Celebrating Value and Talent: National Disability Employment Awareness Month
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) — a time to recognize the talents, skills and contributions people with disabilities bring to workplaces and communities across Oregon and the nation.
The 2026 theme, “Celebrating Value and Talent,” is a reminder of something we believe strongly at Northwest Mental Health Management Services: everyone has strengths to share, goals worth pursuing and the potential to make a meaningful contribution.
More Than a Job
Employment can be about much more than earning a paycheck.
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), meaningful employment can provide opportunities to build skills, develop relationships, gain greater independence and become more connected to the community.
It also gives employers and coworkers the opportunity to benefit from a broader range of talents, experiences and perspectives.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month celebrates those contributions while encouraging workplaces to continue creating environments where people with disabilities have opportunities to participate, contribute and succeed.
Creating Opportunities in Oregon
Here in Oregon, organizations and programs work throughout the year to help people with disabilities explore employment, prepare for jobs and build successful careers.
The Oregon Department of Human Services notes that NDEAM is both an opportunity to recognize the contributions people with disabilities make to Oregon's workplaces and economy and to recognize employers that support inclusive workplace practices.
Resources available to Oregonians include employment services through the ODHS Office of Developmental Disabilities Services, Vocational Rehabilitation, benefits counseling and other programs designed to help people find and maintain meaningful employment.
Everyone Has Something to Contribute
At NWMH, we see the importance of recognizing the individual — their interests, abilities, choices and goals.
That same philosophy matters in employment.
Creating an inclusive workforce isn't simply about providing someone with a job. It's about recognizing what that person brings to the workplace and giving people opportunities to learn, grow and contribute in ways that are meaningful to them.
A supportive workplace can begin with simple things: listening, focusing on abilities rather than limitations, providing appropriate accommodations, communicating clearly and creating an environment where every employee is treated with dignity and respect.
Celebrating Value and Talent — All Year Long
National Disability Employment Awareness Month takes place each October, but its message shouldn't end when the month does.
We can all help build communities where people with disabilities have greater opportunities to pursue their goals, participate in the workforce and share their talents.
This October, we invite our NWMH community to join us in Celebrating Value and Talent — and recognizing the many ways people with disabilities strengthen our workplaces, our communities and Oregon.
Because everyone deserves the opportunity to discover what they can do — and to be valued for what they bring.
Learn More
Learn more about National Disability Employment Awareness Month and Oregon's disability employment programs through the Oregon Department of Human Services NDEAM resources.
You can also explore the national 2026 campaign and employer resources through the U.S. Department of Labor NDEAM website. Compassion is a Career
Find out more about our caregiving job opportunities here.
Compassion is a Career
Find out more about our caregiving job opportunities here.
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