National Council on Disability Monthly Bulletin for July, 2009

WASHINGTON, July 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the National
Council on Disability's monthly bulletin for July 2009:

The "Bulletin," which is free of charge and at NCD's award-winning Web site
(http://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. Please send your editorial comments to "Bulletin"
editor Mark S. Quigley (mquigley@ncd.gov).

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

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

NCD Conducts Minneapolis Quarterly Meeting

NCD's Summer quarterly meeting was held in Minneapolis, MN, July 20 - 22, with
79 people in attendance and 20 people speaking during the public comment
sessions.

On July 20, speakers addressing NCD included: Dave Schwartzkopf, Chair,
Minnesota State Council on Disability; Colleen Wieck, Executive Director, MN
Developmental Disabilities Council; Mary Hartnett, Executive Director,
Commission of Deaf, Deaf/Blind, and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans; and Stephen
"Corky" West, Director, Oneida Nation Job Training Programs.

On July 21, NCD heard from several speakers including: Natalie Vestin, Grant
Program Associate, Promising Practices in Pandemic Influenza Preparedness,
Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, University of Minnesota:
Mary Burfeind, CDC Pan Flu Grant Coordinator, MN Department of Health, Office
of Emergency Preparedness; Kimberley T. Peck, Director of Vocational
Rehabilitation Services, MN Department of Employment and Economic Development
(DEEP); Karen Quammen, Project Consultant, Pathways to Employment, MN DEEP;
Joe Timmons, Research Fellow, Institute on Community Integration, National
Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth, National Center on
Secondary Education and Transition; Alyssa Klein, Transition Specialist,
Pathways to Employment and Rehabilitation Services/Vocational Rehabilitation
Services, MN DEEP; Shauna McDonald, Director, Community Resource Development,
PACER Center; Greg Lais, Executive Director, Wilderness Inquiry; Bill Botten,
Access Specialist, United States Access Board; Pamela Parker, Manager, Special
Needs Purchasing; MN Department of Human Services; and John Tschida, Vice
President, Public Affairs and Research, Courage Center.

Presentation summaries will soon be available at
http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/quarterly/quarterly.htm.

NCD to Make Emergency Management Recommendations

NCD will release its latest report on emergency management and people with
disabilities on August 12 at the International Association of Emergency
Managers' 2009 National Conference on Community Preparedness -- The Power of
Citizen Corps at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, Virginia.
NCD will also release the report on September 23 at the Wireless Emergency
Communications State of Technology Conference at Georgia Tech Research
Institute Conference Center in Atlanta, GA. NCD Vice Chairperson Pat Pound
will announce the release during each conference.

NCD will continue its rollout of this important report with another release by
NCD Chairperson John R. Vaughn on September 29 at the enAbled in Emergencies
Conference at the Hilton Philadelphia Airport in Pennsylvania.

In this report, NCD offers information and advice to assist all levels of
government in its work to establish evidence-based policies, programs and
practices across the lifecycle of disasters. This report provides examples of
effective community efforts with respect to people with disabilities, and
evaluates many emergency preparedness, disaster relief, and homeland security
program efforts deployed by both public and private sectors.

For more information about people with disabilities and emergency management,
please visit NCD's Lessons Learned page and NCD's 2005 report, Saving Lives:
Including People with Disabilities in Emergency Planning .

Emerging Trends Public Consultation

NCD is gathering public input for a study of emerging issues and trends
affecting the lives of people with disabilities. Information gathered will be
used in the development of NCD's next annual progress report to the President
and Congress, National Disability Policy: A Progress Report, which is required
by Section 401(b) of the Rehabilitation Act.

The purpose of this public consultation is to gather input to inform NCD's
assessment of the status of the nation in achieving policies that guarantee
equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities, and empower
individuals with disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency,
independent living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society.

The entire document and information on how to respond is available at
http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2009/NationalCouncilonDisability.doc.

NCD Announces Technology Research Opportunity

On June 26, NCD announced a research/funding opportunity for a cooperative
agreement to evaluate how Americans with disabilities are faring in this new
digital media age. The study is titled "Keeping Up: Technology's Rapid Changes
and Effects on People with Disabilities" (NCD-09-04).

NCD is interested in examining the accessibility of new media and technologies
developed, documenting successful development processes, understanding
consumer needs, and identifying the facilitators and barriers to the
technology transfer for employment purposes.

NCD 2010 National Summit on Disability Policy

NCD's 2010 National Summit on Disability Policy 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 discuss significant issues for all people
with disabilities and develop policy recommendations for the next decade. It
will also highlight 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, are expected to participate as
delegates to this history-making summit.

Issue papers being prepared in advance of the Summit 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 or (202) 272-2004.

UN Convention Update

NCD's celebrates the July 24 announcement from President Obama of his
intention to sign the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (Convention). Since the Convention opened for signature on March
30, 2007, NCD has been urging signature of this landmark treaty. In both our
mandated advisory role and that of promoting policy that enhances the lives of
people with disabilities, NCD was pleased to support the efforts of the United
States throughout the development of the Convention. The Convention will be
signed by the United States in New York on July 30.

The full text of the President's remarks can be found at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-on-Rights-of-Persons-with-Disabilities-Proclamation-Signing/.

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
-- Improving Access to Health Care, Special Education, and Long-Term
Services for Marine Corps Family Members with Disabilities

-- Keeping up: Technology's Rapid Changes and Effects on People with
Disabilities

NCD Speakers Bureau

NCD Chairperson John R. Vaughn will deliver welcoming remarks at the U.S.
Business Leadership Network's "Connecting the Dots: Business Solutions"
conference in September at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in
Washington, DC.

NCD Executive Director Mike Collins will participate in Virginia Governor
Timothy Kaine's Forum on Disability and Economic Development on September 15
at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center in Virginia.

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.

NCD Board Member Confirmed as ODEP Assistant Secretary

Congratulations to former NCD board member Kathy Martinez, who was confirmed
on June 22 by the U.S. Senate to be Assistant Secretary of Labor for the
Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). She resigned her NCD membership
on July 19.

Under Assistant Secretary Martinez's direction, ODEP will provide national
leadership on disability employment policy by developing and influencing the
use of evidence-based disability employment policies and practices, building
collaborative partnerships, and delivering authoritative and credible data on
employment of people with disabilities.

Future Quarterly Meetings
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

More information will be available at NCD's Quarterly Meetings page.

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

Mark S. Quigley of the National Council on Disability, +1-202-272-2004,
mquigley@ncd.gov