YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio According to the U.S. Department of Labor, persons with disabilities ages 16-24 had a labor force participation rate of 39% in 2022 and an unemployment rate of 5.4%. In 2021, the labor force participation for that same age group was 35.1% and the unemployment rate was 10.8%.
Submitted photo
Kevin Glines works on creating a pumpkin pie. Born with spina bifida, Glines cannot eat or taste the food he is making. But, when the pandemic struck, he and his mother Meg Glines started âDessert Friday,â and baked something new each week.
The isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic over the last year has hit many hard, but the disruption to daily routines and how services are delivered have been particularly painful for those with developmental disabilities and the people who care for them.
“Much like everyone else, the pandemic has had a significant impact on people with developmental disabilities. Disruptions in daily routine, work life and social life have all occurred due to COVID-19,” said Bill Whitacre, superintendent of the Mahoning County Board of Developmental Disabilities.