Letter from Melvin J. Maas to President John F. Kennedy, 26 February 1963

Handicapper 8 THE PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT OF THE HANDICAPPED WASHINGTON 25, D.C. February 26, 1963 ON EMPLOYMENT ASSOCIATE MEMBERS THE SECRETARY OF STATE THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY THE THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL INSURED THE POSTMASTER GENERAL THE WHITE HOUSE THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE THE SECRETARY OF LABOR FEB 27 9 35 AM '63 THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE MAJ. GEN. MELVIN J. MAAS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF VETERANS USMCR, RET. AFFAIRS CHAIRMAN RECEIVED THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION CHAIRMAN THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY PLANNING THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION The President The White House Washington, D. C. Dear Mr. President: In light of your recent message on mental illness and mental retardation, I felt you would be interested in recent activities of the President's Com- mittee in broadening job opportunities for the mentally restored and mentally retarded. We have just received a grant from the Ida S. Latz Foundation, Los Angeles, for the preparation of a Guide to Job Placement of the Mentally Restored. At present, there is nothing like this in existence. The Bureau of Employment Security of the Department of Labor has agreed to finance a companion publication, a Guide to Job Placement of the Mentally Retarded, prepared for us by the National Association for Retarded Children - a "first" in its field. At the recommendation of an Ad Hoc Committee of the President's Committee, the Civil Service Commission and the National Association for Mental Health are designing a vast orientation program to acquaint Government supervisors at all levels with facts about the mentally ill and mentally restored. This program, it is felt, should help open new vistas for the mentally restored in the Federal Service. Our Annual Meeting in Washington on May 9 and 10 will highlight employment of the mentally restored through a panel discussion, and employment of the mentally retarded through an excellent play, "These Are Not Children." I hope to keep you informed from time to time of other developments. Cordially, Melving Maos Melvin J. Maas Chairman AUTHORIZED BY ACT OF CONGRESS TO FURTHER THE OBSERVANCE OF THE FIRST FULL WEEK IN OCTOBER AS NATIONAL EMPLOY THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED WEEK AND TO ENLIST THE COOPERATION OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE GROUPS IN A YEAR-ROUND PROGRAM TO PROMOTE EMPLOYMENT OF PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY HANDICAPPED WORKERS.