This, according to Melena A. Slaven, certified rehabilitation counselor of Insight Consultation & Training Services, is why there is a need to send an important message especially to business establishment owners that they can do more with persons with disabilities if they know how to get about it.
Slaven, who was one of the guests at the Rotary Club meeting at the Hyatt Regency on Tuesday, said disabilities should not be considered as work barriers.
“If we can change the attitude and negative perception about persons with disabilities, it can help us all,” Slaven said. She added that given the right treatment, people who are confined to wheelchairs will find out they can grab a life.
“Believe it or not, disability is a normal thing, or 20 or 30 percent of the population won’t have it,” Slaven said.
She added that many of us have disabilities, and some of these are disabilities are temporary while others are permanent.
“The older the population gets, or as the lifespan increases, the chance of having disability increases, too,” she said.
Many children with learning disabilities in the CNMI are not receiving education because of the stigma associated with disabilities, she added.
“Many parents are leaving those children at home and not exposing them to the community and this is the kind of thing that we would love to see stopped,” Slaven said.
She said they are offering trainings about disabilities counseling to any group or establishment who are interested.
Among the issues they have prepared for discussions are definitions of what disability means to the CNMI, the benefits of hiring persons with disabilities, benefits of accepting disabilities, and making yourself accessible both physically and attitudinally.
They also have video presentations for communications and interaction guidelines with persons with disabilities.
“The trainings are free, supported by the CNMI Development Disabilities Council. They run from 3-4 hours. We conduct sessions for about 30 people so businesses could get together to make a team,” Slaven said.
For more information, contact her at 483-4411.
