Beth Sirull, President and CEO of the National Organization on Disability (NOD), joins the DEP RRTC’s Let’s Get to Work podcast to discuss the future of disability employment policy and why employing people with disabilities “is good for business.” Beth explains that NOD has long focused on employment as a pathway to independence and economic opportunity for people with disabilities because, “if you don’t have a way to support yourself, there’s just no way that you can manifest the American Dream.”
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Lex Frieden, Disability Rights Icon, On the Future of Disability Employment Policy
“Let’s Get to Work:” A Podcast from the Disability Employment Policy Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (DEP RRTC) – Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University.
Lex Frieden, in the inaugural episode of the DEP RRTC’s Let’s Get to Work podcast, discusses his life journey as a pioneering disability rights advocate and national thought leader.
On Saturday night, November 20, 1967, Lex was injured in a car accident and doctors said he’d never walk again. Although Lex recalls, “That did not really have an impact on me at the time,” he soon discovered, “there were barriers literally everywhere . . .. There were steps everywhere, and no accommodations whatsoever.” Continue Reading
BBI Supports Landmark Exhibition Possible Worlds: 20 Years of the Wynn Newhouse Awards
The Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University support reflects its long-standing commitment to advancing the civic, social, and economic participation of people with disabilities. “By supporting Possible Worlds, BBI affirms the importance of artistic displays that recognize disability as an integral part of human diversity and creative expression.” says Peter Blanck, University Professor at Syracuse University and BBI Chairman.
Peter Blanck Featured In SU News: Focus on Disability Rights: Q&A With BBI’s Peter Blanck
Syracuse University has long been a leader in disability policy, rights and advocacy. For the past 20 years, the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) and its chairman, University Professor Peter Blanck, have been at the forefront of this work. A nationally recognized expert in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related laws, Blanck joined BBI at its founding in 2005. He is principal investigator on a recent $4.6 million grant from the U.S.
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Gary Shaheen Retires from the Burton Blatt Institute, Continues Collaboration as Senior Fellow
The Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University celebrates the retirement of Gary Shaheen Ph.D. whose leadership and commitment have left a lasting impression at BBI and beyond. BBI carries on the legacy of Dr. Burton Blatt by championing human rights and economic and civic empowerment for people with diverse disabilities across the US and internationally. Continue Reading
New ADALive! Episode 147: Top Technical Assistance Questions with the Southeast ADA Center
Barry Whaley and Kiernan O’Donnell discuss the impact of the Olmstead case in Rhode Island, which led to a consent decree in 2014 aimed at transitioning people with disabilities from sheltered workshops to integrated community employment. O’Donnell highlights that 80% of Rhode Island’s population with disabilities were in sheltered workshops, earning an average of $2.21 per hour, while only 12% were in integrated employment. The decree aimed to increase inclusive employment and reduce segregation. O’Donnell emphasizes the importance of family involvement, interagency collaboration, and customized employment strategies to achieve meaningful employment and community inclusion.
2025 Book Edited by Dr. Fitore Hyseni, BBI Director of Research, and DEP colleagues, Explores Disability and the Future of Work
Emerald Publishing Limited has announced the release of Disability and the Future of Work, a groundbreaking edited volume that examines how disability intersects with the rapidly changing world of work. Edited by DEP investigators—Fitore Hyseni, Lisa Schur, Douglas Kruse, and Peter Blanck—the book brings together leading scholars and practitioners to explore how technological, economic, and policy transformations are reshaping employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Jonathan Martinis, senior director of law and policy at BBI, article Supported Decision-Making – Keeping the Promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act
The estimated number of people who have been ordered into guardianship and lost their legal right to make decisions has tripled since 1995. Supported decision-making is an alternative to overbroad and undue guardianships. People can get the advice they need to make their own decisions with supported decision-making. It allows people to choose advisers who will explain options and choices in a way they can understand.
BBI Awarded $4.6M Grant to Lead Disability Employment Center
Recognizing Syracuse University as a national leader in disability rights and policy, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) with a $4.6 million grant to support the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Employment Policy. The funding is administered by HHS’ National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research, the U.S. government’s primary federal research organization for disability.
New ADALive! Episode 146: In Celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month: Transforming Disability Employment Services in Rhode Island
Barry Whaley and Kiernan O’Donnell discuss the impact of the Olmstead case in Rhode Island, which led to a consent decree in 2014 aimed at transitioning people with disabilities from sheltered workshops to integrated community employment. O’Donnell highlights that 80% of Rhode Island’s population with disabilities were in sheltered workshops, earning an average of $2.21 per hour, while only 12% were in integrated employment. The decree aimed to increase inclusive employment and reduce segregation. O’Donnell emphasizes the importance of family involvement, interagency collaboration, and customized employment strategies to achieve meaningful employment and community inclusion.