(Above: Michael Callahan, President of Marc Gold & Associates, and Jennifer Briggs)
At the national TASH conference held last month, Jennifer Briggs, president and founder of Briggs & Associates, was recognized for her work helping people with behavioral health issues or developmental disabilities find gainful employment. The 2015 Marc Gold Award for Employment is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to increasing access to communities by integrating employment into the lives of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
Briggs founded Briggs & Associates in 1989 in Roswell, Georgia, with the philosophy that everyone has the ability to succeed in the workplace. The company provides career development services, and consults and trains businesses on employing people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. They have served thousands, including adults with psychiatric disorders, adolescents moving into the workforce, and people desiring to get off welfare.
The award is named in honor of Marc Gold, whose research and advocacy showed that people with significant disabilities can learn complex tasks, and that supported employment benefits individuals, employers, and communities.
