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National Council on Disability Monthly Bulletin for May, 2009

Posted on: Wednesday, 20 May 2009, 06:23 CDT

WASHINGTON, May 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the National Council on Disability's monthly bulletin for May 2009:

NCD Bulletin A Monthly Newsletter from the National Council on Disability (NCD) An Independent Federal Agency John R. Vaughn, Chairperson May 2009

NCD - 31 Years of Disability Policy Leadership - 1978-2009

Steering Committee Selected for 2010 National Summit on Disability Policy

NCD has selected a prestigious group of its board members for a 2010 National Summit on Disability Policy Steering Committee. Those members include John R. Vaughn, Pat Pound, Marylyn Howe, Katherine McCary, and Linda Wetters. Brief biographical information about these committee members and all NCD members can be found on the NCD's Members page. Their responsibility will be to oversee each and every facet of planning and execution of the invitation-only Summit, which will take place July 26-27, 2010, at the Renaissance Washington, DC Hotel, 999 9th Street, NW, Washington, DC.

The purpose of the Summit will be to exchange ideas on significant themes for all people with disabilities and develop policy recommendations for the next decade. It will also be a commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was signed into law on July 26, 1990. Three-hundred people with disabilities and other stakeholders, including federal, community, and private sector disability experts, will be invited to participate as delegates to this summit.

Outlines for issue papers are now being reviewed by NCD's internal committees. The papers will identify key factors surrounding important issues, and will become the foundation of discussion for Summit delegates as they develop future policy recommendations. Subjects include civil rights (including voting issues), employment (including asset accumulation and finance), disability statistics and data education, healthcare (including mental healthcare, i.e. whole health), homeland security (including emergency preparedness), housing, international issues, telecommunications and technology, and transportation.

A limited number of co-sponsorships are still available. Those interested in supporting this historic event should contact NCD Executive Director Mike Collins at ncd@ncd.gov. Please visit NCD's Summit page this June for additional information.

NCD Announces Funding (Research) Opportunity

On May 13, NCD announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NCD-09-02) for a cooperative agreement to study "The Accessibility of U.S.-funded Overseas Facilities and Programs."

NCD is interested in examining and understanding the responsibilities of U.S.-funded overseas facilities and programs, both public and private. NCD is seeking applicants to research and develop an NCD report with the following three components: 1) An analysis/examination of international law, to determine how U.S.-funded international development organizations will be required to comply with Article 32 of the Convention in those countries which have ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and 2) an empirical follow-up to NCD's 2003 report on how USAID is implementing its own disability policy overseas and its impact thus far, along with its compliance with Sections 501, 503, and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act in its overseas operations. The report should review whether these protections against discrimination are being implemented by government employees and contractors working abroad, and will examine whether U.S.-funded programs are being operated in a manner that is accessible to and inclusive of people with disabilities; and 3) evaluate progress on NCD's recommendations regarding the accessibility of U.S. embassies and missions, as well as Department of Defense-funded programs and facilities.

The deadline for received full proposals is 5:00 p.m. EDT on July 1, 2009.

For additional information, please contact Joan Durocher at 202-272-2117 or jdurocher@ncd.gov.

Disability Equity Act

The Disability Equity Act (H.R. 2263), which eliminates the two year waiting period for Medicare benefits and the five month waiting period for SSDI, was introduced on May 4 by Representative Betty Sutton (D-OH).

According to NCD Chairman John R. Vaughn, "Lengthy application processes, eligibility determinations, and waiting periods are often cited as the reason someone with a disability is without income, health coverage, personal assistance services, or access to housing or transportation. Surely, the human cost and the cost to society when someone with a disability falls through one of these cracks is significantly greater than the cost of the bridges that could facilitate a seamless transition. Elimination of the Medicare 24-month eligibility qualifying period for Disability Income beneficiaries will go a long way toward correcting a process that has had an extremely negative impact on individuals and families affected by disabilities."

NCD has long been interested in eliminating these disparities for people with disabilities. For additional information on this issue, please see NCD's 2009 National Disability Policy: A Progress Report and NCD's 2005 The Social Security Administration's Efforts to Promote Employment for People with Disabilities: New Solutions for Old Problems.

Current Issues

NCD's list of current and proposed research projects include studies and reports on:

• Current State of Healthcare for People with Disabilities
• Effective Emergency Preparedness Practices for Use by Communities and People with Disabilities
• National Disability Policy: A Progress Report
• Housing
• Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act: Implementation Evaluation and Recommendations for Reauthorization
• Workforce Infrastructure in Support of People with Disabilities: Matching Human Resources to Service Needs
• Accessibility of United States Overseas Development Projects and Embassies

New NCD Publications List

In an effort to make its Web site more accessible and more user-friendly, NCD will be adding a new HTML list of its publications by subject since 2002. The categories include the Americans with Disabilities Act, civil rights, disability statistics and research, education, emergency preparedness and homeland security, employment, healthcare, international, progress reports, technology, and transportation. We believe this will aid researchers in finding documents much quicker and easier.

A publications list of all NCD documents arranged chronologically will still exit at http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/index.htm.

NCD Member Activities

NCD Member Anne M. Rader was the keynote speaker at the 40th Anniversary Awards Luncheon at Goodwill Industries of Monocacy Valley on May 5 in Frederick, MD.

All NCD Board Members are available to make presentations at conferences and meetings. Requests should be directed to John R. Vaughn, Chairperson, National Council on Disability, 1331 F Street, NW, Suite 850, Washington, DC 20004 or by email to ncd@ncd.gov.

Future Quarterly Meetings

Summer 2009, July 20-22, Marriott City Center, 30 South 7th Street, Minneapolis, MN

Fall 2009, October 26-28, Holiday Inn Express, 920 Broadway, Nashville, TN

Winter 2010, January 19-21, Houston, TX

Spring 2010, April 26-28, Detroit, MI

Summer 2010, July 28-29, Washington, DC.

Please visit NCD's Quarterly Meetings page for updated information about all meetings when it becomes available.

DTV Update

DTV is a new type of broadcasting technology that will transform television as we now know it. DTV technology will allow broadcasters to offer television with movie-quality picture and CD-quality sound, along with a variety of other enhancements. DTV technology can also be used to transmit large amounts of other data into the home, which may be accessible by using your computer or television set.

If you watch over-the-air television today, you should be able to receive all or most of your local stations' digital signals if you have a DTV receiver. You may view high definition and multicast programming from your local stations.

The TV Converter Box Coupon Program is rolling out its Mobile Assistance Centers (MAC) this month, providing consumers with one-on-one assistance in preparing for the end of the digital transition by June 12, 2009. These traveling vans will begin visiting 28 cities across the country with staff to help consumers apply for coupons and to demonstrate how to hook-up converter boxes.

To view the most up-to-date MAC tour schedule, visit www.DTV2009.gov/Partners.aspx and click on the "View the Tour Schedule" link in the "Mobile Assistance Centers" section. NCD has been advised that the sites selected will be accessible to people with disabilities.

About the NCD Bulletin

The Bulletin, which is also available at NCD's Web site, 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 at mquigley@ncd.gov.

SOURCE National Council on Disability

Source: PR Newswire

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