WHEREAS, 44 percent of working-age Virginians with disabilities are employed which indicates an underrepresentation of people with disabilities among the gainfully employed; and

WHEREAS, an estimated one in five Virginians will have a disability at some point in their lifetime, and Virginians with disabilities, including veterans, have the ability and desire to seek quality employment and to develop the skills they need to thrive; and

WHEREAS, the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) and the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI) are the designated state agencies for vocational rehabilitation; and

WHEREAS, DARS annually provides vocational rehabilitation services to over 20,000 students and adults with disabilities to gain or retain meaningful employment; and

WHEREAS, DBVI annually provides services to over 11,000 Virginians who are blind, vision impaired, or deafblind to achieve their desired levels of employment, education, and personal independence; and

WHEREAS, DARS and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services partner to bolster the Commonwealth’s Right Help Right Now initiative to enhance career opportunities for individuals with substance use disorders and mental health conditions; and 

WHEREAS, DARS collaborates with the newly established Virginia Works to increase registered apprenticeship opportunities through vocational rehabilitation; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth’s commitment to employment for individuals with disabilities includes an alternative hiring process encouraging people to seek jobs in state government; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Labor’s theme for this year’s national observance, “Access to Good Jobs for All,” marks the 79th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize October 2024, as DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.