On Wednesday March 2nd, the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee convened for a Hearing on Improving Employment Opportunities for People with Intellectual Disabilities. The committee addressed the following issues which have  prevented greater inclusion for individuals with intellectual disabilities in the workplace:  lower wages, lack of a post-secondary education, lack of working hours, and most importantly the lack of opportunity to work in a competitive integrated workforce. According to the Institute for Community Inclusion, 76% of all individuals with intellectual disabilities are currently unemployed and this figure has remained constant over the years, regardless of the recent downturn in the economy.

Despite the difficulties encountered by individuals with intellectual disabilities, the HELP Committee highlighted many success stories.  Randy Lewis, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain and Logistics at Walgreens, testified that in late 2007, working alongside local agencies, they set a goal of filling at least 105 of their jobs at distribution centers with people with people with disabilities. More importantly they created an inclusive environment by ensuring that those with disabilities received the same pay and the same opportunities as those without disabilities.  By end of 2010, Walgreens added 850 people with disabilities to their payroll. The program has been so successful that the first distribution center to hire individuals with disabilities in Anderson, South Carolina, which has been used as a model, increased hires with disabilities to 40% of their team.

Another success story belonged to David Egan, an example of how inclusion can be successful in the workforce. Mr. Egan, who has Down Syndrome, joined Booz Allen Hamilton in 1996 through a high school internship program. He joined the company as a full time employee as a Distribution Clerk following the completion of his internship.  Mr. Egan receives the same pay and benefits as his fellow employees who do not have disabilities. Not only is Mr. Egan part of an integrated workforce but he is also the first self-advocate with Down Syndrome to serve as a Board member on the Down Syndrome Association for Northern Virginia (DSANV) and was also elected as the first self-advocate on the Board of the Down Syndrome Affiliates in Action (DSAIA). He has also served as a Board Member of Special Olympics Virginia.  His success story along, with testimony from other panelists at the hearing can be found at this website: http://help.senate.gov/hearings/hearing/?id=536891af-5056-9502-5d9c-9a3e588e3214