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Interagency Committee on Handicapped Research, the Federal
Agency Council, the Federal Task Force on Disability, and the
Interagency Committee on Developmental Disabilities reflect
this policy.

In order for the disability community and others to know more
about the activities of the National Council, circulation of
our newsletter FOCUS, continued to expand. The newsletter
continues to be a vehicle for communication and helps the
National Council solicit input regarding its activities and
policy development.

o The National Council's special report for 1990 will focus on the historical perspective of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

PLANNED ACTIVITIES SUMMARY FOR FY 1991

During the 1991 Fiscal Year, the National Council will continue its follow-up and monitoring activities pursuant to the Congressional mandate to assess progress made on each of the 45 legislative recommendations in its 1986 report, Toward Independence. The National Council plans to focus on the status of the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act in the 1991 special report.

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The National Council will continue to address its statutory responsibilities to establish general policies for the National Disability and Rehabilitation Research and the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, as well as provide recommendations and advice to the Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration.

To assure coordination of programs and services affecting people with disabilities, the National Council will continue its participation in such initiatives as the Interagency Committee on Handicapped Research, the Federal Agency Council, the Federal Task Force on Disabled Persons, and other similar coordinating bodies.

Input from consumers is critical to the National Council's process of policy development. As in the past, input will be

solicited at consumer forums.

Forums will be held on the following

topics during this fiscal year: the development of a National Employment Policy for Persons with Disabilities; reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act; Personal Assistance Services; Technology and the Funding of Assistive Devices; Health Insurance and, Wilderness Accessibility.

The National Council will continue its ongoing initiatives in such areas as: health insurance, personal assistance services, prevention, technical assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act, employment, education and disability related research. The National Council will contract three major studies in the areas of the education of students with disabilities, health insurance, and the financing of assistive technological services and devices during this fiscal year, which is mandated by Title II of the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act

of 1988.

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We appreciate the $200,000 this Committee appropriated the National Council to undertake technical assistance activities related to the Americans with Disabilities Act. As this Committee well knows, a law of the magnitude of this one requires a considerable and sustained technical assistance effort. As the originators of the law, we share with this Committee a special commitment to ensuring that the long overdue promises made by this law become reality in every corner of this country. Toward this end, we have initiated an activity we are calling "ADA Watch." Modeled after human rights watches now operating over the world, the "ADA Watch" will do exactly what its name implies: Watch--watch as the law is implemented--watch as persons with disabilities-watch as federal agencies issue regulations and monitor compliance with the law. We will watch and we will report what we see. We will shine a spotlight on the people affected by this law; we will keep vigil and we will report how we are progressing toward the goals of equal opportunity, full participation, independence and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities.

In an effort to continue to focus on the prevention of primary and secondary disabilities, the National Council will cosponsor with the Centers for Disease Control the first national conference on the prevention of disabilities. The conference will focus on four working papers in the following areas: quality of life; birth defects and developmental disabilities; chronic conditions and injuries. This national ocnference will serve as the basis for the development of a national plan for the prevention of primary and secondary disabilities. You might recall, that the National Council first recommended this plan in its 1986 special report, Toward Independence.

The National Council continues to work with the Centers for Disease Control on the prevention initiative. We appreciate your support, Senator Harkin for introducing the Disabilities Prevention Act of 1991. The National Council focus continues to be on the prevention of secondary disabilties. For the most part, most of the people we represent already have disabilities, and we are interested in the prevention of secondary complications.

The National Council plans to conduct four meetings during the fiscal year as required by statute. In addition, the National Council will continue to publish its quarterly newsletter FOCUS to share information regarding activities of the National Council on Disability and to request input regarding the National Council's activities and policy development.

The National Council on Disability's authorizing statute, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, is scheduled to expire on September 30, 1991. The National Council will be submitting its reauthorization proposals to Congress together with the Administration's proposals for revising and extending the other authorities under the Act.

PLANNED ACTIVITIES SUMMARY FOR FISCAL YEAR 1992

During the 1992 Fiscal Year, the National Council will continue its follow-up and monitoring activities pursuant to the

Congressional mandate to assess progress made on each of the 45 legislative recommendations in its 1986 special report, Toward Independence. The 1992 report may contain data on such subjects as the economics of disability, employment, personal assistance, technological devices and services for person with disabilities and prevention.

The National Council will continue to address its statutory responsibilities to establish general policies for the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research and the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, as well as provide recommendations and advice to the Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration.

The National Council plans to hold four quarterly meetings. In order to receive input from consumers, the National Council will sponsor forums on key issues of concern to persons with disabilities such as: technological aids and devices for person with disabilities; prevention of primary and secondary disabilities; personal assistance services; health insurance; education; and, employment. Specific technical information will also be solicited on an individual basis from the National Council's advisors. The National Council will continue to focus on minorities with disabilities including Native Americans and people with disabilities in rural areas.

Major activities for Fiscal Year 1992 include the following: continuation of the National Council's initiatives in the following areas: prevention; employment; technical assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act; wilderness accessibility; personal assistance; health insurance; and,

education.

The National Council is planning to sponsor in conjunction

with the United Nations an international conference on

technology.

To assure coordination of programs and services affecting people with disabilities, the National Council will continue its participation in such initiatives as the Interagency Committee on Handicapped Research, the Federal Agency Council, the Federal Task Force on Disabled Persons, and other similar coordinating bodies.

The National Council will continue to publish its quarterly newsletter FOCUS to share information regarding activities of the National Council on Disability and to request input regarding its activities and the development of disability policy.

Thank you for the opportunity to testify before the Subcommittee. I would be pleased to answer any questions.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF SANDRA S. PARRINO

As the Chairperson of the National Council on Disability, Sandra Swift Parrino has played an active role on key issues affecting individuals with disabilities. Since her nomination by President Reagan in 1983, Mrs. Parrino has supported the rights of the disabled with the Federal Government, before Congress, in the media, and in front of countless groups nationwide. Under her leadership, the National Council is a driving force for disability concerns with respect to public policies that affect the Nation's disabled.

The Chairperson, along with the other members, is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, and is charged by the Congress to be an independent voice for individuals with disabilities within the Federal Government. The Council's mission is to review policies and programs which impact upon persons with disabilities and make recommendations to the President and Congress concerning how these policies can be improved.

During Mrs. Parrino's tenure as Chairperson, the National Council has:

*Worked toward the creation and enactment of legislation for individuals with disabilities.

*Issued a policy statement entitled "National Policy for
Persons with Disabilities."

*Convened a series of hearings around the country to solicit comments and recommendations from the disabled regarding the discrimination they face from day to day.

key

*Issued a major report to the President and Congress entitled "Toward Independence, ' which outlined the components required for a comprehensive civil rights legislation protecting persons with disabilities.

*Issued "On the Threshold of Independence, " a report that outlined the specifics of the Americans With Disabilities Act.

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