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NCD Bulletin
A Monthly Newsletter from the National Council on Disability (NCD)
John R. Vaughn, Chairperson
August 2008
NCD—30 Years of Disability Policy Leadership—1978–2008
The Bulletin, which is free of charge and available at NCD’s Web site (www.ncd.gov), brings you the latest issues and news affecting people with disabilities. To subscribe to the NCD listserv, go to http://listserv.access.gpo.gov, click on Online mailing list archives, select NCD-NEWS-L, click on Join or leave the list, then complete the short subscription form. Editorial comments can be sent to Bulletin editor Mark S. Quigley (mquigley@ncd.gov).
NCD Releases Roadmap of Critical Policy Changes
On August 11, NCD released a report titled The State of 21st Century Financial Incentives for Americans with Disabilities, with recommendations that provide a new frontier for the next generation of Americans with disabilities—allowing them to participate fully in the economy.
According to NCD Chairperson John R. Vaughn, “We believe that this groundbreaking document provides a road map for equality of economic rights for people of all abilities, regardless of race or socioeconomic background. This report describes financial incentives affecting people with disabilities and presents research findings on key areas of people’s lives, such as education and health care. It also describes selected state-level innovations affecting asset development and wealth accumulation.”
The report suggests several strategies for securing meaningful employment, career advancement, and benefits needed for daily living and accommodations. One of the key strategies involves the conversion of federal financial disincentives to incentives, which the report describes as possible. The operation of needs-based program limits across a broad range of federal programs regarding what beneficiaries can receive creates a major disincentive to work, entrepreneurship, or other asset-accumulation activities. This report proposes that, through the development of the Policies Optimizing Workers’ Economic Reach framework, needs-based programs could be converted from disincentives to incentives that help people gain employment and self-sufficiency.
“The State of 21st Century Financial Incentives for Americans with Disabilities recognizes that the potential for Americans with disabilities to become full citizens cannot and will not be realized without a redesign of public policy. To that end, this report offers recommendations that can increase opportunities for people with disabilities to become fully involved in the economic mainstream of American society,” Vaughn concluded.
The full report with recommendations can be found at http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2008/pdf/FinancialIncentives.pdf.
NCD Thanks Emerging Trends Public Consultation Participants
On August 20, NCD Chairperson John R. Vaughn issued a public thank you to all those who participated in NCD’s emerging trends public consultation. Chairman Vaughn’s thank you message follows:
The response to NCD’s emerging trends public consultation has been overwhelming. We are honored and grateful that so many people with disabilities have taken the opportunity to provide thoughtful input. We received more than 400 comments, and of those, 85 were from stakeholder organizations.
Your invaluable contributions will help us shape preparation of this year’s National Disability Policy: A Progress Report, which is congressionally mandated in Title IV of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Specifically, our public consultation was an effort to meet the following process in this legislation:
…”In determining the issues to focus on and the findings, conclusions, and recommendations to include in the report, the National Council shall seek input from the public, particularly individuals with disabilities, representatives of organizations representing a broad range of individuals with disabilities, and organizations and agencies interested in individuals with disabilities...”
The report will be transmitted to the new President and Congress early next year. It will contain our collective thoughts and judgments and recommend to the Federal Government a blueprint for action to help ensure people with disabilities enjoy full inclusion into all aspects of society.
Again, on behalf of the 15 presidentially-appointed members of the NCD and our dedicated staff, we sincerely thank you for a job well done by providing your input to our public consultation.
National Preparedness Month
September is National Preparedness Month (NMP), which is an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of emergency preparedness and to encourage all Americans to better prepare their homes and communities for emergencies. Individuals can prepare themselves and their families for emergencies by taking simple steps such as organizing an emergency supply kit, making a personal preparedness plan, becoming informed about different threats, and getting involved in preparing their community. These activities create a culture of preparedness and can help save lives.
Since many people with disabilities face additional challenges during emergencies, we must all step up our individual planning, gathering of disability-related devices and medications, and identification of support networks. We also must interact with our local emergency planners so we understand what the procedures are for various types of emergencies. We urge each person to take personal responsibility for their own safety and life by taking necessary emergency preparedness steps.
NCD is a proud partner in the NPM 2008 coalition of more than 2,565 organizations that are dedicated to raising emergency preparedness awareness.
In 2003, NCD committed itself to evaluating government’s developing role in the areas of homeland security, emergency preparedness and disaster relief. This commitment occurred, in large measure, as a result of the man-made terrorist events of September 11, 2001, and the creation of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. NCD’s first evaluation findings were issued in April 2005 in the report, Saving Lives: Including People with Disabilities in Emergency Planning. (http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2005/saving_lives.htm).
Under the Post-Katrina Emergency Reform Act, signed by President Bush on October 4, 2006, NCD was assigned key responsibilities for disability-related issues in homeland security.
Those responsibilities involve the Administrator of FEMA working with NCD and others (e.g., a national advisory council) on at least nine major tasks, including:
- Appointing a disability coordinator;
- Interacting regarding the needs of individuals with disabilities in emergency planning requirements and relief efforts in the event of a natural disaster, act of terrorism, or other man-made disaster;
- Completing, revising, and updating, as necessary, guidelines to define risk-based target capabilities for federal, state, local, and tribal government preparedness that will enable the nation to prevent, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against all hazards, including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and others;
- Carrying out a national training program to implement the national preparedness goal, National Incident Management System, National Response Plan, and other related plans and strategies;
- Carrying out a national exercise program to test and evaluate the national preparedness goal, National Incident Management System, National Response Plan, and other related plans and strategies;
- Establishing a comprehensive system to assess, on an ongoing basis, the Nation's prevention capabilities and overall preparedness, including operational readiness;
- Establishing a remedial action management program to: (1) analyze training, exercises, and real-world events to identify and disseminate lessons learned and best practices; (2) generate and disseminate, as appropriate, after action reports to participants in exercises and real-world events; and (3) conduct remedial action tracking and long-term trend analysis;
- Developing, coordinating, and maintaining a National Disaster Housing Strategy; and
- Developing guidelines to accommodate individuals with disabilities, which shall include guidelines for: (1) the accessibility of communications and programs in, shelters, recovery centers, and other facilities; and (2) the accessibility of devices used in connection with disaster operations, including first aid stations, mass feeding areas, portable payphone stations, portable toilets, and temporary housing.
For more information on this public awareness campaign, please visit http://www.ready.gov/america/npm08/index.html or call 1–800–BE–READY for information about emergency preparedness.
For information about NCD’s latest work in the area of homeland security and emergency preparedness, please visit our new Lessons Learned page at http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/lessons/lessons.htm.
NCD Awards Housing Research Contract
On August 28, NCD awarded the University of Illinois at Chicago a research project to conduct an assessment of the state of housing in America in the 21st century. This evaluation will focus on: (1) public laws, policies and program initiatives that affect housing opportunities for Americans with disabilities, as well as others who have accessible housing needs, e.g. the aging population and those who acquire temporary disabilities; and (2) housing, supports, and other benefits provided by or available through the public, non-profit and/or private sectors. The purpose is to determine whether, and to what extent, the Nation’s housing related programs have provided adequate, affordable, and accessible housing for Americans with disabilities as well as others who have accessibility needs.
UN Convention Update
On August 26, NCD Member Marylyn Howe and NCD Senior Attorney/Advisor Joan Durocher presented "Finding the Gaps: A Comparative Analysis of Disability Laws in the United States to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)" at the Rehabilitation International (RI) 21st World Congress in Quebec City, Canada. The RI World Congress' theme was "Disability Rights and Social Participation: Ensuring a Society for All." This theme reflected the conference's aim of an international dialogue on the implementation of the United Nations CRPD. The RI World Congress convened people with disabilities, human rights activists, experts, government representatives, service providers and leaders of civil society from all continents. NCD helped illuminate the legal analysis for conference attendees and discussed the Council's continuing hope that the United States will sign the CRPD.
ADA Amendments Act Update
On July 31, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) introduced the ADA Amendments Act (S. 3406). As of this writing, there are 71 cosponsors. The congressional intent of this landmark civil rights legislation was to prevent discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all aspects of society, including employment. Instead, because of a number of Supreme Court decisions, many people with disabilities have experienced discrimination and have been denied ADA protections. The ADA Restoration Act is urgently needed to restore the civil rights of people with disabilities, and NCD will continue to work for ADA restoration. On June 26, the ADA Amendments Act (formerly, the ADA Restoration Act) (H.R. 3195) passed with bipartisan support in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 402 to 17.
NCD’s Righting the ADA report, which contains comprehensive background information and a legislative blueprint for restoring the ADA, can be found at http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2004/righting_ada.htm.
NCD Quarterly Meetings
NCD’s Fall quarterly meeting will be held October 6–8, 2008, at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center, 2345 McGee Street, Kansas City, Missouri. This meeting is open to the public. Times are designated for public comment, supported by a toll-free call-in line, and public input is encouraged and greatly appreciated. Written comments can also be provided by e-mail (ncd@ncd.gov), fax (202-272-2022), or mail (NCD, 1331 F Street, NW, Suite 850, Washington, DC 20004). The agenda will be posted at www.ncd.gov 10-days before the meeting.
Public comment sessions will be held Monday, October 6 from 9:00 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. Central Time and on Tuesday, October 7 from 4:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Central Time. The toll-free call-in number is 1-800-475-4948, and the pass code is “NCD Meeting.” A reception will be held at the hotel for meeting participants, audience members, and stakeholders from the disability community on Tuesday, October 7 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., immediately following our session for the day.
In his letter of invitation, NCD Chairman John Vaughn reminds us “In carrying out our mission, NCD believes it is vital to hear from communities around the country on what works and what does not for people with disabilities. Our agenda will include sessions on emergency preparedness, healthcare, employment, and several other subjects of interest to the disability community. We are delighted to have the opportunity to visit Kansas City and learn firsthand about the experiences of people with disabilities from the Nation’s heartland. This is an opportunity to meet NCD members and staff and to offer your comments during the public comment sessions, and we hope you will attend and participate.”
NCD’s Winter meeting will be January 12–14, 2009, in Scottsdale, Arizona.
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