Raleigh, NC (October 2015) - Each October, the disability community observes National Disability Employment Awareness Month to celebrate the many contributions of workers with disabilities – in reality, people with disabilities face an 80% unemployment rate in North Carolina and across the country.

"Efforts are underway in the private sector and on the national and state levels to address what many see as a catastrophic unemployment rate among people with disabilities," said Chris Egan, executive director of the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD). "For example, Employment First is a national movement built on the idea that employment is the first priority and preferred outcome for people with disabilities."

"In North Carolina, Project SEARCH, Reaching the Summit of Success and Learning and Earning After High School are NCCDD programs working to increase competitive employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities," Egan said. "In the private sector, some of the state's biggest employers are participating in the North Carolina Business Leadership Network's (NCBLN) fall conference on Thursday, October 22 at Charlotte Motor Speedway."

The conference will feature a number of presentations such as "Inclusion: Bringing Employees with Disabilities Completely into the Company Workforce" by Great Wolf Lodge and "Bringing Technology into the Workplace to Release the Productive Talents of People with Disabilities." The day's agenda will feature speakers from EY, MetLife, Duke Energy and a panel of self-advocates addressing, "The Challenges Facing People with Disabilities that are Looking for a Career."

"Employment is so important to people – it provides a sense of purpose, pride and accomplishment while building a network of co-workers and friends that grow to become an important part of their lives as opposed to living in isolation," said Egan. "Here in North Carolina, we have a great opportunity for state, county and municipal government to set the example by ensuring inclusive hiring processes are in place that encourage applicants with disabilities to apply and compete for jobs."

About North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities:

The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD) works to assure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families participate in the design of and have access to needed community services, individualized supports and other forms of assistance that promote self-determination, independence, productivity and inclusion in all areas of community life. The Council identifies problems facing its community through its five-year planning process and funds innovative projects and initiatives that promote the goals of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act) for all North Carolinians.

North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities
Devika Rao, 678-384-7836
[email protected]

June 20, 2019 (Raleigh, NC) - Governor Roy Cooper has appointed State Senator Mujtaba A. Mohammed (D-Mecklenburg) to the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Senator MohammedThe senator will serve a three-year term on the Council, working collaboratively across the State to assure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families participate in the design of and have access to needed community services, individualized supports and other forms of assistance that promote self-determination, independence, productivity and inclusion in all areas of community life.

“I have always been proud to be familiar with the work and renowned national reputation of the Council for its advocacy for individuals with developmental disabilities. I am pleased to hear about the progress the Council is already making to promote less restrictive alternatives to guardianship and respecting the rights of individuals in guardianship and those facing guardianship,” Sen. Mohammed says. "As a member of the North Carolina Senate, I represent the citizens of North Carolina and I am committed to raising awareness and support for individuals with developmental disabilities at the state level."

In addition to his duties as a State Senator, Mohammed is a trial attorney in the Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office. “I provide holistic legal representation to indigent clients throughout the criminal court settings. In addition, I strive to connect underprivileged clients and their families to community-based services," explains Mohammed. "The position often requires me to collaborate with social workers, treatment providers and agencies to achieve positive outcomes for the clients I represent.”

Mohammed holds a Juris Doctorate from North Carolina Central University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte.

He, along with the 39 other Governor-appointed Council members, will work to identify problems facing the community through its five-year planning process and fund innovative projects and initiatives that promote the goals of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act) for all North Carolinians.

The Council work is guided by their Five-Year State Plan and focuses on three main goals for the state’s I/DD community:

• Increasing financial security through asset development
• Increasing community living
• Increasing advocacy

He serves on the Council’s Community Living Committee where he sees work that is definitely needed. “Due to the lack of appropriate funding at this time to address transportation and housing challenges for individuals with developmental disabilities, the Council should work to develop programming to address social isolation and create natural supports outside of the family,” explains Senator Mohammed.

Currently living in Charlotte, NC with his wife and their two young sons, Senator Mohammed is on the board of directors for the Council for Children’s Rights, the Larry King Clubhouse Children’s Care Center and Mecklenburg Ministries.

About the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities:The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD) works to assure that people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their  families participate in the design of and have access to needed community services, individualized supports and other forms of assistance that promote self-determination, independence, productivity and inclusion in all areas of community life. Through its Five-Year Plan, the Council identifies and funds innovative projects and initiatives that promote the goals of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act) for all North Carolinians. www.nccdd.org

MEDIA ADVISORY

Contact:
Devika Rao
[email protected]
(O) 678-384-7836
(C) 404-374-5231

Triangle Access Awards Presentation and Reception Honors Community Leaders and Commemorates the Americans with Disabilities Act
Awards honor leaders in the Greater Triangle Area who improve the lives of people with disabilities.

RALEIGH, NC (July 16, 2015) - The Triangle Access Awards Presentation and Reception, hosted by the Alliance of Disability Advocates Center for Independent Living (Alliance), will honor people, businesses and organizations for their work in increasing awareness and improving access for people with disabilities.

The event will also feature North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Aldona Wos, M.D., who will address the guests and present a proclamation from Governor Pat McCrory.

When: Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Where: Museum of Natural Sciences
121 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27603

Time: 6:30 PM

Why: The awards presentation and reception honors community leaders who working to break barriers for people with disabilities in areas such as communication, technology, architecture, universal access and attitudinal barriers.

Interviews:
• DHHS Secretary Aldona Wos, MD
• Rene Cummins, executive director of Alliance of Disability Advocates Center for Independent Living
• Chris Egan, executive director of the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities
• Triangle Access Awards recipients
• Community leaders and guests

About the Alliance of Disability Advocates:

Alliance of Disability Advocates Center for Independent Living (Alliance), is committed to assisting people with disabilities to live independently and become productive full participants in society. For more information on Alliance, visit www.alliancecil.org

About the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities:

The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities works collaboratively to benefit people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families. The Council helps assure their participation in the design of and access to needed community services, individualized supports and other forms of assistance that promote self-determination, independence, productivity and inclusion in all areas of community life. The Council identifies problems facing its community through its five-year planning process and it funds innovative projects and initiatives that promote the goals of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act for all North Carolinians. For more information on NCCDD, visit www.nccdd.org
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RALEIGH, NC (July 26, 2019) – The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities is proud to honor the 29th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 2019. The landmark legislation was signed into law by President George H. W. Bush on July 26, 1990 to promote inclusion and integration for people with disabilities.

North Carolina has a lot to celebrate on this anniversary of the ADA. This year, the state officially became an Employment First state, meaning that competitive integrated employment will be the first choice for people with intellectual or other developmental disabilities (I/DD).

“There were a lot of people involved in making the ADA a reality for people with disabilities across the nation. From self-advocates to family members and of course, legislators, the passage of the ADA is a great reminder of how we all have to work together to achieve a common goal,” said Alex McArthur, chairperson of NCCDD. “Celebrating the ADA reminds us of how far we have come, but also how much work there is to be done to fulfill the ADA’s vision of inclusion and integration in all facets of life.”

Every year, disability advocates across North Carolina celebrate the ADA Anniversary to raise awareness about the inclusion of people with I/DD in all facets of community life, as well as awareness of the barriers that people with disabilities still face in connecting to the communities in which they live.

For statewide ADA Anniversary events, click here.

About the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities:The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD) works to assure that people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their  families participate in the design of and have access to needed community services, individualized supports and other forms of assistance that promote self-determination, independence, productivity and inclusion in all areas of community life. Through its Five-Year Plan, the Council identifies and funds innovative projects and initiatives that promote the goals of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act) for all North Carolinians. www.nccdd.org