Nathan Lee Hartfield of Oklahoma City receives commendation from Governor Mary Fallin

Oklahoma City – Nathan Lee Hartfield of Oklahoma City received a commendation from Governor Mary Fallin on October 10 during the Governor’s Disability Employment Awards at the Governor’s Mansion in Oklahoma City.

Nathan’s employer says he wishes he had a dozen more employees just like him. His boss at Boulevard Cafeteria in Oklahoma City repeatedly praised his work ethic and dependability. Being the only deaf-blind employee has been challenging, but Nathan has worked with his employer, supervisor, and co-workers to build a sense of camaraderie. Nathan had a goal of finding a job as part of a production team that he could learn to perform while he still has vision, so that when he becomes totally blind, he will be able to continue working.

Nathan has become involved with SHEP, the Deaf-Blind support and social group and is making plans to attend the Oklahoma Deaf-Blind conference in October. He has moved to a nice apartment and is able to take the bus to work and home again independently. Having a job has given him the ability to handle his own business instead of seeking assistance and to become his own advocate.

Rep. Jason Nelson of Oklahoma City offered welcoming remarks at the awards ceremony and announced that October is national Disability Employment  Awareness Month. “It is employees and businesses like these that have put Oklahoma at the forefront in the nation for helping people with disabilities find jobs and become working taxpayers,” said Nelson who serves as chairman of the House Human Services Sub-Committee on Appropriations and Budget.

“In Oklahoma, 60% of individuals with developmental disabilities served by the OKDHS Developmental Disabilities Services Division participate in supported employment services as compared to the national average of 20.1%.”

Rep. Nelson added that it was important to recognize the skills that people with disabilities bring to our workforce. “Their talents and contributions are vital to the strength of our state, our nation's workforce and our future prosperity,” said Nelson.

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Editors Note: Go to http://www.statedata.info/ (Link opens in new window) to see Oklahoma’s ranking as compared to other states in regard to the numbers of persons with developmental disabilities in competitive jobs (supported employment). This website is a project of the Institute for Community Inclusion at UMass Boston, supported in part by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under cooperative agreement with additional support from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Department of Education.

Nathan Lee Hartfield (left) receives a Governor’s Commendation for his outstanding achievements in employment from Rep. Jason Nelson. The award was presented during the Governor’s Disability Employment Awards of Excellence at the Governor’s Mansion on October 10.