March 1, 1983
Note to:  C. Everett Koop, M.D., Surgeon General
The attached invitation to the training we are sponsoring on the 29th of this month was prepared and ready to send before we discovered that you will be out of town that day. It is important to us that you know we respect you tremendously for your dedication and commitment to assisting us in finding a place in society and that we are sorry that the training is planned on a day that you are scheduled to be out of town.
There is so much to do in changing the attitudes of the general population and especially PHS staff towards disabled individuals. In bringing about these changes we want very much to work in conjunction with you and your staff. Thus immediately following the training I will be calling Harold O'Flaherty to set up a meeting for us to unify our efforts.
Lionel Fernandez, Ph.D.
Chairperson, PHS Handicapped Employees Committee
March 1, 1983
Dear Dr. Koop,
You have dedicated your life to healing the medical and social problems that disabled persons face in society. You have continuously shown us and all Public Health Service employees that you are actively committed to making sure that disabled employees and future applicants receive an equal opportunity to succeed in the PHS workforce and we have reaped the benefits of your efforts. Therefore we wish to personally invite you to attend "Human Management Training on Employment of Disabled Individuals."
The training is being sponsored by the PHS Handicapped Employees Committee in conjunction with the PHS Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and will be held on March 29, 1983 at the Lister Hill Center Auditorium on the NIH campus from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Its purpose is to provide managers at the level of Division Director and above to:
- increase their awareness of the issues involved in affording disabled individuals an equal opportunity,
- learn how reasonable accommodations can be provided efficiently and effectively, and
- become informed on what constitutes disparate and/or discriminating treatment of disabled individuals.
To effect these objectives three sessions are planned on Awareness, Reasonable Accommodations and Complaints to be given by recognized professionals in the field of rehabilitation and complaint procedures. An agenda for the event is attached for your information.
These topics, though they do not cover all the issues involved in affording an equal opportunity for disabled persons, do address three main concerns of the program.
We hope that you are able to attend.  If so, please call me on 443-1531.
Sincerely,
Lionel Fernandez, Ph.D.
Chairperson, PHS Handicapped Employees Committee