AHEDD is a private, non-profit organization with a mission to serve as a catalyst in the employment and development of people with disabilities. AHEDD has been meeting the employment needs people with disabilities and the business community since 1977.
AHEDD's serves individuals with a variety of disabilities. People seeking services through AHEDD should be interested in community employment and legally eligible to work. AHEDD's services are delivered via a network of field offices throughout much of PA and the state of DE.
AHEDD offers Community Employment Services that are customized to the individual's interests and abilities. Program participants can receive assistance with resume writing, applications, interviewing, transportation training, support at the job site, and/or other ongoing employment needs. If provided with the right opportunity and supports, AHEDD believes that all people with disabilities are capable of employment in the community.
Services also include providing benefits counseling to Social Security beneficiaries through the Work Incentive Planning and Assistance program (WIPA). This service is aimed at removing the misconceptions, fear, and other barriers that keep individuals from pursuing or maintaining employment. Those receiving this service will be educated on how work will effect their benefits and receive guidance on how they may be able to further their financial independence and goals.
AHEDD is the coordinator for The Pennsylvania Business Leadership Network (PA BLN). The PA BLN is an employer driven program designed for business leaders to promote hiring practices that enable qualified people with disabilities to enter and succeed in the workplace. The emphasis of the PA BLN is to create opportunities where employers can communicate, peer-to-peer, to provide candid and frank assessments of hiring successes and challenges.
This network not only provides employers with access to a network of their peers, it also provides opportunities for training, positive public relations, an increased number of applicants with a disability, and a centralized source of information.
The PA BLN is part of a national initiative of about 43 chapters of BLNs in 32 states.
Keywords: Employment
Employment Agency
Disability
AHEDD
Non-Profit
Work
Job Assistance
Social Security
Counseling
