National Council On Disability Calls For New Federal Approach To Disability Poli

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National Council On Disability Calls For New Federal Approach To Disability

Policy

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/144474.php

The National Council on Disability (NCD) released its annual report to the

President and Congress calling for a new integrated approach to disability

policy within the Federal Government.

According to NCD Chairperson R. Vaughn, " The report focuses on the current

quality of life of people with disabilities in America and the emerging trends

that should be factored into both the design and evaluation of the Federal

Government's disability policies and programs in the coming years. Strides have

been made in access to transportation, education, communications, technology,

and employment. Other factors important to quality of life, however, impede

progress toward full citizenship, such as lack of affordable, accessible

housing, difficulty breaking into the job market, poor access to health care,

the institutional bias in Medicaid, access barriers to technology, and negative

public attitudes about people with disabilities. "

In preparing the report and developing our recommendations, NCD solicited and

received input from hundreds of disability community stakeholder organizations

and persons with disabilities from across the country. In addition, we analyzed

several national disability-related data sources and also drew from NCD's

current research and the studies of other government agencies. NCD Emerging

Trends Committee Co-Chair lyn Howe added, " Based on our findings, the report

provides 17 specific recommendations to address many of the disability

community's most pressing concerns, as well as areas of disparity in the

treatment of people with disabilities. Following those recommendations are

several principles for reviewing and modernizing government programs to better

serve people with disabilities and for promoting a more integrated, inclusive,

and cost-effective approach to federal disability policy. "

" In addition to the more than 50 million Americans with disabilities, the United

States faces a rapidly approaching demographic shift to an older population,

with an attendant increase in the incidence of disability. Given this impending

increase, as well as the significant impact of the current economic crisis on

people with disabilities, who even in the best of times experience significant

socioeconomic disparities, now is the time to develop a bold, coherent,

comprehensive approach to disability policy within the Federal Government. In

past economic recessions, government programs aimed at ensuring the full

inclusion of people with disabilities into society have fared poorly. Recent and

future efforts to stimulate the economy offer us a great opportunity to ensure

that all government initiatives take into consideration the needs of people with

disabilities and their families, " Howe concluded.

The report, National Disability Policy: A Progress Report, can be found at

http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2009/Progress_Report.doc.