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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Contact: ACF Press Office
(202) 401-9215
Committee Empowers People with Intellectual Disabilities
HHS’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF) today announced the release of a report to President George W. Bush designed to help people with intellectual disabilities reach their goals of personal and economic freedom.
The report, A Charge We Have to Keep: A Road Map to Personal and Economic Freedom for People with Intellectual Disabilities, was prepared by the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (PCPID) and offers recommendations, pursuant to the New Freedom Initiative, on strategies, policies and programs toward providing Americans with intellectual disabilities more opportunities to learn, develop skills, work, make choices about their daily lives and be integrated into their communities.
“For too long, people with intellectual disabilities have encountered barriers on the road toward greater personal and economic freedom,” said Dr. Wade F. Horn, HHS assistant secretary for children and families. “As extended through remarks in his New Freedom Initiative for people with disabilities, President Bush believes in removing these barriers so people with intellectual disabilities can reach their full potential.”
Accompanying the report is a companion booklet summarizing the committee’s recommendations to the President. Both the report and the booklet are accessible to people with intellectual disabilities and their families and friends.
“Every American has a charge to keep for people with intellectual disabilities,” said Madeleine C. Will, PCPID chairperson. “This report was sent to the President to empower people with intellectual disabilities. When people with intellectual disabilities are strengthened in their goals of obtaining greater personal and economic freedom, every American is strengthened.”
It is estimated there may be as many as eight million Americans who experience intellectual disabilities. Nearly 30 million, or one in 10, families in the United States are directly impacted by persons with intellectual disabilities at some point in their lifetimes. The PCPID serves in an advisory capacity to the President on matters relating to programs and services for persons with intellectual disabilities.
To view this report, go to: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/pcpid/2004_rpt_pres/2004_report.html.
To view its companion booklet, go to: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/pcpid/2004_broch_pres/2004_booklet.html.
For more information on PCPID, go to: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/pcpid/index.html.
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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news