SUNY Downstate Completes Strategic Plan to Promote Inclusiveness for Individuals with Disabilities
By Office of Communications & Marketing | Jan 28, 2025
Plan is in accordance with Governor Hochul’s Executive Order 31, issued in 2023 to make New York State a model employer for people with disabilities
Brooklyn, NY – SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University today announced that, in accordance with Governor Hochul’s Executive Order 31, they have completed a strategic plan to increase the percentage of people with disabilities hired and retained by the University. This plan has been submitted to the Office of the Chief Disability Officer (CDO) and will be updated annually by SUNY Downstate. The plan aligns with the three objectives of the Governor’s Executive Order, and lists several proactive steps that the University is taking to meet these objectives now and in the future.
“SUNY Downstate strives to be on the cutting edge of inclusivity efforts, and this strategic plan strengthens our commitment to that goal,” said Jamie J. Grecco, Senior Vice President & Chief of Staff at SUNY Downstate. “We thank Governor Hochul for her continued leadership, and for her steadfast advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities. This plan is only a first step, and we will continue working tirelessly to ensure Downstate remains inclusive, diverse, and fair.”
The first objective of the Executive Order, which is to make workplaces accessible for all, will be met by Downstate by tracking feedback from their employees with disabilities to ensure that they receive the proper support from the University. The University will also conduct a yearly accessibility survey of SUNY Downstate’s websites, documents, and job postings to certify that they are accessible to all people.
The second objective of the Executive Order is to ensure agencies are proactively connecting to people with disabilities when looking to fill open positions. Downstate will be meeting this objective in several ways, including by working with the State’s Inclusive Internship Coordinator to provide internships to people with disabilities.
The third objective, the first part of which is to communicate publicly about increased support and welcoming of people with disabilities, will be met by including the goal of hiring more people with disabilities into all external emails, news updates, newsletters, and appropriate social media posts.
The second part of the third objective, which calls upon agencies to communicate their management team, hiring managers, and all employees about increased support and welcoming of people with disabilities, will be met by sending biannual emails to all Downstate employees about the University’s desire to hire more people with disabilities and to expand inclusivity and accessibility.
Executive Order 31, issued by Governor Kathy Hochul on July 27, 2023, commits New York State to being a model employer for people with disabilities. As part of that mandate, every executive-controlled state agency, including SUNY Downstate, is required to issue and maintain a strategic plan that outlines its strategy to increase the number of people with disabilities it hires and retains.
About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.
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