One of the fundamental principles of PolicyWorks is that individuals with disabilities have a right to live barrier-free lives and to be fully included in all aspects of community life. Our primary focus is on national policy that addresses employment, access to health care and quality of life issues for people with disabilities. Within that focus, priority areas include mentorship, college-to-career transition, and social insurance programs for individuals with disabilities.
We at PolicyWorks believe that advocacy by and on behalf of people with disabilities is a critical element in making change happen and that organizations need to work with self-advocates to ensure that priority issues are publicized and addressed at the national, state and local levels. To this end, the PolicyWorks team seeks to work with other advocacy and self-advocacy groups to build partnerships that bring attention to critical needs and potential policy solutions.
Currently we are working with partners on three initiatives:
- Work on Social Security and Disability Employment Issues
- Mentoring within the Independent Living Community
- Dissemination and Replication of the Professional Development and Disability curriculum developed by Paul Hippolitus