National Council on Disability Releases Latest Edition of Monthly Bulletin 7/31/2003
From: Mark S. Quigley of the National Council on Disability, 202-272-2004 or mquigley@ncd.gov WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Following is the latest edition of the NCD Bulletin, a monthly publication of the National Council on Disability: NCD Celebrates ADA Anniversary On July 26, the National Council on Disability (NCD) participated in a celebration of the 13th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) at the Renaissance Washington DC Hotel. The event was hosted by Easter Seals Project ACTION, the Federal Transit Administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, and NCD. During the event, NCD chairperson Lex Frieden presented the Chairperson's Award to Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta and former Congressman Steve Bartlett for outstanding leadership in promoting the rights and independence of people with disabilities. As members of Congress, both Mineta and Bartlett helped guide the ADA to its final passage. NCD Applauds President's Mental Health Report NCD commends the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health report ( http://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov/reports/FinalReport/toc.html ) on the status of America's mental health system. The commission's report concluded that the nation ' s mental health system is broken and in need of immediate attention. Among a number of recommendations, the report emphasizes early intervention, ongoing supports and services for people with mental illness, and a recovery-oriented frame of reference. NCD's 2002 report, "The Well Being of our Nation: An Inter- Generational Vision of Effective Mental Health Services and Supports" ( http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/mentalhealth.html ), calling for fundamental reform of a mental health system in crisis, reached these same conclusions. NCD's Cultural Diversity Initiative On July 28, NCD conducted a groundbreaking one-day forum, "Outreach for All: Paths to Support Empowerment of People with Disabilities from Diverse Cultures." The forum identified concrete actions that can enhance existing efforts to reach and engage people with disabilities from diverse cultures in federal programs and services. NCD Releases Disability Status Report On July 25, NCD released its annual report, "National Disability Policy: A Progress Report" ( http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/progressreport_final.html ), noting that some progress has been made, but more needs to be done. This report covers the period from December 2001 through December 2002. The report notes that NCD has observed many examples of progress in disability policy. Among these are enactment of the Help America Vote Act to increase access to elections for Americans with disabilities; establishment of the Presidential Commission on Mental Health to examine and recommend changes in our nation's mental health system; and the Supreme Court ' s ban on execution of persons with mental retardation. Despite reforms in disability policy that are intended to improve the lives of people with disabilities, many challenges remain for our citizens who are living with disabilities and who wish to be more independent, more productive, and more engaged in their families and communities. Far too many Americans with disabilities are undereducated and unemployed. Many of them are desperately trying to improve the quality of their lives, but they are frustrated by a lack of affordable accessible housing, transportation, personal assistance services, medical rehabilitation, and job opportunities. The administration's New Freedom Initiative provides a road map to increase investment in and access to assistive technologies and a high- quality education, and to help integrate Americans with disabilities into the workforce and into community life. NCD will continue to work with the Administration and Congress to ensure that every individual with a disability has access to the American dream. NCD Releases ADA/Internet Paper On July 10, NCD released a policy paper ( http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/adainternet.html ) that analyzes and answers the critical question: Does the ADA apply to commercial and other private sector Web sites, and if so, what does it require? Previous discussion of this question seems to have been conducted without careful attention to the case law and other sources of information that have already built up around this question. Beginning with a brief discussion of the role electronic communication has come to play in our lives, the policy paper goes on to place the ADA in the context of current technology and of computer use in our country. Though many people are familiar with the term "digital divide," the paper suggests that we should be focusing on the opportunities offered by the "digital future." The paper reaches the conclusion that Title III of the ADA clearly does contemplate coverage of the Internet. NCD to Conduct Education Outcomes Study There is a great deal of concern about educational outcomes among children and youth with disabilities in America. This is particularly the case for children and youth from culturally diverse backgrounds. A significant proportion of children and youth with disabilities have education-related disabilities and are eligible for special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the No Child Left Behind Act. For example, national data indicate that under IDEA, more than 40 percent of secondary- school-aged students do not attain high school diplomas at the end of their public school "careers." National IDEA data indicate that dropout rates of youth with disabilities are three to four times higher than those of youth without disabilities. In addition, dropout rates for youth with disabilities vary by state, from 4.5 percent to 28.2 percent, pointing to differences in states' approaches to educating these students. Under contract with NCD, the American Youth Policy Forum will conduct an analysis to assist policy leaders and stakeholders in identifying, disseminating, and aligning evidence-based outcome- producing practices with the Federal Government ' s commitment to leaving no child behind in the attainment of a free, appropriate public education. Research activities will take an in-depth look at federal and state-level instructional initiatives to determine the status of programs, strategies, and policies and to make recommendations for enhancing educational practice and improving outcomes for children and youth with disabilities. Senate Confirms NCD Member Anne M. Rader was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to be a member of NCD on June 19, 2003. Rader currently serves as deputy vice president of workforce development and housing for the New York-based Seedco, a national nonprofit intermediary that provides financial and technical assistance to community-based organizations seeking to improve the lives of people and communities through a variety of human service initiatives and programs. Previously, Rader served as senior manager for housing and community development at Fannie Mae in Washington, D.C. She also served as special assistant to then Secretary of Labor Elizabeth Dole, working to develop health care and job-training initiatives for the Department of Labor. Quarterly Meeting NCD will conduct its next quarterly meeting August 21-22, 2003, at the Intercontinental Houston, 2222 West Loop South, Houston, Texas. This meeting will be open to the public. |