KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Fewer than 18% of people with disabilities in the U.S. are employed, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. That number dropped from 20% before the pandemic.
However, people with disabilities do not always choose to leave their jobs and stay out of work. Sometimes, opportunities in the workplace are not as available for them.
In Knoxville, several people with disabilities are plugged into the workforce through Sertoma, a local organization that strives to provide opportunities for people with disabilities so that they can achieve their fullest potential.
Matthew Roach is 37 years old and he got connected with Sertoma in 2009 after he graduated high school.
"They gave him his diploma and it was like, what do we do now?" said Lisa Roach, his mom.
School serves as a structured system for many students with disabilities. Once they graduate, some parents are left wondering where to turn for that sense of structure.
"He's too much of a people-person to stay home," Lisa said.
That's where Sertoma's Supported Employment program stepped in.
"They have been really supportive. They got him his job at City County, which he loves," Lisa said.
The idea behind the program is that everyone has the capacity to engage in paid work.
"He gets paid for it, so he brings a paycheck home, which helps out tremendously," Lisa said.
Sertoma's Supported Employment program pairs the person with an employment coach that helps them navigate the responsibilities of the job. The coach makes work more accessible for people with disabilities, helping them stay productive and keep their job.
"They just need somebody to supervise, so I don't think he could just go anywhere and get a job," Lisa said.
The employment coach must be present, but Matthew and his other colleagues still do the work.
"It's good that they give them this opportunity to be like everybody else, and to be with other people that treat them like everybody else," Lisa said.