Gov. John Bel Edwards declared that October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month and is asking everyone to spread the word. Unfortunately, a recent video he posted on YouTube made only a small number of views. At the University, we should try to understand what Louisiana is doing for people with disabilities.
According to Edwards, “the purpose of this annual awareness campaign across our state and nation is twofold: first, to educate everyone about disability employment issues and secondly, to celebrate the many and varied contributions of American workers with disabilities.”
To achieve this objective, a governor’s team dealing with disability affairs will be traveling the state on an Employment First Tour, in collaboration with the Louisiana Workforce Commission and Families Helping Families. Lafayette, Lake Charles, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Monroe and Shreveport welcomed these diversity job fairs.
Beyond this statewide operation of communication, there are two entities: the Governor’s Office of Disability Affairs (GODA) and the Governor’s Advisory Council on Disability Affairs (GACDA). The first one serves as an informational resource for people with disabilities and their families but also to promote, encourage and support them so they have an equal opportunity to participate in all aspects of life. The latter was established by Gov. Edwards in 2016 to monitor state compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and to advise him. Most of all, the GACDA is required to publish an annual report to assess what has been done in Louisiana for American workers with disabilities.
“Louisianans of all abilities must have access to good jobs,” Edwards said. “Smart employers know that including different perspectives in problem-solving situations leads to better solutions. Hiring employees with diverse abilities strengthens their business, increases competition and drives innovation.”
The GACDA is divided into four subcommittees: employment, accessibility, education and transportation. It has acted efficiently in the wake of the torrential rainfall that caused catastrophic flooding and submerged thousands of houses, buildings, schools and churches in 2016. They initiated many programs that enabled flood victims to receive resources and assistance and participated in various recovery support function groups of the Restore Louisiana Task Force.
It should be noted they also supported the bill No. 271 submitted by Sen. Fred Mills which provides for medical marijuana to be recommended for treatment of certain debilitating conditions and was signed into law by Gov. Edwards in 2016. Such a support made with taxpayer’s money is not the kind of activity Louisianans would expect from an agency that is supposed to take care of citizens with disabilities instead of giving them drugs. Medical alternatives to such treatments should be privileged and it is the responsibility of the GACDA to fund and find solutions without any side effects as in marijuana.
Edouard d’Espalungue is a guest columnist for The Daily Reveille.
