Simply put, we hope to state resoundingly the business case for employers to hire people with disabilities. We know that it's good for all of us when everyone is part of the workforce. And we want employers to hear that message loud and clear.
We aim to bust the overarching misconceptions about people with disabilities in the workplace by arming employers with the tangible benefits and abilities that people with disabilities bring to their jobs.
We'll accomplish this by reaching out to a target audience—employers— that's not hearing this message often enough or loudly enough. We'll give businesses the information they need to hire people with disabilities and the tools necessary to integrate them into their workforce. We'll also connect employers with resources in their area to help tap into this talented segment of the labor pool.
Think Beyond the Label started as a national media campaign in 2010 as a partnership of state health and human service agencies with federal Medicaid Infrastructure Grants. The Kansas partnerships included Working Healthy with the Kansas Health Policy Authority (now Kansas Department of Health and Environment) and Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns. Although the Kansas grant for this website and staff concluded in June of 2011, the Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns continues its support of this website and the Think Beyond the Label campaign.