New York City – Christine McMahon, Chief Executive Officer of Fedcap Rehabilitative Services, Inc. a New York City nonprofit agency, was recently appointed to serve on the United States Secretary of Labor’s Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities.
The purpose of the committee is to advise the Secretary on ways to increase competitive integrated employment opportunities for individuals with significant disabilities. The committee is a key provision of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Signed into law by President Obama in July 2014, the WIOA helps job seekers, including those with disabilities, access services to succeed in employment and matches employers with skilled workers.
The committee consists of federal officials and 17 representatives from various national constituencies that serve people with disabilities. It meets at least eight times over a two-year period, and is responsible for submitting a series of recommendations to the Secretary of Labor, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
According to Secretary of Labor Tom Perez, “Employing people with disabilities is a win-win for workers, employers and the entire community. This is sound public policy, and the advisory committee will help us expand opportunities for more people with disabilities.”In a career that spans over 30 years, Ms. McMahon has brought an amazing level of innovation, energy and impact to increasing integrated, competitive employment opportunities for youth and adults with significant disabilities.
As Chief Operating Officer of Easter Seals New Hampshire, Ms. McMahon founded the Autism Support Network and implemented a network of community-based services and a continuum of care system that includes a special education school, an employment model, and a family advocacy initiative, all established under her leadership.
In 2009, Ms. McMahon became Chief Executive Officer of Fedcap. Established in 1935, Fedcap is a pioneer in employment with a mission is to create opportunities for people with barriers to move toward economic independence as valued and contributing members of society.
Currently, Ms. McMahon is spearheading national efforts to increase competitive, integrated employment opportunities for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Fedcap is working in closepartnership with the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) as they lead the country in closing sheltered workshops and creating community based employment opportunities. Fedcap was awarded the contract to establish a Center for Excellence and Advocacy (CEA) in Providence, Rhode Island, to help implement this change.
A front-page article in the October 5th edition of the Sunday New York Times told the story about the marriage of two participants in a former sheltered workshop in Rhode Island, who have moved on to community-based jobs and independent, self-sufficient lives. The article stated: “…. in the eyes of the federal government, sheltered workshops can no longer be default employment services for people with disabilities. We are entering a new era of service…”
For media inquiries please call 212.727.4236 or email at dbiederman@fedcap.org