National Disability Policy: A Progress Report - October 2014

October 31, 2014

SCOPE AND PURPOSE:

This report fulfills NCD’s statutory mandate to annually report and make recommendations concerning the state of disability policy in the United States. The 2014 edition of National Disability Policy: A Progress Report has added significance this year as NCD celebrates its 30th anniversary as an independent federal agency.

As America prepares for the 25-year anniversary of the passage of the ADA in 2015, it is critical that policymakers continue to support Americans with disabilities as a top priority. We live in a transformational time. In 2014, adults with disabilities who experienced a pre-Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) era now live and work alongside those with disabilities who grew into adulthood with the rights afforded by this seminal legislation. Society’s mindset of charity for “the disabled” has shifted to one that supports and benefits from the full inclusion of people with disabilities. People with disabilities are discovering work-arounds to limitations through advancements in technology, causing the lines between people with disabilities and people without disabilities to blur.

The 2014 Progress Report details the status of people with disabilities from across the nation, providing policymakers, advocates, and other stakeholders with an overview of the progress the United States has made promoting and protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities.

Specifically, the 2014 Progress Report focuses on seven key areas: the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD), employment access and inclusion, subminimum wage, education outcomes, Medicaid managed care, mental health care, and data trends in disability policy. The report identifies opportunities to promote public policies that contribute to a more inclusive environment.