DRS consumer success story told in honor of National Disability Employment Month
When Cathlene Brooks interviewed at the Oklahoma Blood Institute in Ada, Susan
Scroggins flipped the computer screen around so they both could see it.
Scroggins asked how to make the information readable so that Brooks could do the
available donor recruiter job.
Brooks, who has macular degeneration caused by retina damage, was diagnosed as
legally blind at age 14.
She had just lost two job offers because she told employers about her vision
impairment. She wondered if being truthful had sabotaged a third opportunity.
Scroggins hired Brooks for 20 hours per week and extended the offer to full-time
employment when Brooks returned to work after a five-month recovery from a
retina detachment.
Ten years later Brooks uses enlarged screen text to call between 75 and 140
potential donors each day. Their blood donations are needed to restock the blood
supply. It is Cathy Brooks’ job to talk them through the front door.
“We wanted someone who is efficient and personable, who could interact with the
donors and convince them to come in.” Scroggins said. “I knew we could work with
Cathy because she has a great attitude, and she’s done great. She can do
anything the other recruiters can do.”
Recognizing the contributions of workers with disabilities, like Cathlene
Brooks, is the focus of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Governor
Brad Henry proclaimed October as the official month for this recognition,
stating that “assurance is needed that people with disabilities have the same
avenues to services and employment options as everyone else.”
One in five work-age Oklahomans, approximately 361,145, has some type of
disability, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Thirty-eight percent of this
group is employed, compared to nearly 74 percent of the general population.
In Oklahoma, the Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) helps individuals
with disabilities face barriers to employment, such as inaccessible worksites,
lack of transportation or specialized equipment, and employer reluctance. The
agency also provides career counseling, training and other services that build
skills and qualifications needed in the workforce.
Last year, the divisions of Vocational Rehabilitation and Visual Services helped
2,284 individuals with disabilities start new jobs, reducing their need for
government assistance and enabling them to pay taxes on collective earnings of
nearly $39 million.
Cathlene Brooks first sought assistance from DRS’s Division of Visual Services
to prepare for work 10 years ago. She turned to the division again recently to
assist with testing and purchasing TV equipment that will enlarge printed text.
Oklahoma Blood Institute purchased special software to enlarge the text on
screen last year.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help,” Brooks advises. “I don’t like to, but people
are receptive. You need several in your life that you feel comfortable with so
you don’t overload one person.”
Brooks, who is known as “the rock” of her family, has a history of helping
others. She took care of five brothers and sisters after their mother died. She
and her former husband managed their disabled son Chad’s care at home for many
years. He had a rare genetic illness that took his life at age 13.
“There’s life out there, and you can’t give up,” Brooks explained. “You have to
figure out what’s best for you in each environment you’re in. There’s a way to
do it.”
When it comes to hiring applicants with disabilities, Susan Scroggins advises
other employers, “Talk to the person and get to know their strengths. Give them
a chance. It will be to your advantage.”
For more Information about Department of Rehabilitation Services programs for
people with disabilities and assistance available to Oklahoma employers, visit
DRS Online at www.okrehab.org or phone 800-845-8476. The telephone number is
accessible by telecommunications equipment for the deaf.