Prerelease Notice
National Council on Disability
The Current State of Health Care for Americans with Disabilities

March 22, 2007 - Initial Announcement of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity for a Cooperative Agreement:  NCD-0701A

Application materials will be made available on April 23, 2007 at www.ncd.gov

You also can request applications by writing to:

Julie Carroll
National Council on Disability
1331 F St NW Ste 850
Washington, DC  20004

or by e-mail request at: jcarroll@ncd.gov

Applications will be due on June 4, 2007

Maximum amount available for this project:  $250,000

All potential applicants are eligible to apply

Cost sharing is not required

Project Overview

The National Council on Disability (NCD) is an independent federal agency charged with making recommendations to Congress and the Administration on issues, policies, and laws affecting people with disabilities. It is NCD's mission to promote policies, programs, practices, and procedures that guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability, and to empower individuals with disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society. NCD is responsible for gathering information about the implementation, effectiveness, and impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

In the course of monitoring the impact of the ADA, NCD has learned that Americans with disabilities do not have equal access to quality health care and health promotion services, due in part to a lack of ADA implementation and enforcement in health care facilities, as well as to inadequate access to health insurance, deficiencies in health care coverage, and inadequate training of health care professionals.

The United States health care delivery system is touted by many to have outstanding providers, facilities, and technology. Many Americans enjoy easy access to care. However, not all Americans have full access to high quality health care, and too many Americans with disabilities have inadequate or no access to health care.

The lack of access to high quality health care can be particularly problematic for service members and veterans with disabilities, women with disabilities, and individuals with communication disabilities, such as people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, people who are blind, people who have speech impairments, or people with intellectual disabilities. The consequences of these problems are often far-reaching, leading to unemployment, poverty, homelessness, the development of secondary health conditions, and a shortened life span.

NCD seeks to enter into a Cooperative Agreement with entities that have the knowledge and experience to conduct a study of the current state of health care for Americans with disabilities, with a particular focus on service members and veterans with disabilities, women with disabilities, and individuals with communication disabilities. Partnerships and collaborative efforts are encouraged to ensure that appropriate expertise is brought to bear on this complex project involving diverse stakeholders. Input must be gathered from individuals with disabilities, health care providers, and health insurers. An NCD report blending a similar mix of perspectives can be viewed in The Current State of Transportation for People with Disabilities in the United States (June 2005) at www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2005/current_state.htm.