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In April 2012, the Christie Administration officially recognized National Autism Awareness Month to highlight and increase participation in the many programs, services and support offered by the State to individuals with autism and their families, according to a press release issued by the Governor's office. New Jersey has one of the best systems in the nation for identifying, diagnosing and caring for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), the release states. Autism, a biologically-based disorder that affects the development and functioning of a person's verbal and non-verbal communication skills, social interactions and patterns of behavior, touches about 1 in 50 children in New Jersey, impacting many families across the Garden State. “As government leaders, we have a moral obligation to recognize the individual and unique needs of every New Jerseyan with a developmental disability,” said Governor Chris Christie. “With this year's 2013 budget, my Administration is reaffirming its commitment to help residents with autism and their families with the tools they need to lead fuller, more productive lives.” To read more about how the Christie Administration has acted on a commitment to support individuals with autism and their families, view the full press release at http://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/552012/approved/20120411b.html. Governor Christie Announces Employment Plan For People with DisabilitiesGovernor Christie recently announced that New Jersey will become the 14th state to adopt an Employment First initiative. The initiative advances a philosophy – implemented through policies, programs and services – to proactively promote competitive employment in the general workforce for people with any type of disability.
The Department of Labor and Workforce Development (LWD) and the Department of Human Services (DHS) will coordinate to deliver services that advance the goals of this initiative. That means assessing policies to ensure that the infrastructure of education, social services, transportation and workforce expectations support getting individuals with disabilities to work. The initiative will also require all of state government to examine their respective policies and regulations to prevent barriers to employment for individuals with disabilities. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, as of March 2012, only 20.1% of people with disabilities participated in the labor force as compared to 69.3% of their peers without disabilities. In addition, the nationwide unemployment rate for people with disabilities was 15.2% compared to an 8.1% unemployment rate for people without disabilities. This article has been reposted from: For more information about how Easter Seals New Jersey provides meaningful employment to approximately 600 people with disabilities and special needs, visit our Employment Services page.Congratulations to Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini of NJ's 11th Legislative District for Receiving the Easter Seals Outstanding Advocate Award in Washington DC!
We were proud to honor her at this year's National Convention on November 5th, 2011, in Washington DC with the Easter Seals 'Outstanding Advocate Award' for Elected Officials - a title she is more than deserving of for her ongoing commitment to public service and dedication to addressing issues that affect people with disabilities in her community. Shown (l-r) is Assemblywoman Angelini, Easter Seals NJ's Board Chairperson, Nancy Goguen, and Easter Seals NJ's President/CEO, Brian Fitzgerald
Known as the Emancipation Proclamation for people with disabilities, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law on July 26, 1990. This landmark law extends civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities in five key areas: employment; services provided by state and local governments; public accommodations; telecommunications; and transportation. Twenty years ago, a deaf person couldn’t order a pizza over the phone. A person who used wheelchair couldn’t ride a city bus. Thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), times have changed for the better. Easter Seals played a major role in the development and enactment of the ADA and continues to advocate for policies that empower people with disabilities to demonstrate their abilities rather than be limited by their disabilities. For more information on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) visit http://www.adaanniversary.org/ President Obama Signs “Rosa’s Law” (bill S.2781) into federal law on October 5, 2010
"Respect, value, and dignity everyone deserves to be treated this way, including people with intellectual disabilities," said Dr. Timothy P. Shriver, Chairman and CEO of Special Olympics, the agency which began the movement to change the term "mental retardation" to "people with intellectual disabilities" in 2004. Then, in 2008, Special Olympics launched the website http://www.r-word.org/ and the its "Spread the Word to End the Word" campaign in 2009 to combat the inappropriate use of the R-word in common usage collected over 100,000 signatures (and still counting). "The President’s signature and the unanimous support of both the House and Senate show that our elected officials understand and embrace this ideal," Shriver said. The change in terminology simply makes the federal law language consistent with that used by the Centers for How ‘Rosa’s Law’ Began A family in Edgewater, Maryland provided Rosa, a child with Down syndrome in Edgewater, Maryland provided the inspiration for the law. In 2009, Rosa's Mom learned that her daughter had been labeled "retarded" at school. The "r" word wasn't allowed in their home, and none of Rosa's siblings described or referred to her that way. She then teamed up with other parents and her state delegate to introduce a bill to change the terminology in Maryland state law. Before the bill was brought up for consideration in the Maryland General Assembly, they held a hearing on the implications of changing the term at which Rosa's brother, 11-year old Nick, gave a powerful testimony. "What you call people is how you treat them," Nick said. "What you call my sister is how you will treat her. If you believe she's 'retarded,' it invites taunting, stigma, and bullying. It also invites the slammed doors of being treated with respect and dignity." |
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Governor Christie Signs Official Proclamation Recognizing April as Autism Awareness Month in New Jersey
“Everyone should have the opportunity to be productive, earn a living, and feel a sense of personal fulfillment from employment,” says Governor Christie. “By adopting an Employment First policy, this Administration is firmly committed to creating opportunities for individuals with disabilities. That’s why we’re working cooperatively with the private sector to ensure that people with disabilities are a seamless part of New Jersey’s workforce, with the independence and sense of community that comes from relationships developed inside and outside of the workplace.”
New Jersey’s 11th Legislative District Assemblywoman, 
Celebrating the 23rd Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 2013!
Although originally a clinical term and introduced with good intentions, the term "mental retardation" and its pejorative form, "retard" have been used widely in today's society to degrade and insult people with intellectual disabilities. By instead using "intellectual disability" and "an individual with an intellectual disability" in federal laws, the United States sends a strong message that language is important and that no form of the 'R-word' should be used to refer to any of its citizens.
Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and the White House through the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities. As the change will occur gradually during routine revisions to laws and documents over the next several years, the legislation is not expected to incur any cost.