National Council on Disability (NCD)

The National Council on Disability (NCD) released a notice of funding for a cooperative agreement.  Applicants are given the opportunity to propose methods for determining the impact of increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities. The project seeks to examine the implementation and projected effectiveness of the amended Section 503 regulations that became effective in March 2014.

October 2014 – The National Council on Disability (NCD) issued their 2014 edition of the National Disability Policy: A Progress Report.

July 2014 – The National Council on Disability (NCD), a federal advisory committee recognized by the President and Congress, released a press release embracing the appointment of Taryn Mackenzie Williams as an advisor for the White House’s Office of Public Engagement. Experience as Senior Policy Advisor for the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), Williams lends her expertise in disability policy areas of workforce development, education, Medicaid, social security, and youth transition services to the Executive Branch, effective as of July 14, 2014.

June 2014 – The National Council on Disability (NCD) has announced the addition of Phoebe Ball as their Legislative Affairs Specialist. Previously a staff attorney with the non-profit group Disability Rights Florida (DRF), Phoebe’s experience includes “access to home- and community-based services, self-determination, and guardianship,” along with other Medicaid focused work. Her personal experience dealing with Spina Bifida while being a parent will allow her to bring firsthand expertise to the concerns of parents with disabilities.

Dr. James White, Director of Communications Studies at Georgia Tech’s Center for Advanced Communications Policy (CACP) and Wireless RERC researcher, authored the recently published National Council on Disability (NCD) report: Effective Communication for People with Disabilities Before, During, and After Emergencies Evaluated. Officially released at their May 27^th briefing, the report focuses on the accessibility of emergency communication for people with intellectual, sensory, psychiatric and developmental disabilities. Of note, Dr.