Office on Disability

Planned Activities - Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Thompson created the Office on Disability in October 2002 to advise him on disability-based issues and initiatives and serve as the focal point within HHS for the implementation and coordination of policies, programs and special initiatives related to disabilities. His decision supported President Bush's New Freedom Initiative (NFI) Executive Order and the resulting HHS solutions specified in the report to the President, "Delivering on the Promise." The Secretary's four expectations for the Office on Disability are to:

• Lead the HHS NFI initiative;
• Oversee, coordinate, develop and implement disability programs and initiatives within HHS that impact people with disabilities;
• Ensure that persons with disabilities across the lifespan have a voice within HHS; and
• Heighten the interaction of programs within HHS and with Federal, State, community and private sector partners.

The following information on the Office on Disability's Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005 activities address the community integration needs of persons with disabilities, demonstrating that both the solutions specified in "Delivering on the Promise," and the Secretary's expectations for the Office on Disability are met.

Expectations One, Two, and Four: Lead the HHS NFI initiative, oversee, coordinate, develop, and implement disability programs and special initiatives within HHS that impact people with disabilities and heighten the interaction of programs within HHS and with Federal, State, community, and private sector partners.

Expectations Three and Four: Ensure that persons with disabilities across the lifespan have a voice within HHS and heighten the interaction of programs within HHS and with Federal, State, community, and private sector partners.

Expectations One, Two, and Four: Lead the HHS NFI initiative, oversee, coordinate, develop, and implement disability programs and special initiatives within HHS that impact people with disabilities and heighten the interaction of programs within HHS and with Federal, State, community, and private sector partners.

Planned Activities:

• Convened and facilitated monthly NFI Workgroup update and information sharing meetings with other HHS agencies. These meetings monitor respective solution attainment identified in the NFI Report to the President, and enhance cross-agency NFI and cross-disability activities.

• Disability-Based Budget and Expenditure Management Data Report - begin in FY 04.

  Provide the Annual Disability-Based Management Data Report to the Secretary by November 2003, based on work begun in FY 03. The first report will include both Fiscal Years 2002 and 2003 expenditures and Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005 budget data. This first annual management report provides:

  • Review of how HHS funds for all disabilities have been expended and budgeted,

  • Compares the fiscal analysis with constituent input needs analysis, and

  • Supports program and budget policy planning on behalf of persons with disabilities in conjunction with the President's NFI domains (education, assistive technology, housing, employment, transportation, community integration and health).

• HHS Cross-Agency and Intergovernmental Young Adult Initiative - FYS 04 and 05

  In conjunction with the Office on Disability NFI Workgroup, building off of work begun in FY 03, carryout a cross-agency and intergovernmental funded Policy Academy planning initiative to help States and local communities develop and implement infrastructure-based action plans to comprehensively address the health, human services, employment, education, housing, and transportation needs of young adults (ages 16 to 30 years) with disabilities. This initiative will add value to Federal, State and local funding already in place or planned for FY 05 by identifying more effective use of resources in developing State infrastructures that support coordinated and integrated services systems for this targeted age group who otherwise become homeless, criminalized and/or inappropriately institutionalized. It will include ongoing technical assistance to help States implement action plans developed at the Policy Academies. By early Winter of FY 04, funding support will be sought from agency principals and interdepartmental (e.g., Departments of Education, Labor, Transportation and the Social Security Administration) to carryout at least one Policy Academy with eight states.

• Physical Fitness for Youth with Disabilities - FYS 04 and 05

  In conjunction with the President's Council on Physical Fitness (PCPFS), this national program will match adults with disabilities recognized as physically fit as mentors for youth and young adults to encourage and support physical fitness.

  The Kick-Off meeting is scheduled for May 2004. The initiative will result in guidelines for physical fitness for persons with disabilities and identify mechanisms to reduce environmental barriers. This innovative demonstration program, that partners with constituent organizations, HHS programs and the VA, pairs adults who have achieved successful fitness with young persons with the same disability. The adult will "mentor" the youth through a formal program of exercise, by explaining and demonstrating the benefits of exercise and physical fitness - both physically and mentally - and working and keeping in close touch with the young adult.

  This nationwide program will emulate the PCPFS procedure of awards and commendations resulting in enhanced health and personal self-opinion results for both the youth and adult lives.

• Celebration of President Bush's NFI Executive Order Announcement - FYS 2004 and 2005

  The Office on Disability is a co-sponsor for the annual anniversary celebrations of the President's February 1, 2001 announcement of his New Freedom Initiative Executive Order. The FY 2004 celebration is the "Emerging Workforce Conference: Dispelling Myths…It Can Be Done" in Florida, February 8 - 10, 2004 with LIFE, INC. (Living Independence for Everyone) and the Florida Family Support Project: Juntos Podemos (Together We Can).

• HHS Section 508 Information Technology Adherence - FYS 04 and 05

  Manage HHS Section 508 agency and office adherence through regular monitoring and provision of managers training and technical assistance in conjunction with the HHS 508 Program Team.

• Vocational Rehabilitation Supporting Persons with Disabilities - FYS 04 and 05

  In conjunction with national disability constituent organizations, HHS agencies and the Departments of Labor, Education/RSA and Social Security, facilitate discussions on programmatic barriers of legislatively mandated vocational requirements and identify corrective action steps.

• Affordable and Available Housing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities - FYS 04 and 05

  • The Office on Disability held the Symposium on Homeownership for Persons with Disabilities on November 5, 2003, co-sponsored with HUD, Fannie Mae, CMS and NIH targeting national disability constituent organizations. The overall objective was to provide a roadmap to help all consumers understand how states, communities and local constituent organizations can offer/advocate for homeownership. The Symposium supported participation through both in person and live webcast capacity.

  • The Office with its homeownership co-sponsors will provide a second homeownership symposium in June 2004 on developing affordable and available housing for persons with disabilities.

• Addressing Children with Co-Occurring Developmental Disabilities and Emotional and/or Substance Abuse Disorders - FYS 04 and 05

  The Office on Disability in conjunction with Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Georgetown University Medical Center, National Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health Children is addressing the burgeoning problem of youth with both developmental disabilities and emotional and/or substance abuse disorders. Appropriate services and coordination across systems are limited; there are difficulties in financing; and a lack of adequately trained staff, often resulting in inappropriate hospitalizations, out of home placements and referrals to child welfare and juvenile justice. To help address this target disability group's challenges, an initiative involving federal government and constituent organizations will partner in developing and implementing a comprehensive work plan. The first step is an intergovernmental roundtable discussion with representatives from HHS agencies (ADD, ACF, CDC, CMS, HRSA/MCH and SAMHSA) and the Departments of Education, Labor, Justice, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Justice and the Social Security Administration. Follow-up meetings will then occur with representatives from national constituent organizations and federal departments.

• Women and Disabilities - FYS 04 and 05

  The Office on Disability is co-sponsoring with the HHS Office on Women's Health information-based programs on the specialized healthcare screening, assessment and treatment needs of women with disabilities.

• Addressing the Caregiver/Workforce Challenges of Persons with Disabilities - FYS 04 and 05

  In conjunction with the Office on Disability New Freedom Initiative Workgroup Caregiver Subcommittee (consisting of representatives from all HHS agencies), a content analysis is proceeding which will identify strengths, gaps and areas for enhancement on how HHS agencies are providing formal and informal caregiving. The content analysis outcome will result in a cross-agency based action set of budget and program policy recommendations. The overall emphasis is to enhance human capacity to meet the needs of the service workforce.

• Minority Health Needs of Persons with Disabilities - FYS 04 and 05

  The Office on Disability is co-sponsoring with the HHS Office on Minority Health a national meeting on Minority Health Needs, ensuring that the unique needs of persons with disabilities are addressed, emphasizing understanding of disparities and cultural differences.

Expectations Three and Four: Ensure that persons with disabilities across the lifespan have a voice within HHS and heighten the interaction of programs within HHS and with Federal, State, community, and private sector partners.

Planned Activities for Fiscal Years 2004 and ongoing:

• Disability Month - Celebration of Persons with Disabilities Successes - FYS 04 and 05

  The Office on Disability will provide support for the annual Secretary's Celebration of Persons with Disabilities during Disability Awareness month (October). Consistent with the FY 2004 the event that occurred on October 30, 2003, nationally recognized persons recognized for their work on behalf of persons with disabilities will be honored including those representing businesses, entertainment, providers, elected officials and consumers.

• Office on Disability Website - Ongoing

  The Office on Disability website serves as the HHS disability clearinghouse by providing information and promoting disability activities occurring within HHS and other Departments' agencies and offices. These activities address the Office's advocacy and coordination functions. The website, during FY 2004 will be further enhanced to meet this objective.

• Develop and Implement the Office on Disability Three-Year Strategic Action Plan - Ongoing

  Based on constituent input obtained from regular meetings with persons with disabilities across all ages, including individual and cross-disability, develop, implement and monitor the Office's three-year strategic plan. The plan will build off of issues and recommendations identified from the Office's June 26, 2003 Constituent Input Meeting report.

• Promoting Information on Tax Incentives for Employers and Tax Credits for Persons with Disabilities

  The Office on Disability is a co-sponsor of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) soon to be published brochure addressing tax credits for persons with disabilities. The OD - IRS partnership is supporting development of a separate brochure targeting employers and tax return preparers.

• Disability-Based Information Symposiums - Ongoing

  Facilitate symposiums on subject matters addressing at least the following topics:

  • Understanding Disability Functioning Assessment Tools - first meeting held with the NFI Workgroup, September 2003.

  • Informal and Formal Caregiver/Workforce Challenges and Best Practices in Enhancing the Workforce - first meeting held August 2003 with constituents and NFI Workgroup.

  • Affordable and Available Housing Support - first symposium held on November 5, 2003 and second scheduled for June 2004.

  • Role of Assistive Technology for Personnel Care Attendants - in conjunction with the Department of Education (NIDRR), NSF, CDC, CMS, University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Florida, scheduled for February 2 - 3, 2004.

  • Public Broadcasting System (PBS) Round Table on Autism, occurred on November 12, 2003.

• Intergovernmental Activities - FYS 04 and 05

  • The Office on Disability has completed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Transportation supporting interdepartmental coordination efforts on behalf of persons with disabilities and persons who are transportation disadvantaged. Also, as a member of the Intergovernmental Council on Transportation, the Office is further addressing transportation challenges.

  • The Office on Disability has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Small Business Administration (SBA) supporting the development of an initiative addressing persons with disabilities operating small businesses.

  • The Office on Disability is a member of the federal government Interagency Council on Homelessness.

• International Activities - FYS 04 and 05

  The Office on Disability is a member of the International Children's Congress and is facilitating the June 2004 Congress meeting in Norway, with the Queen of Norway. HHS has a key role in the support of this international meeting. The Congress was started in 1991 at the request of HHS Secretary Dr. Louis Sullivan, to continue dialogue among nations focused on finding ways to include children with disabilities in their home communities.

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