Preview NCD's New NCD.gov Website in Beta

Take a look at the new beta site, an early, in-progress version at beta.NCD.gov

Civil Rights

Skip to Page Content

Findings and recommendations contained in the publications in this section come from analyses of civil rights laws, mediation, court decisions, regulations, policy guidance, and models. Publications consider enforcement and compliance, barriers, impact, implementation, promising practices across communities, and the right of people with disabilities to participate in all aspects of society. This section includes but is not limited to the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, Voting Registration Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Olmstead decision, application of federal laws to telecommunications, hate crimes, assisted suicide, voting rights, genetic discrimination, livable communities, and coalition building.

2023

NCD assesses, advises on impact of Supreme Court Cummings decision
Cummings v. Premier Rehab Keller PLLC: Implications and Avenues for Reform

2022

Alternatives to QALY-Based Cost-Effectiveness Analysis for Determining the Value of Prescription Drugs and Other Health Interventions
NCD examines alternatives to popular prescription drug cost-effectiveness method that can discriminate
NCD Comments to CMS RFI about organ procurement
NCD Letter to MA Legislature on healthcare disability antidiscrimination bill
NCD Chairman Statement on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

2021

NCD remembers former Sen. Bob Dole's impact
NCD Letter to Congress recommending QALY ban in Build Back Better Act
NCD Letter to FBI re: Recommendations for Use of Force Data Collection Program
2021 Progress Report: The Impact of COVID-19 on People with Disabilities
2021 NCD Report on Implementation of the Tribal Consultation Coordination
NCD Letter to NCHIT on AMDE Report
NCD Letter to AHRQ on ADME Report
National Council on Disability Celebrates 31 Years of Americans with Disabilities Act
NCD letter to HHS Secretary Becerra concerning health equity
Federal report calls for DOJ, HHS adoption of federal accessibility standards for medical and diagnostic equipment
NCD Letter on Organ Transplant Nondiscrimination Bill (HR 1235)
NCD Letter to CBO on reliance on the QALY to estimate budgetary scoring
NCD RFI letter regarding Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act
Vision and Priority Statement of NCD Chairman Andrés Gallegos
NCD letter to NGA re: vaccine allocation
NCD commemorates 35th anniversary of ‘Toward Independence’ report
NCD letter to President Biden regarding COVID-19 legislation

2020

National Council on Disability celebrates 42 years of advancing national disability policy
NCD statement in support of President’s Executive Order on protecting vulnerable newborns and infants
Policies from the Past in a Modern Era: The Unintended Consequences of the AbilityOne Program & Section 14(c)
Executive order touches upon NCD’s bioethics report series
National Council on Disability applauds U.S. Commission on Civil Rights’ call to repeal 14(c) subminimum wages
NCD Chairman to participate in DOT celebration of Americans with Disabilities Act
NCD Notice of Funding Opportunity: 2021 Progress Report - COVID-19’s Broadscale Impact on People with Disabilities
2020 Progress Report on National Disability Policy: Increasing Disability Employment
Voting Accessibility for People with Disabilities Fact Sheet
National Council on Disability celebrates 30 years of Americans with Disabilities Act with '30 on ADA30' campaign
NCD Chairman statement on death of Michael Hickson
NCD letter to DOJ on voting concerns
NCD advises DOJ on voting concerns for people with disabilities
NCD applauds HHS OCR and Conn. Gov. Lamont for resolving discriminatory non-visitation policy
NCD advises DOT on Air Carrier Access Act service animal provisions
NCD letter responding to HHS Office of General Counsel on COVID-19-related immunity from liability
NCD letter to DOT on service animal proposed rulemaking
NCD letter to House Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs
NCD advises CMS to caution states against blanket waiver usage that could increase institutionalization
NCD letter to CMS pertaining to institutionalization
NCD letter to National Governors Association on COVID-19
NCD Letter in response to HHS OCR Bulletin on civil rights, HIPAA, and COVID-19
Statement of the National Council on Disability in Response to HHS OCR Bulletin on Civil Rights, HIPAA, and COVID-19
NCD COVID-19 letter to HHS OCR
NCD letter to White House regarding Taskforce interpreters
NCD letter to Maryland legislature regarding assisted suicide
NCD letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid on QALYs, organ transplants

2019

NCD LCME 2nd Response Letter
NCD Letter to ACGC on Genetic Counselor Programs
NCD letter to HHS on assisted suicide, medical futility and QALYs reports
Federal study finds rampant bias in medical “futile care” decisions
NCD Chairman to speak at U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Briefing
Has the Promise Been Kept? Federal Enforcement of Disability Rights Laws (Part 2) - October 2019
Annual federal report to Congress notes progress, highlights gaps in enforcement of disability laws
Federal study finds nation's assisted suicide laws rife with dangers to people with disabilities
Bioethics and Disability Report Series
NCD letter to President Trump regarding deinstitutionalization
Turning Rights Into Reality: How Guardianship and Alternatives Impact the Autonomy of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
New federal research examines guardianships of people with intellectual, developmental disabilities, finds school-to-guardianship pipeline
Federal report highlights trend of involuntary institutionalization during and after disasters
NCD Statement on Organ Transplants
NCD Celebrates the Life and Legacy of Carrie Ann Lucas
NCD Letter on Restraint and Seclusion

2018

NCD Letter to DHS Regarding Inadmissibility on Public Charge Proposed Rule
The National Council on Disability Mourns the Passing of President George H.W. Bush
NCD Letter to Congress Regarding Introduction of Keeping All Students Safe Act
School Choice Report Series (Vouchers, Charter Schools)
Has the Promise Been Kept? Federal Enforcement of Disability Rights Laws (Part 1) - October 2018
NCD Letter to House Judiciary Committee and House Leadership Regarding the Marrakesh Treaty
NCD Letter to U.S. Attorney General Sessions Regarding Necessity & Appropriateness of Accessible Medical Equipment Regulations
NCD Letter to DOT General Counsel Workie Regarding Service Animal Discrimination Claims
Letter to HUD Assistant Secretary Farias Urging Meeting on Proposed Revisions to Guidance on Service Animals and Assistance Animals for People with Disabilities in Housing and HUD-Funded Programs
NCD Response to DOT Request for Information Regarding Automated Vehicles and Disability
NCD Letter to Foreign Relations Committee Advising Ratification of Marrakesh Treaty
Beyond Guardianship: Toward Alternatives That Promote Greater Self-Determination for People with Disabilities
NCD Letter to House Leadership Advising Against H.R. 620
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Report Series (5 Report Briefs)
Not on the Radar: Sexual Assault of College Students with Disabilities

2017

NCD Letter to Attorney General Sessions about Police Interactions with People with Disabilities
NCD Letter to House Leadership Regarding "ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017"
NCD Letter to Congress Regarding Class Action Lawsuits Legislation
NCD Comments to Department of Education Regarding Mandatory Civil Rights Data Collection
NCD Applauds Senate Action on SSA NICS Rule
NCD Letter to Committee on House Administration regarding Election Assistance Commission
NCD Letter to Congress Regarding Repeal of SSA NICS Rule

2016

Letter from Current and Past NCD Chairs on ADA Notification Legislation (H.R. 3765)
NCD Letter to Solicitor General Regarding Pending Motion on Accessible Currency before U.S. District Court
NCD Letter to SSA Regarding Proposed Rule Titled "Implementation of the NICS Improvements Act of 2007 (NIAA)”
NCD Letter to House Judiciary Committee on the “ADA Education and Reform Act of 2015”
Written Submission to the House Judiciary Committee on ADA Notification
NCD Letter to Treasury Secretary about Including Accessibility in New Dollar Bills
National Council on Disability Applauds Latest Industry Action on Accessible Prescription Drug Labels
NCD Letter to Vice President Biden about the Marrakesh Treaty
Monitoring and Enforcing the Affordable Care Act for People with Disabilities
The Impact of the Affordable Care Act on People with Disabilities: A 2015 Status Report
Implementing the Affordable Care Act (ACA): A Roadmap for People with Disabilities
NCD Reacts to President’s Gun Control Proposals

2015

Self-Driving Cars: Mapping Access to a Technology Revolution
NCD Letter to Rep. Johnson about "Social Security Beneficiary 2nd Amendment Rights Protection Act"
Breaking the School-to-Prison Pipeline for Students with Disabilities
NCD Letter to EEOC on Employer Wellness Regulations
Home and Community-Based Services: Creating Systems for Success at Home, at Work and in the Community
Brief Amicus Curiae of the National Council on Disability in Support of Respondents - City and County of San Fancisco, California, Et Al. v. Teresa Sheehan

2014

National Council on Disability Letter to the FDA on Taking Action Against Judge Rotenberg Center
Letter to Washington State Representative Roger Freeman in Support of Parenting Rights Bill
NCD Letter to DOJ on its Recent Investigation of Title II ADA Violations in Rhode Island

2013

Experience of Voters with Disabilities in the 2012 Election Cycle
A Promising Start: Preliminary Analysis of Court Decisions Under the ADA Amendments Act
NCD Letter to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Reaffirms Strong Support of U.S. Ratification of U.N. Disability Treaty
NCD Urges HUD to Issue Olmstead Guidance
Letter to House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight on Mental Health, Lack of Representation of People with Psychiatric Disabilities at Roundtable
Letter to Vice President Biden Regarding Anticipated Taskforce Recommendations

2012

Letter to the President after Newtown Tragedy
Letter to the President about Chained CPI
National Council on Disability Report on Subminimum Wage and Supported Employment
Rocking the Cradle: Ensuring the Rights of Parents with Disabilities and Their Children
NCD Letter to NIH Regarding the National Children’s Study
Exploring New Paradigms for the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act
Letter to DOJ Disability Rights Section Chief Allison Nichol on the Judge Rotenburg Center Investigation

2011

Letter to Massachusetts DDS Commissioner Urging Elimination of Electric Shock, Other Aversives
Briefing Paper, "Bullying and Students with Disabilities"
Rising Expectations: The Developmental Disabilities Act Revisited

2010

Equality of Opportunity: The Making of the Americans with Disabilities Act
The State of Housing in America in the 21st Century: A Disability Perspective

2009

Invisible Wounds: Serving Service Members and Veterans with PTSD and TBI

2008

Finding the Gaps: A Comparative Analysis of Disability Laws in the U.S. to the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Inclusive Livable Communities for People with Psychiatric Disabilities
Youth with Disabilities in the Foster Care System: Barriers to Success and Proposed Policy Solutions
The No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: A Progress Report

2007

Reasonable Accommodation Policy - Processing Requests for Reasonable Accommodation
Empowerment for Americans with Disabilities: Breaking Barriers to Careers and Full Employment
Implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act: Challenges, Best Practices, and New Opportunities for Success
The Impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act: Assessing the Progress Toward Achieving the Goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Breaking the Silence on Crime Victims with Disabilities

2006

The Need for Federal Legislation and Regulation Prohibiting Telecommunications and Information Services Discrimination
Over the Horizon: Potential Impact of Emerging Trends in Information and Communication Technology on Disability Policy and Practice
Creating Livable Communities
National Council on Disability Practical Discussions on Implementation in the U.S. and Other Countries
The Needs of People with Disabilities with Psychiatric Disabilities During and After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Position Paper and Recommendations
NCD Forced Drugging of a Texas Inmate with a Psychiatric Disability
The Americans with Disabilities Act 1990-2006, 16 Years of Making a Difference
NCD Statement: Voluntary Voting System Guidelines
NCD Position Paper on Access to Airline Self-Service Kiosk Systems
NCD Voting Rights Act Reauthorization Statement
Update on the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities

2005

Goodman and United States v. Georgia: The Supreme Court Hears Another Case Challenging the Constitutionality of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Monitoring Symposium: A Contribution to the Formulation of Proposals for Monitoring a United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities Report
Update on the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities
Individuals with Disabilities Ed Act Burden of Proof: On Parents or Schools?
The Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act: Has It Fulfilled Its Promise?
National Council on Disability Topical Overviews - Enjoyment of the Right to Participation in Political and Public Life by Persons with Disabilities - Illustrations of Implementation from the United States
National Council on Disability Topical Overviews - Access to Information Technology by People with Disabilities Illustrations of Implementation from the United States - Quick Reference
National Council on Disability Topical Overviews - Information Technology and Americans with Disabilities: An Overview of Innovation, Laws, Progress, and Challenges
National Council on Disability Topical Overviews - Living Independently and in the Community: Implementation Lessons from the United States - Quick Reference Guide
National Council on Disability Topical Overviews - Living Independently and in the Community: Implementation Lessons from the United States
National Council on Disability Topical Overviews - Lessons for All of Us: Protecting the Right to Education for Persons with Disabilities
National Council on Disability Topical Overviews - An Overview of the Experience of the United States with Employment and Right to Work Protections
National Council on Disability Topical Overviews - Access to Transportation by People with Disabilities Illustrations of Implementation from the United States - Quick Reference
National Council on Disability Topical Overviews - Access to Transportation by People with Disabilities Illustrations of Implementation from the United States
National Council on Disability Topical Overviews - The Right to Health: Fundamental Concepts and The American Disability Experience - Quick Reference Guide
National Council on Disability Topical Overviews - The Right to Participate in Political and Public Life by Persons with Disabilities - Illustrations of Implementation from the United States - Quick Reference
National Council on Disability Topical Overviews - The Right to Health: Fundamental Concepts and The American Disability Experience
National Council on Disability Topical Overviews - The Experience of the United States with Employment and Right to Work Protections - Quick Reference Guide
National Council on Disability Topical Overviews - Access to Education by People with Disabilities Illustrations of Implementation from the United States - Quick Reference Guide
NCD and the Americans with Disabilities Act: 15 Years of Progress
Hearing on Voter Verification in the Federal Elections Process
The Current State of Transportation for People with Disabilities in the United States
Cover Memorandum Upon the Reissuance of the NCD Statement Opposing Legalization of Assisted Suicide
Same Struggle, Different Difference: Civil Rights Policy Forum Summary Paper
Questions and Answers for Mediation Providers: Mediation and the Americans with Disabilities Act
Transcending The Barriers And Gaining Entry: A Culturally Competent Realm Of Community Integration For Americans With Disabilities
Saving Lives: Including People with Disabilities in Emergency Planning
NCD Recommendations: Workforce Investment Act Reauthorization
Spector v. Norwegian Cruise Line Ltd. - Background, Legal Issues, and Implications for Persons with Disabilities

2004

Livable Communities for Adults with Disabilities
Righting the Americans with Disabilities Act
Update on the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (November)
Design for Inclusion: Creating a New Marketplace -- Online Version
Design for Inclusion: Creating a New Marketplace
Consumer-Directed Health Care: How Well Does It Work?
Design for Inclusion: Creating a New Marketplace - Industry White Paper
National Council on Disability: 20 Years of Independence (July 2004)
Update on the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (July)
Position Paper on Amending the Air Carrier Access Act to Allow for Private Right of Action
Improving Educational Outcomes for Students with Disabilities

2003

Policy Brief Series: Righting the Americans with Disabilities Act - No. 19, The Supreme Court's Kirkingburg Decision and the Impact of Federal Safety Regulations in Americans with Disabilities Act
Policy Brief Series: Righting the Americans with Disabilities Act - No. 18, The Supreme Court's Refusal to Permit Punitive Damages in Private Lawsuits Under Section 202 of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Olmstead: Reclaiming Institutionalized Lives (Abridged Version)
Foreign Policy and Disability: Legislative Strategies and Civil Rights Protections To Ensure Inclusion of People with Disabilities
Tennessee v. Lane: The Legal Issues and the Implications for People with Disabilities
Olmstead: Reclaiming Institutionalized Lives (Full-Length On-Line Version)
When the Americans with Disabilities Act Goes Online: Application of the Americans with Disabilities Act to the Internet and the Worldwide Web
Policy Brief Series: Righting the Americans with Disabilities Act - No. 17, The Supreme Court's Rejection of the "Catalyst Theory" in the Awarding of Attorney's Fees and Litigation Costs
Policy Brief Series: Righting the Americans with Disabilities Act - No. 16, The Supreme Court's Decisions Regarding Validity and Influence of Americans with Disabilities Act Regulations
Policy Brief Series: Righting the Americans with Disabilities Act - No. 15, The Supreme Court's Decisions Discussing the "Regarded As" Prong of the Americans with Disabilities Act Definition of Disability
Policy Brief Series: Righting the ADA
Policy Brief Series: Righting the Americans with Disabilities Act - No. 14, The Supreme Court's Americans with Disabilities Act Decisions Regarding the Not-Just-One-Job Standard
Addressing the Needs of Youth with Disabilities in the Juvenile Justice System: The Current Status of Evidence-Based Research
Policy Brief Series: Righting the Americans with Disabilities Act - No. 13, The Supreme Court's Americans with Disabilities Act Decisions Regarding Substantial Limitation of Major Life Activities
Policy Brief Series: Righting the Americans with Disabilities Act - No. 12, The Supreme Court's Americans with Disabilities Act Decisions and Per Se Disabilities
Policy Brief Series: Righting the Americans with Disabilities Act - No. 11, The Role of Mitigating Measures in the Narrowing of the Americans with Disabilities Act's Coverage
Policy Brief Series - No. 10, Reasonable Accommodation After Barnett
Policy Brief Series - No. 9, Chevron v. Echazabal: The Americans with Disabilities Act's "Direct Threat to Self" Defense
Policy Brief Series - No. 8, The Implications of the Supreme Court's Decision in Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama v. Garrett
Policy Brief Series - No. 7, The Impact of the Supreme Court's Americans with Disabilities Act Decisions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Policy Brief Series - No. 6, Defining "Disability" in a Civil Rights Context: The Court's Focus on Extent of Limitations as Opposed to Fair Treatment and Equal Opportunity
Policy Brief Series - No. 5, Negative Media Portrayals of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Rehabilitating Section 504

2002

Policy Brief Series - No. 4, Broad or Narrow Construction of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Policy Brief Series - No. 3, Significance of the Americans with Disabilities Act Finding That Some 43 Million Americans Have Disabilities
Policy Brief Series - No. 2, A Carefully Constructed Law
Policy Brief Series - No. 1, Righting the Americans with Disabilities Act
Supreme Court Decisions Interpreting the Americans with Disabilities Act (Updated) (September 2002)
Supreme Court Decisions Interpreting the Americans with Disabilities Act Chart (Updated)
An International Disability and Human Rights Convention
Position Paper on Genetic Discrimination Legislation
Principles for Genetic Discrimination Legislation
Brief Amicus Curiae of the National Council on Disability in Support of Respondents, Chevron U.S.A. v. Mario Echazabal

2001

Reconstructing Fair Housing
Brief Amicus Curiae of the National Council on Disability in Support of Respondents, Toyota v. Ella Williams
The Sandoval Ruling
The Accessible Future
Position Paper on Patients' Bill of Rights Legislation
Inclusive Federal Election Reform
Applied Leadership for Effective Coalitions
Action Strategies for Effective Coalitions
Investing in Independence: Transition Recommendations for President George W. Bush

2000

Carrying on the Good Fight: Summary Paper From Think Tank 2000 - Advancing the Civil and Human Rights of People With Disabilities From Diverse Cultures
Closing the Gap: A Ten Point Strategy for the Next Decade of Disability Civil Rights Enforcement
Brief Amicus Curiae of the National Council on Disability in Support of Respondents Garrett v. Board of Trustees University of Alabama
Promises to Keep: A Decade of Federal Enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act
New Paradigms for a New Century: Rethinking Civil Rights Enforcement
Federal Policy Barriers to Assistive Technology
Think Tank 2000: A Brief Summary As Background Information
Back to School on Civil Rights
From Privileges to Rights: People Labeled with Psychiatric Disabilities Speak for Themselves

1999

Lift Every Voice: Modernizing Disability Policies and Programs to Serve a Diverse Nation
Implementation of the National Voter Registration Act by State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies
Enforcing the Civil Rights of Air Travelers with Disabilities: Recommendations for the Department of Transportation and Congress
Lift Every Voice Summary (Report Released November 1999)

1998

Grassroots Experiences with Government Programs and Disability Policy
Brief Amicus Curiae of the National Council on Disability in Support of Respondents Olmstead v. L.C. HTM
Discipline of Students with Disabilities: A Position Statement
Reorienting Disability Research
Access to Multimedia Technology by People with Sensory Disabilities

1997

Outreach to Minorities with Disabilities and People with Disabilities in Rural Communities
Equality of Opportunity: The Making of the Americans with Disabilities Act

1996

Access to the Information Superhighway and Emerging Information Technologies by People with Disabilities
Achieving Independence: The Challenge for the 21st Century
Foreign Policy and Disability
Improving the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Ed Act: Making Schools Work for All of America's Children - Supplement
Guidance from the Graphical User Interface (GUI) Experience: What GUI Teaches About Tech Access
Cognitive Impairments and the Application of Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act

1995

Improving the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Ed Act: Making Schools Work for All of America's Children
Voices of Freedom: America Speaks Out on the Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act: Ensuring Equal Access to the American Dream

1994

Inclusionary Education for Students with Disabilities: Keeping the Promise

1993

Furthering the Goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act Through Disability Policy Research in the 1990s: Summary of Proceeding
Meeting the Unique Needs of Minorities with Disabilities: A Report to the President and the Congress
Americans with Disabilities Act Watch-Year One: A Report to the President and the Congress on Progress in Implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act
Progress in Advancing the Status of People with Disabilities Around the World: The Work of the United States Delegation to the Thirty-Third Session of the Commission for Social Development of the United Nations

1992

Wilderness Accessibility for People with Disabilities: A Report to the President and the Congress of the United States on Section 507(a) of the Americans with Disabilities Act

1988

On the Threshold of Independence

1986

Toward Independence: An Assessment of Federal Laws and Programs Affecting Persons with Disabilities - With Legislative Recommendations
National Disability Policy: A Progress Report - February 1986