State Recognizes Massachusetts Disability Employment Awareness Month, Launches NextGen Careers

BOSTON — The Baker-Polito administration is recognizing Massachusetts Disability Employment Awareness Month in October as part of the administration’s ongoing commitment to improving and expanding inclusive access to economic opportunity across the Commonwealth.

This year’s theme, “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation,” highlights the important role that individuals who experience life with a disability play in a diverse and inclusive workforce. Initiatives during the month include a “Count Me In” campaign encouraging state employees to self-identify, and the launch of NextGen Careers, a new program to help young adults ages 18-30 with disabilities to explore the world of work.

“Having a job provides individuals the opportunity to grow, succeed, and gain autonomy, which are experiences that every individual in Massachusetts should have, regardless of ability,” Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders said. “The Baker-Polito administration supports a workforce in the Commonwealth that reflects a diversity of experiences, where everyone can achieve their true potential and contribute fully to their communities.”

The NextGen program will teach job seekers to advocate for themselves, gain self-confidence, and become self-sufficient on their career path. Individuals enrolled in the program will be paired with a team of mentors, counselors, benefit advisors, and employment specialists to help navigate their career path. This innovative program was made possible by a $17 million Innovation Grant the Commonwealth received from the federal Rehabilitation Services Administration.

“NextGen Careers will focus on the whole person, providing wraparound services for job seekers with disabilities who are eager to find a meaningful career,” said Toni Wolf, commissioner of the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC). “We’re thrilled to launch this program and modernize this approach to empowering youth on their job journey.”

This new program establishes Empowering to Employ, a program that connects individuals with disabilities who receive DTA benefits with vocational supports and employment services provided by MRC’s vocational-rehabilitation specialists, in order to obtain competitive employment in a field that best matches their skills and interests. A total of 651 Commonwealth residents have participated in the program to date.

NextGen Careers also launches the Massachusetts Disability Employment Tax Credit, a tax-incentive program for employers aimed at increasing employment opportunities for individuals with a disability in the Commonwealth; and will host ‘reverse job fairs’ for individuals with visual impairment, bringing together more than 30 Massachusetts employers with job-ready candidates.