
Here is an electronic copy of the 5-year strategic plan submitted
to Congress by the President's Committee on Employment of People
with Disabilities (a federal agency under the U.S. Department of
Labor), in accordance with the Government Performance and Results
Act (GPRA) -- otherwise known as the Reinventing Government
initiative or National Performance Review.

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PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT
OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

FY 1998 - FY 2002

GPRA STRATEGIC PLAN

I. MISSION

The mission of the President's Committee on Employment of People
with Disabilities is to impact the high involvement rate of people
with disabilities by facilitating the communication, coordination
and promotion of public and private efforts to enhance the
employment of people with disabilities. According to 1994 U.S.
Census Bureau figures, approximately 74% of working age people with
severe disabilities do not work, either full or part-time. The
Committee provides information, training, and technical assistance
to America's business leaders, organized labor, rehabilitation and
service providers, advocacy organizations, cooperating state and
local committees, families and individuals with disabilities.

The President's Committee has the following unique capabilities in
the disability arena.

O Ability to attract, involve and bring together, in one
organization dedicated to a single unifying mission, key publics
which have the potential to impact on the employment of people with
disabilities (e.g., employers, organized labor, people with
disabilities, veterans, rehabilitation providers, educators, media,
state and local committees, and federal, state and local
officials).

d Ability to serve as a bridge or convener between and among these
key publics for problem solving, communications, and discussions
contributing to the employment of people with disabilities.

o Ability to involve these key publics in a unified
multi-disciplinary effort studying, identifying and seeking
resolution to policies and programs inhibiting employment
opportunities for people with disabilities.

o Ability to utilize these key publics, rather than government
officials, as champions or the communicators of the value of
employing and advancing people with disabilities in the work place.

Rev l, June 27, 1997

The President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities
is authorized under Executive Order 12640, dated May 10, 1988. The
President's Committee was established in 1947 to advance employment
opportunities for people with disabilities. Members of the
Committee serve as volunteers and represent business, organized
labor, education and rehabilitation providers, veterans, disability
advocacy organizations, federal, state and local government
agencies, and people with disabilities themselves.

II. VISION

All efforts of the President's Committee on Employment of People
with Disabilities shall be to expand employment opportunities for
people with disabilities and to move the nation to the point where
the employment rate of all people with disabilities equals the
employment rate for all Others. The Committee's programs shall work
towards a climate in this nation which continually reduces, and
eventually eliminates, any negative view or impact of disability in
the work place.

III. STRATEGIC GOALS

The President's Committee provides leadership in the effort to
eliminate employment barriers for people with physical, mental and
cognitive disabilities. Since there are no monthly or reliable
yearly employment data collections in place, it is impossible to
accurately measure the employment rate of people with disabilities
on a regular basis. Therefore, the Committee can only measure its
progress in carrying out its mission through the successful
completion of its projects and other activities, which are designed
to promote the employment of people with disabilities.

I*

The President's Committee's major activities are described below.

Cognitive Disabilities Project -- The purpose of this project is to
dispel current stereotypes concerning the employability of persons
with cognitive disabilities and to develop white collar or office
job opportunities for these individuals, with primary focus on
people with mental retardation.

Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP)-- Through the WRP, which is
cosponsored by the President's Committee and the Department of
Defense, college students with disabilities are interviewed,
profiled and placed in summer internships and permanent employment
with public and private sector employers.

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Annual Conference -- The purpose of this conference is to provide
training and technical assistance on disability employment issues,
sponsor a job fair for candidates with disabilities, and sponsor an
exhibition of state-of-the-art products and services for employees
with disabilities.

Perspectives Conference -- This conference, which is co-sponsored
by ten federal agencies and chaired by the President's Committee,
provides training and technical assistance to federal EEO
officials, personnel representatives and managers on issues that
affect the employment of people with disabilities within the
federal government.

Travel Conference -- This is a national training conference for
travel industry employers on both employment strategies and access
considerations for persons with disabilities.

Job Accommodation Network (JAN)-- JAN is a toll-free information
and referral service on job accommodations for people with
disabilities and the employment provisions of the Americans with
Disabilities Act.

Business Leadership Network (BLN!-- The BLN is a corps of
knowledgeable employers, organized at the national, state and local
levels, who educate other employers on how to recruit, accommodate,
train and employ persons with disabilities.

Outreach to Small and Medium Sized Businesses Project -- This
project is designed to educate small and medium size businesses
about the ADA; the benefits of hiring, retaining and promoting
people with disabilities; and available resources.

Self-Employment and Small Business Project -- The goal of this
project is to identify and promote,,appropriate resources for
planning, training, technical assistance and capital development
for individuals with disabilities who wish to develop their own
businesses.

High School/High Tech (HS/HT) -- This project, through the
provision of paid internships, mentoring and other experiences,
encourages secondary students with disabilities to pursue the
necessary academic preparation and skill training for careers in
engineering, science and high technology fields.

Youth Leadership Forums -- The goal of this project is to assist
states in developing youth leadership training forums for high
school students with disabilities. The purpose of these forums is
to better prepare young people with disabilities for careers and
community leadership.

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Technology Initiative -- The technology initiative is designed to
promote the development and use of technology to maximize
employment opportunities for people with disabilities

Cultural Diversity Initiative -- This project provides training to
minority individuals with disabilities, who in turn educate others
within their respective communities on the ADA and disability
employment issues. Another aspect of the project involves working
with minority organizations to develop strategies they can pursue
to reduce the high unemployment rate of minorities with
disabilities.

Disabled Veterans Forums -- The purpose of the forums is to learn
from veterans with disabilities, direct service providers, and
veterans service organizations what are the current employment
issues facing disabled veterans and, in view of these issues,
pursue actions to address them.

in

Education Kit -- A kit containing a variety of facts, resources and
information on the employment of people with disabilities is
prepared annually and distributed to national, state and local
organizations as well as individuals in order to educate about, and
generate support for, increasing job opportunities for people with
disabilities.

Outreach through Media -- This program is a nationwide media
relations effort, utilizing the print and broadcast media, to
educate the general public about disability employment issues and
to impact on public perceptions of people with disabilities.

Internet -- The support and maintenance of a President's Committee
Internet Web site increases the Committee's ability to share
information and resources with greater and greater numbers of
concerned organizations and individuals.

Statistics~Initiative -- This initiative is designed to promote the
collection of recurring and accurate data on the employment of
people with disabilities by data collection agencies.

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STRATEGIC GOAL I Educate and assist employers in hiring, retaining,
and promoting people with disabilities.

Objective 1.1 Break down attitudinal barriers by demonstrating that
people with disabilities can work in a wide variety of jobs.

By FY 1998, the President's Committee will:

create an understanding among an initial corps of employers and
others regarding nontraditional career possibilities for persons
with cognitive disabilities; and

educate 100 WRP employers and coworkers regarding the employment of
people with disabilities.

By FY 1999, the President's Committee will:

increase acceptance among a large sector of employers and others
regarding nontraditional career opportunities for persons with
cognitive disabilities; and

educate 125 WRP employers and coworkers regarding the employment of
people with disabilities

By FY 2000, the President's Committee will:

place 20-30 persons with cognitive disabilities in nontraditional
careers through model demonstration efforts; and

educate 150 WRP employers and coworkers regarding the employment of
people with disabilities.

!8

By FY 2001, the President's Committee will:

place 60-90 additional persons with cognitive disabilities in
nontraditional careers through model demonstration efforts; and

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educate 175 WRP employers and coworkers regarding the employment of
people with disabilities.

By FY 2002, the President's Committee will:

place 180-270 additional persons with cognitive disabilities in
nontraditional careers through model demonstration efforts; and

educate 200 WRP employers and coworkers regarding the employment of
people with disabilities.

Objective 1.2 Provide technical assistance and training to
employers on hiring, accommodating and promoting individuals with
disabilities.

By FY 1998, the President's Committee will:

train 1000 attendees at the 1998 Annual Conference and, in its Job
Fair, serve 500 persons with disabilities; train 300 federal
employers at the Perspectives Conference;

train 100 travel sector employers at the Travel Conference on the
untapped market of business travelers and potential employees with
disabilities;

through JAN, provide technical assistance to 60,000 inquirers,
promoting the retention,,or new hiring of 15,000 people with
disabilities; involve 180 private sector employers as BLN members;
and

     provide technical assistance on the employment of people with
disabilities to 1000. .

small and medium sized employers through speaker kits and a forum.

By FY 1999, the President's Committee will: train 300 federal
employers at the Perspectives Conference;

train 125 travel sector employers at the Travel Conference on the
untapped market of business travelers and potential employees with
disabilities;

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6

through JAN, provide technical assistance to 65,000 inquirers,
promoting the retention or new hiring of 16,500 people with
disabilities; involve 300 private sector employers as BLN members;
and

provide technical assistance on the employment of people with
disabilities to 1000 small and medium sized employers.

By FY 2000, the President's Committee will: train 300 federal
employers at the Perspectives Conference;

train 150 travel sector employers at the Travel Conference on the
untapped market of business travelers and potential employees with
disabilities;

through JAN, provide technical assistance to 70,000 inquirers,
promoting the retention or new hiring of 18,000 people with
disabilities; and involve 400 private sector employers as BLN
members

By FY 2001, the President's Committee will: train 300 federal
employers at the Perspectives Conference;

train 175 travel sector employers at the Travel Conference on the
untapped market of business travelers and potential employees with
disabilities;

through IAN, provide technical assistance to 75,000 inquirers,
promoting the retention or new hiring of 19,500 people with
disabilities; and involve 500 private sector employers as BLN
members

By FY 2002, the President's Committee will: train 300 federal
employers at the Perspectives Conference;

train 200 travel sector employers on the untapped market of
business travelers and potential employees with disabilities;

     Rev l, June 27, 1997     7

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.. 
provide technical assistance to 80,000 inquirers of JAN, promoting
the retention or new hiring of 22,000 people with disabilities;
involve 600 private sector employers as BLN members.

STRATEGIC GOAL 2

Provide national leadership to prepare people with disabilities for
employment, self-employment and small business opportunities.

Objective 2. 1 Prepare people with disabilities, especially the
next generation, for the workforce.

By FY 1998, the President's Committee will:

involve 20 government and private sector groups in the planning and
development of a self-employment and small business initiative;
involve 1000 students in HS/HT programs; train 10 state sponsors to
produce Youth Leadership Forums; and place 200 WRP students in
public and private sector jobs.

By FY l999, the President's Committee will: establish a data base
of self-employment and small business resources at JAN; involve
1200 students in HS/HT programs; train 10 additional state sponsors
to produce Youth Leadership Forums; and place 225 WRP students in
public and private sector jobs.

     Rev l, June 27, 1997     8

11

By FY 2000, the President's Committee will:

develop a training program for Small Business Development Centers
to insure their services that support self-employment opportunities
are accessible to people with disabilities; involve 1400 students
in HS/HT programs; train 10 additional state sponsors to produce
Youth Leadership Forums; and place 250 WRP students in public and
private sector jobs.

By FY 2001, the President's Committee will:

determine if a capital loan fund is needed to support the
self-employment initiatives of people with disabilities;

involve 1600 students in HS/HT programs; train 10 additional state
sponsors to produce Youth Leadership Forums; and place 275 WRP
students in public and private sector jobs.

By FY 2002, the President's Committee will:

if needed, promote the development of a capital loan fund to
support self-employment;



involve 1800 students in HS/HT programs; train 10 additional state
sponsors to produce Youth Leadership Forums; and place 300 WRP
students in public and private sector jobs.

     Rev l, June 27, 1997     9

I

Objective 2.2 Foster and promote the use and development of
technology to maximize employment opportunities for people with
disabilities.

By FY 1998, the President's Committee will:

partner with ETA and the Council for Excellence in Government to
produce the Joint Employment and Training Technology Conference
(JETT*CON); and

establish a task force of business, government, technology, and
disability leaders to develop project goals and objectives to
insure accessibility of emerging technologies in the workplace.

By FY 1999, the President's Committee will:

assist five to ten large employers in modifying procurement
procedures to enable the purchase of universally designed
technology; and

begin implementation of project goals and objectives developed by
the task force created in FY 1998

By FY 2000-2002, the President's Committee will:

carry out the goals and objectives developed by the task force of
business, government, technology and disability leaders.

STRATEGIC GOAL 3

Educate policy makers and society in general as to the changes that
need to be made to affect positively the employment of people with
disabilities.

Objective 3.1 Identify barriers to employment and develop and
pursue solutions.

By FY 1998 the President's Committee will

train 30 leaders in minority disability employment issues and
involve five major minority organizations in active programs
addressing the high unemployment rates

     Rev l, June 27, 1997     l0

11

of minorities with disabilities; and

include 60 agency and organizational representatives dealing with
veterans issues in a specific region in the identification and
solution to existing employment issues.

By FY 1999 the President's Committee will:

train 30 new leaders in minority disability employment issues and
involve an additional five minority organizations in active
programs addressing the high unemployment rates of minorities with
disabilities; and

include 60 agency and organizational representatives dealing with
veterans issues m a different region in the identification and
solution to existing employment Issues.

By FY 2000 the President's Committee will:

train 30 new leaders in minority disability employment issues and
involve an additional five minority organizations in active
programs addressing the high unemployment rates of minorities with
disabilities; and

include 60 agency and organizational representatives dealing with
veterans issues in a different region in the identification and
solution to existing employment

issues

By FY 2001 the President's Committee will:

train 30 new leaders in minority disability employment issues and
involve an additional five minority organizations in active
programs addressing the high unemployment rates of minorities with
disabilities; and

include 60 agency and organizational representatives dealing with
veterans issues in a different region in the identification and
solution to existing employment issues.

     Rev l, June 27, 1997      

11

By FY 2002, the President's Committee will:

train 30 new leaders in minority disability employment issues and
involve an additional five minority organizations in active
programs addressing the high unemployment rates of minorities with
disabilities; and

include 60 agency and organizational representatives dealing with
veterans issues m a different region in the identification and
solution to existing employment Issues.

Objective 3.2

Provide information on disability employment related issues in
order to educate the general population and to change attitudes to
enhance employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

By FY 1998, the President's Committee will:

educate the general public and generate activities which in turn
educate others on disability employment issues by producing an
educational kit;

in a national outreach through media effort, reach consumers in 30
states in order to promote the employment of people with
disabilities; and

generate 40,000 visits to our Web site to educate visitors and
expand the resource base available to users.

By FY 1999, the President's Committee will:

educate the general public and generate activities which in turn
educate others on disability employment issues by producing an
educational kit;

reach consumers in 35 states, via national and regional media, in
order to promote the employment of people with disabilities; and

generate 45,000 visits to our Web site to educate visitors and
expand the resource base available to users.

     Rev l, June 27, 1997     12

11

By FY 2000, the President's Committee will:

educate the general public and generate activities which in turn
educate others on disability employment issues by producing an
educational kit;

through media, reach consumers in 40 states in order to promote the
employment of people with disabilities; and

generate 50,000 visits to our Web site to educate visitors and
expand the resource base available to users.

By FY 2001, the President's Committee will:

educate the general public and generate activities which in turn
educate others on disability employment issues by producing an
educational kit;

through media, reach consumers in 45 states in order to promote the
employment of people with disabilities; and

generate 55,000 visits to our Web site to educate visitors and
expand the resource base available to users.

By FY 2002, the President's Committee will:

educate the general public and generate activities which in turn
educate others on disability employment issues by producing an
educational kit;

through media effort, reach consumers in 30 states in order to
promote the employment of people with disabilities; and

generate 60,000 visits to our Web site to educate visitors and
expand the resource base available to users.

' !

     Rev l, June 27, 1997     13

I
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Objective 3.3

Influence the collection of national monthly disability employment
data.

By FY 1998 the President's Committee will:

assist the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the development of
disability employment questions on its survey instruments.

IV. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOALS IN THE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE PLAN AND
IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN

The President's Committee enlists a corps of volunteers with
expertise in all areas to assist the Committee in developing the
strategic and operating plans of the agency. These individuals
represent employers, organized labor, rehabilitation and service
providers, advocacy organizations, disability related government
agencies, and families and individuals with disabilities. The
Chairman has appointed an Executive Board drawn from these
volunteers to provide guidance and advice to our Chairman on how
the President's Committee can impact the high unemployment rate of
people with disabilities. Additionally, the President's Committee
has established a Strategic Plan Task Force and an Operating Task
Force made up of members of the Executive Board; their task is to
develop the strategic plan and the operating plan. The Operating
Task Force also develops performance measures for each project
based on the strategic plan. The Chairman insures these plans
address pressing employment-related issues and further employment
opportunities for people with disabilities.

V. AGENCY STRATEGIES TO ACHIEVE GOALS

.. .

The President's Committee accomplishes its goals and objectives
through a series of ongoing projects and programs designed to
impact on the employment rate of people with disabilities. These
projects are long-term ongoing initiatives which further the
agency's mission. Programs and projects are designed to serve the
diverse population of people with disabilities and the Committee's
various stakeholder. The Committee attempts to design projects that
often address more than a single goal or objective. Projects such
as the Workforce Recruitment Program and the cognitive disabilities
initiative are designed not only to break down attitudinal
barriers, but also to prepare people with disabilities for the
workforce. The Committee's Strategic Plan Task Force carefully
reviews all programs and projects to insure they further the goals
and objectives adopted by the Executive Board and the Chairman.

     Rev I, June 27, 1997     14

! 
VI. EXTERNAL FACTORS AFFECTING ACHIEVEMENT OF GOALS AND
OBJECTIVES

External factors play a large and critical role in the President's
Committee's ability to achieve its goals and objectives. The
President's Committee acts largely as a facilitator, bringing
together individuals and organizations in the public and private
sectors to promote employment opportunities for people with
disabilities. The Committee forms partnerships with other
government agencies and private organizations to further its goals.
Virtually all of the projects designed to carry out the agency's
mission rely at least in part on the cooperation and support of
individuals and agencies outside of the President's Committee. For
example, the Cultural Diversity Initiative, Travel Conference,
Workforce Recruitment Program, Perspectives Conference, Cognitive
Disabilities Project, Business Leadership Network, Self-Employment
and Small Business Project, High School/High Tech program, Youth
Leadership Forums, and Statistics Initiative depend on the support,
in terms of expertise, time commitments and financial resources, of
outside organizations.

Even with the continued support of President's Committee partners,
external factors in society as a whole greatly impact on the
Committee's ability to increase the employment rate of people with
disabilities. The economic condition of the nation and the business
climate are critical. When employment rates for the general
population fall, the rates for people with disabilities also follow
this trend -- sometimes at a greater rate because many are affected
by the first-hired, first-fired principle. Public policy also
impacts the Committee's ability to insure equal opportunity for
people with disabilities. For example, targeted tax credits provide
businesses a financial incentive to hire people with disabilities.
Currently there also are programs in place that are disincentives
for people with disabilities to enter the workforce. For example,
the guarantee of health care benefits to social security
recipients, but not to those who leave the SSI and SSDI rolls for
employment, is an enormous disincentive to individuals with
disabilities. Changing public policy could have a dramatic effect
on the number of people entering the workforce. Finally, while the
President's Committee attempts to change public attitudes and
perceptions about people with disabilities and their employability,
discriminatory attitudes and actions are external factors that
affect the employment of people with disabilities and which,
ultimately, the Committee cannot control.

! {

VII. STAKEHOLDER

The President's Committee's stakeholder consist of business
leaders, organized labor, rehabilitation and service providers,
disability advocacy and veterans organizations, families and
individuals with disabilities, as well as federal, state and local
agencies. To insure these various constituencies are included when
developing strategies to meet strategic goals, the President's
Committee has established six subcommittees (Employer, Labor,
Disabled

     Rev 1, June 27, 1997     15

I

Veterans, State Relations, Employee Disability Concerns and
Communications). Members of the Executive Board and the Strategic
Plan, Operating and Budget Task Forces also are drawn from these
various constituency groups. This blending of backgrounds, ideas
and focus gives the Committee a balanced and well-informed approach
to attacking the issues surrounding the high unemployment rate of
people with disabilities.

The President's Committee's ability to work with outside agencies
on cross-cutting programs is demonstrated in this strategic plan.
For example, the Committee co-sponsors the Workforce Recruitment
Program with the Department of Defense and the Perspectives
Conference with ten other federal agencies. The President's
Committee works closely with the Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services of the Department of Education on the
Cultural Diversity Initiative. These interagency programs are
facilitated by the Executive Board membership of representatives
from these agencies. Other Executive Board members include
officials from the National Council on Disability, the
Rehabilitation Services Administration, the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission, and the Department of Justice. The
President's Committee works cooperatively with all of these
agencies, as well as with private sector representatives on the
Executive Board, to further its mission.



     Rev l, June 27, 1997     16

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End of Document

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