NCD Bulletin
A Monthly Publication of the National Council on Disability (NCD)

Marca Bristo, Chairperson
January 1999

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 or unsubscribe to the NCD listserv, send a blank e-mail to add-bulletin@list.ncd.gov or remove-bulletin@list.ncd.gov. No need to write anything in the subject line or body. Please send your editorial comments to Bulletin editor Mark S. Quigley (mquigley@ncd.gov).

1999 National Leadership Conference for Youth with Disabilities (NLCYD)

The 1999 NLCYD will be held in Alexandria, Virginia, June 22-June 26 at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center. The conference is sponsored by NCD, the Department of Education (Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services), the Social Security Administration, and the Department of Health and Human Services (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office on Disability and Health; Administration on Developmental Disabilities; Maternal and Child Health Bureau; and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). It will bring together young leaders from around the country who have diverse racial, ethnic, and disability backgrounds, to foster their integration into public and private sector entities at every level. The conference promotes hands-on leadership development by involving young people in designing, planning, and implementing a conference that reflects their interests and values, as well as engaging their skills and abilities. It also promotes opportunities for leadership development through peer and adult mentoring programs; opportunities to meet national disability leaders and to learn about disability history, culture, law, and policy; education and training opportunities that foster independent living and employment; and wellness consciousness among young leaders that support their pursuit of physical and mental health, social integration, and full participation in their own health care decisions. Any young person with a disability who has completed high school and is between the ages of 18 and 24 on June 22, 1999, is invited to apply. Applications and additional conference information are available on-line at www.ncd.gov/youth/conf99_3.html or by contacting NCD at 202-272-2004. The deadline for submitting the application is February 28, 1999.

NCD's Disability Civil Rights Monitoring Project

Title IV of the Rehabilitation Act requires NCD to gather information about the implementation, effectiveness, and impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), among other duties. In 1996, NCD convened a policy summit that included a diverse group of more than 300 leaders from the disability community. These leaders encouraged NCD to monitor and evaluate federal enforcement efforts of ADA and other civil rights laws. NCD's Disability Civil Rights Monitoring Project is currently evaluating the implementation and enforcement of ADA, the Fair Housing Act, the Air Carriers Access Act, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. In March, NCD will release its report Enforcing the Civil Rights of Air Travelers with Disabilities: Recommendations for the Department of Transportation and Congress. This report will be the first in a series on enforcement of federal laws protecting the civil rights of people with disabilities.

State of the Union

In his January 19, 1999, State of the Union message, President Clinton referenced disability on several occasions. He urged members of Congress to pass and fully fund the Jeffords/Kennedy/ Roth/Moynihan Work Incentives Improvement Act, which would remove barriers to work for people with disabilities. The President also announced that the White House will hold a conference on mental health this spring, headed by mental health advocate Tipper Gore.

On January 13, 1999, President Clinton and Vice President Gore announced plans to encourage people with disabilities to overcome work disincentives and return to the workforce. According to NCD chairperson Marca Bristo, "NCD commends President Clinton for announcing an agenda that is a good start to making work pay for millions of Americans with disabilities. Many Americans feel trapped on disability rolls, unable to take a job for fear of losing the health care and long-term services and supports they need to survive." Many of the action proposals in NCD's 1997 report, Removing Barriers to Work: Action Proposals for the 105th Congress and Beyond, were announced by the President.

ADA Update

On January 19, 1999, Senator Strom Thurmond (R-SC) introduced S. 33, a bill to amend ADA and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 by changing the definition of "disability" to exclude all prisoners in state and local prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities from coverage. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. At this time, there are no companion bills in the House. In its unanimous June 15, 1998, decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that ADA clearly applies to inmates in state prisons.

NCD Welcomes New Staff and Announces New Vacancy

During 1998, NCD welcomed three new staff members. Kathleen A. Blank became NCD's attorney/program specialist. Ms. Blank was a legal research analyst with the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund. Lois Keck, Ph.D., NCD's new research specialist, was the coordinator of independent living services at Independence Now, Inc., in Silver Spring, Maryland. Moira Shea, who is on a one-year detail from the Department of Energy, will assist NCD with its legislative efforts on Capitol Hill. In addition, NCD announced a vacancy for an accountant GS-0510-12, which will close on February 3, 1999. A copy of the job announcement can be obtained by contacting NCD at 202-272-2004 or visiting NCD's website (www.ncd.gov).