EASTERSEALS BACKGROUND INFORMATION BRIEF JUNE, 2020 FACTS AND STATS REGARDING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES POPULATION

The provisions include the right to a free appropriate education; an appropriate evaluation to determine and make recommendations regarding a child’s eligibility for special education services in a timely manner; an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that is done annually with teachers, the child and parents to outline goals and other criteria including the child’s strengths and specific academic. [...] (Source: DOL) • Discrimination and social injustices are repeatedly experienced by people with disabilities: o Societal barriers faced by people with disabilities: access to healthcare; access to meaningful employment; availability of affordable and accessible housing; and the public’s perception and awareness of the skills, merits, abilities and contributions of people with disabilities to height. [...] o General stress adding pressure related to systemic racism may accelerate aging among the Black American population, a concept that scientists refer to as “weathering.” “There are studies that suggest that just dealing with the stresses of racism, day in and day out, may actually compromise an individual’s health to the point that they are more vulnerable to a lot of the chronic disease outcomes. [...] As a result of the Coronavirus, nearly half of child care providers across the country completely closed their facilities during shutdowns due to the pandemic, according to a survey by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. [...] (Source: DOL) • Obstacles to employment for people with disabilities can include: o Physical environments that are inaccessible or hard to navigate o Lack of assistive tools or technologies to help the person be successful o Negative attitudes within the work environment o A lack of access to transportation, relevant systems, services, and policies to welcome people with disabilities into the work.