Group items tagged

The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Act (DD Act), requires that the programs authorized under the law are culturally competent to ensure that individuals with developmental disabilities, regardless of background, are full participants in all aspects of community life. According to the DD Act, Sec. 101. [42 USC 15001] c Policy. "It is the policy of the United States that all programs receiving assistance under this title shall be carried out in a manner consistent with the principles that Services, supports, and other assistance should be provided that demonstrate respect for personal preferences, and cultural differences; Specific efforts must be made to ensure that individuals with developmental disabilities from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds and their families enjoy increased and meaningful opportunities to access and use community services, individualized supports available to other individuals with developmental disabilities and their families; Recruitment efforts in disciplines related to developmental disabilities in pre-service training, community training, practice, administration, and Policymaking must focus on bringing larger numbers of racial and ethnic minorities into the disciplines in order to provide appropriate skills, knowledge, role models, and sufficient personnel to address the growing needs of an increasingly diverse population." The DD Act has long identified the importance of cultural competence and improving expectations and outcomes for people with developmental disabilities, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), NCD's 2020Progress Report will focus on the employment of people with disabilities byproviding a retrospective of the issue of disability employment during the past30 years. It will define and assess the effectiveness of the federal responseto the continued low rate of workforce participation and offer recommendationsdesigned to increase workforce participation - including removal ofwell-documented federal barriers and implementation of federal-privateinitiatives to eliminate the barriers that continue to impede suchparticipation. It will describe and assess the intended and real impact ofTitle I of the ADA on the workforce participation of people with disabilities; legislationenacted to improve workforce participation of people with disabilities sinceenactment of the ADA, including the WIA of 1998, and the WIOA of 2014; legislationenacted or programmatic changes that have hindered workforce participation; NCDand other entities' recommendations made to Congress and federal agencies toimprove workforce participation; and federal andfederal-private collaborations to improve workforce participation.

The objectives of this new funding opportunity is to provide financial assistance to the territories of American Samoa and Guam to provide, expand and improve the provision of independent living services in each respective territory. Centers for Independent Living (CILs) provide services to assist individuals with disabilities to achieve their maximum potential within their families and communities. CILs are consumer-controlled, community-based, cross-disability, non-residential, private nonprofit agencies. Required core services include:•Information and referrals; •Independent living skills training; •Peer counseling;•Individual and systems advocacy; and •Services that facilitate from nursing homes and other institutions to the community, assistance to individuals at risk of entering institutions, and transition of youth to postsecondary life. The problem that will be addressed is that there is currently no center for independent living (CIL) funded in American Samoa or Guam. The target population is individuals with disabilities. The CIL shall use the funds to provide services to individuals with a range of significant disabilities. The CIL shall (1) facilitate the development and achievement of independent living goals; (2) work to increase the availability and improve the quality of community options for independent living; (3) provide independent living services; (4) conduct activities to increase the capacity of communities within the service area of the CIL to meet the needs of individuals with significant disabilities; and (5) conduct resource development activities to obtain other funding.

It is well documented that the United States is becoming an increasingly racially and ethnically diverse country. By 2050 there will be no ethnic majority in the United States (U.S.). There is a need to ensure that the disability community keeps pace with and is responsive to the rapidly changing demographics of the country and the UCEDDs should play a critical role in such an effort. The DD Act recognizes the important role that UCEDDs play in enhancing the diversity of the workforce, requiring that UCEDDs enhance efforts to recruit and retain underrepresented groups at all levels in order to respond to the needs of nation and burgeoning diverse communities. It is essential now more than ever to ensure that UCEDDs are well positioned to address the unprecedented growth of diverse communities, including the growth in the number of people with disabilities, to ensure the future yields prosperity for all. To this end, UCEDDs need to know how to align their training programs and overall UCEDD organizational framework to truly reflect and respond to our nation's rich diversity. The Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD), Administration on Disabilities (AOD), Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announces the availability of Fiscal Year 2018 funds to award, on a competitive basis, three year National Training Initiative (NTI) grants to multiple University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDDs).

The AgrAbility program increases the likelihood that farmers, ranchers, farm workers and farm family members with disabilities will experience success in agricultural production. The program supports projects between State Cooperative Extension System and private, non-profit disability organizations who work in partnership to provide agricultural education and assistance directed at accommodating disability in farm operations for individuals with disabilities, and their families, who engage in farming and farm-related occupations.

As a capacity-building strategy, ILA proposes that the Native American Independent Living Demonstration Project will support Native American Independent Living (IL) Specialists who have similar responsibilities to the non- Native American IL Specialist counterpart in the center for independent living, but with a focus in Indian Country. The Project will provide the independent living core services including: information and referral; skills training; peer counseling; individual and systems advocacy; and services that facilitate transition from nursing homes and other institutions to the community, assistance to individuals at risk of entering institutions and transition of youth to post secondary life. In addition, the Native American IL Specialist will conduct activities such as: • Serve as an information and resource specialist about disabilities to the Tribes in their Area• Gather information about IL needs in Indian Country• Gather data and information about disabilities in Indian Country• Gather information about current tribal efforts at providing assistance to tribal members with disabilities• Serve as a liaison between State IL Programs, the Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs) and Indian Country• Establish inter-agency coalitions in Indian Country to focus on serving the unmet needs of tribal members with disabilities• Serve as an effective advocate and liaison between ACL programs and services and Indian Country.

The Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD) in the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announces the availability of Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 funds authorized under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002, Pub. Law 107-252, Title II, Subtitle D, Part 5, section 291 (42 United States Code (U.S.C.) 15461). Provisions under this section provide for the award of grants for Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA) to assist Protection and Advocacy Systems (P & As) in promoting full participation in the electoral process for individuals with disabilities, including registering to vote, casting a vote, and accessing polling places; developing proficiency in the use of voting systems and technologies as they affect individuals with disabilities; demonstrating and evaluating the use of such systems and technologies by individuals with disabilities (including blindness) in order to assess the availability and use of such systems and technologies for such individuals; and providing T/TA for non-visual access. (At least one recipient must provide T/TA assistance in this area.)

The Social Security Administration's (SSA's) Analyzing Relationships between Disability, Rehabilitation and Work (ARDRAW) Small Grant Program is a one-year $10,000 stipend program awarded to graduate-level students to conduct supervised independent research designed to foster new analysis of work, rehabilitation, and disability issues, which may develop innovative and fresh perspectives on disability. Potential research areas of inquiry include, but are not limited to: Working conditions of SSA beneficiaries Work accommodations and needs of SSA beneficiaries Non-competitive employment for SSA beneficiaries Vocational and other types of service use by SSA beneficiaries Non-SSA assistance provided to SSA beneficiaries

The purpose of this FOA is to encourage behavioral and social science research on the causes and solutions to health and disabilities disparities in the U. S. population. Health disparities between, on the one hand, racial/ethnic populations, lower socioeconomic classes, and rural residents and, on the other hand, the overall U.S. population are major public health concerns. Emphasis is placed on research in and among three broad areas of action: 1) public policy, 2) health care, and 3) disease/disability prevention. Particular attention is given to reducing health gaps among groups. Applications that utilize an interdisciplinary approach, investigate multiple levels of analysis, incorporate a life-course perspective, and/or employ innovative methods such as systems science or community-based participatory research are particularly encouraged.

The purpose of this FOA is to encourage behavioral and social science research on the causes and solutions to health and disabilities disparities in the U. S. population. Health disparities between, on the one hand, racial/ethnic populations, lower socioeconomic classes, and rural residents and, on the other hand, the overall U.S. population are major public health concerns. Emphasis is placed on research in and among three broad areas of action: 1) public policy, 2) health care, and 3) disease/disability prevention. Particular attention is given to reducing health gaps among groups. Applications that utilize an interdisciplinary approach, investigate multiple levels of analysis, incorporate a life-course perspective, and/or employ innovative methods such as systems science or community-based participatory research are particularly encouraged.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) hereby notify Small Business Concerns (SBCs) holding Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants that funds are available for administrative supplements to improve the diversity of the research workforce by recruiting and supporting students, postdoctorates, and eligible investigators from groups that have been shown to be underrepresented in health-related research or in the SBIR program. This supplement opportunity is also available to PD(s)/PI(s) of research grants who are or become disabled and need additional support to accommodate their disability in order to continue to work on the research project. Administrative supplements must support work within the scope of the original project.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hereby notify Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) holding specific types of research grants (activity codes listed above) that funds are available for administrative supplements to improve the diversity of the research workforce by recruiting and supporting students, postdoctorates, and eligible investigators from groups that have been shown to be underrepresented in health-related research. This supplement opportunity is also available to PD(s)/PI(s) of research grants who are or become disabled and need additional support to accommodate their disability in order to continue to work on the research project. Administrative supplements must support work within the scope of the original project.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hereby notify Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) holding specific types of research grants (activity codes listed above) that funds are available for administrative supplements to enhance the diversity of the research workforce by recruiting and supporting students, postdoctorates, and eligible investigators from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups that have been shown to be underrepresented in health-related research. This supplement opportunity is also available to PD(s)/PI(s) of research grants who are or become disabled and need additional support to accommodate their disability in order to continue to work on the research project.  Administrative supplements must support work within the scope of the original project.

This is an invitation for collaborative proposals which focus on addressing the challenges Primary Care Providers experience in serving Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities during pandemic and/or emergency situations. Proposals should use one of the following approaches: Educational materials: Develop additional educational resources related to pandemic and/or emergency response for Primary Care Providers who serve adults with I/DD Implementation: Supports implementation of models, i.e. projects that support community-based PCPs in providing care to adults with I/DD during pandemic and/or emergency situations Research: Supports regional or national research related to Primary Care Providers who serve adults with I/DD role during pandemic and emergency situations A secondary goal of this RFP is to foster new partnerships or significantly enhance existing partnerships between disability organizations, advocates, community organizations, and healthcare providers. Grants of up to $50,000 (each) for a 1-year period will be awarded.

To that end, the foundation is inviting concept applications from nonprofit organizations for its annual Signature Employment grants program, which supports new pilot initiatives, demonstration projects, or social ventures with the potential to generate new i solutions to high unemployment and underemployment among individuals with disabilities.

Supported by the Elaine Schlosser Lewis Fund, the program annually provides an award of $15,000 to a child and adolescent psychiatry resident or junior faculty who has an interest in beginning a career in child and adolescent mental health research. The program is designed to support a young investigator at a critical stage of his/her development and encourage a future career in child and adolescent psychiatry research.

PAESMEM recognizes individuals for their mentoring of persons from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, women, persons with disabilities, persons from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, and early career scientists and engineers. Historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields include African-Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, Native Hawaiians, and Native Alaskans. These are groups who might not otherwise have considered or had access to opportunities in STEM education or careers. 

The Office of Citizen Exchanges, SportsUnited Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for the FY 2016 International Sports Programming Initiative. Sports Diplomacy programs can be an important tool for advancing foreign policy goals and connecting with audiences with whom traditional diplomacy proves challenging, including at-risk youth, women, minorities, people with disabilities, and non-English speakers. Sports Diplomacy enhances cross-cultural understanding and opens new avenues of dialogue and collaboration between individuals and nations. In support of U.S. Department of State foreign policy objectives, ECA's sports diplomacy programs create both people-to-people and institutional linkages through sport. The Office of Citizen Exchanges welcomes proposals that directly respond to the Sport for Social Change theme outlined below. The award recipient will be responsible for planning, overseeing, and/or implementing the exchanges including the administration of at least four two-way exchange programs.

The Research on Education and Learning (REAL) program represents the substantive foci of three previous EHR programs: Research and Evaluation on Education in Science and Engineering (REESE), Research in Disabilities Education (RDE), and Research on Gender in Science and Engineering (GSE). What is distinctive about the new REAL program is the emphasis placed on the accumulation of robust evidence to inform efforts to (a) understand, (b) build theory to explain, and (c) suggest interventions (and innovations) to address persistent challenges in STEM interest, education, learning, and participation. The program supports advances in research on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning and education by fostering efforts to explore all aspects of education research from foundational knowledge to improvements in STEM learning and learning contexts, both formal and informal, from childhood through adulthood, for all groups, and from the earliest developmental stages of life through participation in the workforce, resulting in increased public understanding of science and engineering. The REAL program will fund research on, human learning in STEM; learning in STEM learning environments, and broadening participation research.

AGEP is committed to the national goal of increasing the numbers of underrepresented minorities (URMs), including those with disabilities, entering and completing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduate education and postdoctoral training to levels representative of the available pool. URMs include African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders. Increased URM participation in advanced STEM education and training is critical for supporting the development of a diverse professional STEM workforce especially a diverse STEM faculty who serve as the intellectual, professional, personal, and organizational role models that shape the expectations of future scientists and engineers. To achieve this long term goal, the AGEP program will support the development, implementation, study, and dissemination of innovative models and standards of graduate education and postdoctoral training that are designed to improve URM participation, preparation, and success.AGEP projects must focus on URM U.S. citizens in STEM graduate education, and/or postdoctoral training, and their preparation for academic STEM careers at all types of institutions of higher education.