Q. Dr. Grizzard, why is the issue of disability so important to you?
A. I began losing my sight as a young adult; however, I was fortunate. Skilled counselors, good friends, my family and my employer supported and guided me. Although my sight had worsened, my abilities had not changed. Not all Americans with disabilities are as fortunate as I was. My personal mission is to see that all are provided opportunities to show what they can do and to advance themselves.

Q. How does ODEP serve to increase the employment of persons with disabilities?
A. Our agency is three years old, comprised of a small group of extremely talented, productive, and experienced people who single-mindedly pursue our vision of "A world in which people with disabilities have unlimited employment opportunities."

We strive to be a catalyst for change, providing national leadership in disability employment, from a supply and demand perspective. We conduct research and development in the field of disability employment. We recommend policy, but do not regulate, investigate, or adjudicate. We foster dialogue among our stakeholders, work to be a source of authoritative and credible data on employment of people with disabilities, and fund projects to develop field-tested, practical solutions to a wide range of disability employment issues.

Q. What kinds of issues is ODEP addressing?
A. Perhaps a few examples will illustrate. ODEP is addressing the lack of an ongoing, systematic approach to collecting employment data on people with disabilities. We are engaging large and small employers throughout the U.S. to define effectively the business case for recruiting, hiring, retaining, and promoting persons with disabilities.

We are evaluating Customized Employment as an employment model option that meets the needs of both employers and employees. We are addressing the needs of persons with disabilities for the right tools and supports to gain access to the workplace. We are working overtime engaged in meeting the needs of young people with disabilities for mentoring and effective transitions to the workforce. We are also responsible for DisabilityInfo.gov, a web portal that provides our stakeholders access to comprehensive information on disability-related resources government-wide.

Q. How does ODEP assist employers and entrepreneurs?
A. Our Employer Assistance Referral Network (EARN), Job Accommodations Network (JAN), and Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) programs provide employers with recruiting sources, workplace accommodations solutions, and entrepreneurial advice for those intending to begin their own businesses.

On October 20, 173 students with disabilities gathered in the U.S. Department of Labor's Great Hall in what could be an important step toward their lifelong careers. They were all participating in the 6th Annual National Disability Mentoring Day. Greeted by representatives from 16 Federal agencies, they quickly dispersed throughout the Washington area to be mentored by 173 Federal employees. Across the nation, private employers also hosted scores of students in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and 17 international locations.

According to Census 2000 data, the employment rate of people with disabilities is only 56 percent. One of the reasons for this employment disparity may be that job seekers with disabilities often lack competitive job skills. According to recent surveys, teenagers' career objectives are not consistent with the needs of the employment market.

Public and private employers nationwide are concerned about this disturbing trend and are taking actions to change this picture. Each year, on the third Wednesday in October, employers volunteer to participate in Disability Mentoring Day. Through hands-on career exploration with employers, young people with disabilities gain insight into career options both within and outside government by spending a day on the job. Interacting with students with disabilities helps employers gain an increased awareness that people with disabilities represent an overlooked talent pool ready to meet their current and future hiring needs. Disability Mentoring Day is a partnership between the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the American Association of Persons with Disabilities (AAPD).

Originating with several dozens students in the White House in 1999, Disability Mentoring Day has grown rapidly. More than 6,500 students and job seekers with disabilities participated in mentoring opportunities in 2003.

Disability Mentoring Day furthers President George W. Bush's New Freedom Initiative's employment objectives. In addition, this event promotes one of ODEP's major goals—to build partnerships with employers and federal, state, and local agencies to increase awareness of the benefits of hiring job seekers with disabilities.

Employers who participate in Disability Mentoring Day are motivating youth with disabilities to focus on careers that are important to the economy and shaping tomorrow's workforce. To learn more about DMD, visit, www.dmd-aapd.org.

The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) promotes the use of Customized Employment strategies as a way to assist more persons with disabilities to become successfully employed. Customized Employment starts with identifying the interests, abilities, and goals of the individual in order to discover his or her potential contributions. A job description is voluntarily negotiated with an employer, taking into account both the results of the discovery process and the unmet needs of the business. Three different ODEP grant initiatives are testing Customized Employment strategies within the workforce system with different groups of individuals, including people with disabilities who are on SSI or SSDI, persons who are transitioning to the community pursuant to the Olmstead decision, and persons who are chronically homeless. Additional information on Customized Employment and the various grant projects is available in several fact sheets and through the ODEP-funded National Center on Workforce and Disability/Adult.