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National Council on Disability
Cultural Diversity Advisory Committee (CDAC)
January 13, 2005 - Public Meeting Record
Participants: NCD's Council
Liaison to CDAC--Milton Aponte, JD; CDAC Members--Darrell Simmons,
JD; Glenn Fujiura, Ph.D., Wendy Alegra-Jones; L. Elaine Mbionwu,
CCHP; Jean Lin; and Lilliam Rangel-Diaz; Public/guests--Errol Ehstain
(TN), Angela Branch (Academy for Educational Development, Tricia
Quisenberry (Dallas, TC), Lana Smart (Great Neck, NY) and Sharon
Glover (Winston Salem, NC); and NCD staff and contractors--Jeff
Rosen, Director of Policy/General Counsel, (NCD); Elizabeth Akinola
(Independent Contractor) and Designated Federal Official (DFO)--Gerrie
Hawkins, Ph.D.
I. Roll Call and Introduction of
Guests were lead by the DFO. An official welcome from NCD
and other comments were provided by Mr. Milton Aponte, J.D. in his
role as Council member and liaison to this committee. After the
DFO's review and approval of agenda without revisions the meeting
proceeded as follows.
II. Report from Pre-Forum Dialogue
Opportunity - Discussion of the Civil Rights Project 2005
began with a review of perspectives on the recent preliminary dialogue.
The DFO stated that the dialogue occurred at NCD's November 30 2004
NCD quarterly meeting and that CDAC's played a vital role in the
effort to find ways of bridging the communication between disability
and broader civil rights entities around public policy priorities.
Darrell Simmons, J.D. and Glenn Fujiura, Ph.D. who co-facilitated
the November 2004 panels (comprised of civil rights leaders) and
dialogue with NCD Council members gave brief summaries of the meeting.
Ample suggestions were obtained to select discussion topics for
designated workgroups at the upcoming March 2005 civil rights forum.
While not every invited organization could attend the November meeting,
four coalition task force leaders representing a large consortium
of organizations were present. Among the issues discussed were the
following highlights:
- Education and advocacy for equal services for people
from diverse cultures in general;
- Focus on civil rights of people with disabilities
within the diverse communities;
- Outreach and opportunities for people with disabilities
for inclusion in broader civil rights organizations (e.g., on
boards and as potential staff);
- Leadership development within the civil rights
organizations and encouragement of young people with disabilities
to engage in training opportunities related to broader civil rights
matters;
- Discussion of immigration laws with consideration
of different viewpoints;
- The Higher Education Act and the key role of ensuring
quality teachers and other professionals;
- Discussion of employment and workforce development
that addresses reasonable accommodations, economic security, welfare
reform, and issues of SSI/SSDI benefits; and
- Civil rights restoration as an umbrella for dialogue
about federal legislation such as the Fairness Act, as well as
the ADA.
Other observations about the preliminary dialogue
were shared as follows. The eagerness of different groups to work
together was clearly expressed by several panelists. There was a
sense of openness and evidence of receptiveness to some form of
coalition building, and encouragement to identify a common agenda
across the different organizations. Part of the lesson was that
current public policy agendas are not set or cast in concrete; there
appears to be flexibility. The No Child Left Behind legislation
appeared to be an important agenda item across several organizations
focused on the need for improvements in the education as a common
theme, as well as need for and concern about the lack of effective
enforcement of a number of existing laws such as the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act.
Next Steps - The preliminary dialogue provided an
opportunity for creating greater awareness among the different civil
rights groups based on their interest in partnering with NCD to
"get the evidence-based word out," (e.g., to include NCD
reports on websites, making information available to a broader market
that may not otherwise be aware of the materials, findings, facts,
and recommendations). After the November 2004 meeting, the civil
rights forum contractor (AAPD) and NCD staff met and discussed the
notion of how to ensure that CDAC stays involved with the projects
and work plans that NCD has carved out within its authorized way
of working by Congress. This report back to the committee and public
was the next step.
III. CDAC's Assistance with Forum
Planning - The Need for CDAC members' input in the March
2005 forum planning was identified with respect to suggestions for
background information that can be considered for the second communication
that will be sent to potential forum participants. The forum will
take an overall structure of not just "talking heads"
or people giving presentations. While the forum would also include
opening, lunch time, and closing remarks by key people, the main
focus would be three facilitated workgroups convened to work on
identifying common ways to approach the major policy topics of education,
employment, and civil rights. Within the three breakout groups,
conversations can flow from background information and identified
expectations about the forum provided by NCD and AAPD to the invited
participants.
IV. Developing Stakeholder Lists
- Each CDAC member was requested to stay involved with this
process to make the event a success. CDAC members were also asked
to consider suggestions for critical organizations, and maybe individuals
to be invited. Approximately sixty people will be assigned to three
topical groups. It was anticipated that as many civil rights groups
as possible should be invited with consideration that the capacity
total will be estimated at 60, depending on the facilities available.
The DFO gave a timeline of February 4 for receipt of suggestions.
V. Issues for Future Attention -
Unmet Needs of Youth with Disabilities: Juvenile Justice Link.
As early as the CDAC September 2004 public meeting discussion
touched briefly on reauthorization and other public policy issues
that were yet not addressed by Congress. One issue of interest
involves perspectives on youth with disabilities in need of special
education and related services and a question of the link between
not receiving appropriate services at public schools and youth becoming
involved with the juvenile justice system. CDAC members previously
expressing their interested in follow up dialogue were led by Ms.
Mbionwu and Ms. Alegra-Jones. The initial goal was to identify and
share with CDAC members some information and supporting document
for future consideration and to begin by looking at evidence-based
research as it becomes available. One such document was an
NCD's 2003 study on juvenile justice titled Addressing
the Needs of Youth with Disabilities in the Juvenile Justice System:
The Status of Evidence-Based Research. Among other issues
are findings on how youth with disabilities are served, or underserved,
in both systems of education and justice. Ms. Mbionwu and
Ms. Alegra-Jones spoke further on this topic. Among the points raised
were: (1) Organizations such as NAPAS have faced challenges and
resistance in juvenile justice advocacy efforts especially on the
issue of funding. (2) Most well rooted advocacy groups are concerned
about the amount of funds that would be required to gain access
to the criminal justice system, as well as the cost of bringing
class action suits. (3) For future CDAC work along this line it
could be helpful for CDAC members to work collectively on finding
ways of bringing attention to some of the unmet/unaddressed needs
also identified by advocates. Contacting Protection and Advocacy
groups and at the state level to form a national collaboration,
might be a means of shifting focus to examine what are some areas
where there has been the most detrimental as well as promising impact.
Other CDAC members indicated that this might be a good starting
point. The DFO encouraged e-mail feedback on this topic, since the
time for today's call was ending. February 10, 2005 was the initial
date for further discussions after CDAC members might have had more
time to look at a summary paper prepared on this topic. CDAC members
were also asked to communicate via e-mail with one another and the
DFO in this regard.
VI. CDI Toolkit Update -
NCD's contractor completed all work on preparing the toolkit for
launch. NCD provided to the Government Printing Office (GPO)--the
agency's website contractor and host--all of the necessary materials
and technical information for moving the toolkit from the temporary
host site to that of NCD's website. Task completion lies with GPO
for getting the toolkit online.
VII. Adjournment -
After an expression of appreciation by the DFO to all participants
for their time and valued input, the meeting was adjourned.
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