As we begin a new decade and celebrate the start of Mayor Kenney’s second term—as well as being a part of the newly expanded Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion—the Mayor’s Commission on People with Disabilities is taking stock of its accomplishments in 2019 and looking forward to expanding services and programs for residents with disabilities in 2020.

What did the Mayor’s Commission on People with Disabilities accomplish in 2019?

One of the chief successes of the Commission was naming Koert Wehberg as its new Executive Director, filling a position that was vacant for an extended period of time.  In the seven months that Koert has been at the helm, some of our accomplishments include:

• Providing over 845 residents with disability-related resources and referrals to direct services in the areas of housing, employment and education.
• Appointing four new commissioners with diverse backgrounds, resulting in a strengthened 12-member Commission.
• Hosting a public forum, attended by 75 residents, who shared their concerns and ideas for improving affordable accessible housing, integrated employment, education, and transportation.
• Establishing a City Resource Group so that employees with disabilities could network and develop innovative solutions to problems they face in the workplace.
• Training over 160 Philadelphia Parks & Recreation staff members working in recreation centers on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and how to better include residents and employees with intellectual and developmental disabilities in programming.

What Can Residents with Disabilities Look Forward to in 2020?

As we begin Mayor Kenney’s second term and celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the ADA, some of our planned initiatives include:

• Developing new publications and in-person trainings to inform residents with disabilities of their rights to City services.
• Collaborating with the School District of Philadelphia, charter schools, and City departments to expand internship opportunities for students with disabilities transitioning to adulthood.
• Working with the Civil Service Commission and Office of Human Resources to increase the number of residents with disabilities employed within City government.
• Collaborating with the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation to expand the amount of affordable, accessible housing for residents with disabilities.
• Advocating for the expansion of quality transportation options for residents with disabilities, especially in the area of paratransit.

Thank you to our Commissioners for their tireless advocacy efforts on behalf of the disability community—we look forward to a successful 2020!