almost %26#039;have to%26#039; run my own company.|||1. Educate business about the tax credit for hiring and employing disable people.

2. Better transportation and more awareness of that provided service.

3. Free business and economic lesson, helping disabled people to learn about opening their own business and learn to use money toward ecomomic like investment. Introduce disabled people to the Social Security%26#039;s SGA status benefit.

4. Better security in protecting against theft of disabled people%26#039;s money.

5. Annual reporting to the medical examiner for any changes in medical condition and blood testing for drug abuse. Void all disabled people%26#039;s benefit from Social Security dues to drug traces. (California is notorious for paying benefit to drug addict)

6. Stop supporting illegal immigrant with benefit and start giving the US citizen and registered green card their job back. We are in recession and we can%26#039;t afford to have illegal immigrant in our country especially the unemployement rate that is sky high. We need college graduate to graduates not having them to wait until 23 years old for Financial Aids because job are hiring illegally.|||put in symtems that encouage employers to employ people with disability.

In Australia alot of people work on supported wage.

understanding of different disability would help to. reduces disability payments when working but don%26#039;t disavanage them for doing so.|||Increase the number of self-employed disabled Americans. There are opportunities out there that are in your %26#039;blind spot%26#039; because all you think about is getting a job. At 70% unemployment, obviously there is a huge problem. In spite of your credentials, your education, and your skills, it%26#039;s still a deliberate problem and you probably know better than I do how many years this problem has existed. So I challenge you to look at network marketing carefully, I repeat, carefully because it does not discriminate and it gives you a much greater income opportunity. But look carefully! Network Marketing is not %26#039;easy.%26#039; It takes effort, belief, and goal setting. But if you crave your independence, then you must consider network marketing and all its possibilities. Jobs are becoming more and more scarce for everyone. Over 40,000 Americans join a network marketing company every week! Network marketing opportunity is my %26#039;Plan B.%26#039; Why, because I have been downsized three times since 911. Disabled Americans should band together and seize the power of a very people friendly network marketing opportunity. Take control of your own lives as much as possible and not wait for government to make %26#039;concessions%26#039; or pass special legislation for you. My name is Wade and I call myself The Health Whisperer. A job can hurt you in far more painful ways than network marketing can. In network marketing, you either succeed or you don%26#039;t, but the outcome depends almost entirely on YOU. Why is that a blessing? Do this. Go to www.thehealthwhisperer.org and perhaps you%26#039;ll be able to tell me. Also listen to a recorded conference call (712) 432-3974 and enter 123455#. I hope that this helps open your thinking a little. Disabled Americans should create a %26#039;tipping point%26#039; that will cause a wave of momentum for disabled people worldwide. So how strong and determined are you? Your collective potential is absolutely ENORMOUS. So let%26#039;s see if someone gets my vision and sees the advantages of network marketing like I do. All my respect, The Health Whisperer.