Cultural Diversity Advisory Committee Summary Minutes – February 16, 2007

The public meeting was called to order, in accordance with the FACA provisions by the Designated Federal Official (DFO), Dr. Gerrie Hawkins. After the roll call of CDAC members, the DFO welcomed all, stated that the NCD Council Liaison, Mr. Milton Aponte was unable to attend this meeting, and thanked members for time and input on behalf of the people they represent nationwide. The proposed agenda was reviewed.

Procedural Summary: In lieu of the Chair who was on work-related travel, Vice Chair, John Armendariz served in the leadership capacity. The primary item in this section of the meeting was sharing of information with respect to CDAC’s procedural operations from the NCD CDAC Quarterly Meeting Update (January 2007); and the February 7, 2007 CDAC and NCD Chairperson, John Vaughn’s teleconference with respect to CDAC’s procedural operations. Included on the call were CDAC leaders--Chair, Darrell K. Simmons, JD, Vice Chair, John Armendariz, and policy point person, Dr. Glenn Fujiura. A follow-up letter would thank the chairperson for support regarding inclusion of interested CDAC members on NCD study teams and CDAC would provide a copy of the committee’s work plan and topics of interest for NCD’s consideration.
 
Policy Summary:  CDAC determined that brief presentations would be followed by committee discussion, and as appropriate, this would include recommendations to NCD. In addition, common across all topics would be the benefit of raising the awareness level among people with disabilities from diverse cultures and the broader community with regard to the issues of concern and/or interest. CDAC Vice-Chair, John Armendariz acted for the Chair who was on work travel and introduced Dr. Glenn Fujiura as the first CDAC member to serve in the presenter role during the public meetings for fiscal year during public meetings. Dr. Fujiura, Department of Human Development Director, University of Illinois at Chicago, provided an initial overview of the Center for Capacity Building on Minorities in Disabilities Research, a NIDRR multi-year funded program. Through capacity building and documentation of successful outcomes, information hopefully can benefit state and community-based programs to become more culturally and linguistically competent in providing services to people from underserved populations.

The next item was about follow-up NCD report discussion and dialogue with the Consortia of Administrators of Native American Rehabilitation (CANAR). Congressional letters targeted the NCD report, People with Disabilities on Tribal Lands:  Education, Health Care, Vocational Rehabilitation, and Independent Living (See http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2003/tribal_lands.html). Dialogue with key CANAR representatives, NCD’s Congressional Liaison, Mark Seifarth, contractor Molly Burgdorf, the DFO and Mr. Jerry Lang for CDAC resulted in letters to Congress (See http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/correspondence/2007/thomas_02-09-07.htm, http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/correspondence/2007/dorgan_02-09-07.htm, and http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/correspondence/2007/kildee_02-09-07.htm).   

Announcements/Comments: 
NCD Council Member Liaison launched a campaign on behalf of CDAC to assure that new and continuing Council members are provided information that helps them become familiar with the members of CDAC and areas of experience that can benefit the agency’s work priorities on behalf of people with disabilities;
Follow-up activities will be needed to finalize (1) a CDAC letter sent to the NCD Executive Committee regarding future CDAC involvement in agency priorities, a revised CDAC draft two-year plan and topics for emerging issues; (2) cultural and linguistic competency documents for awareness raising (myths paper); (3) the CDAC facts document; and (4) CDAC recommendations for the April 2007 quarterly report.
After a reminder that the next public meeting was scheduled for May 17, 2007 at 3:00 PM Eastern Time, the DFO pronounced that today’s meeting was adjourned.