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NDI Hosts Annual Asset Development Summit in Washington, DC
The
National Disability Institute (NDI) hosted its annual Asset Development Policy
Summit on October 20, 2009 in Washington DC. The summit, hosted this year at the World Bank, was attended
by over 75 participants representing the asset development, disability,
employment, financial, government, and policy sectors.
Bringing
together diverse stakeholders from multiple tiers of local, national and
international agencies, the Asset Development Summit for People with Disabilities has been designed to increase outreach
and promote the provision of services to individuals with disabilities through
the establishment of collaborative relationships with key entities in the
disability and asset building communities.
The
morning session focused on building connections between local asset development
and disability leaders interested in participating in an asset development
working group focused on disability in the Washington DC metropolitan
area. This is a model that has
been deployed in various cities throughout the country who have participated in
NDI's Real Economic Impact Tour. Local
partners will now have an opportunity to participate in a longer-term dialogue
in the creation of a roadmap to build a better economic future for individuals
with disabilities and their families in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The
DC Department of Disability Services will serve as the leading government
entity for the future, and Capital Area Asset Builders (CAAB) has agreed to be
the lead partner in managing the Asset Development Working Group for Washington
DC.
The
afternoon session focused on trends in asset development policy initiatives at
both the federal and international levels. Agency officials from the FDIC, IRS, U.S. Department of
Labor, U.S. Department of Treasury, and U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs all
presented on key initiatives each agency was leading to foster greater economic
security for individuals with disabilities. Participants also learned about policy efforts being led by
a number of external organizations, including the Corporation for Enterprise
Development (CFED), New America Foundation, and the Collaboration to Promote
Self-Determination. Policy topics included updates on the
Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2009, the Savings for Working
Families Act, and new legislation being introduced shortly by Representative
Tsongas to increase asset limits related to SSI eligibility determinations. The final panel focused on
international perspectives in promoting asset development and economic
self-sufficiency among individuals with disabilities. Speakers from the World Bank, U.S. State Department, Bank of
America and AT&T shared examples from the public and private sector on ways
their organizations were expanding innovative strategies to achieve economies
of scale across populations, and also efforts taking place by the international
governmental agencies to encourage nations across the globe to incorporate
disability-inclusive policies in poverty eradication strategies.
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Real Economic Impact Tour Expands to 100 Cities
On October 21st at the National Press
Club, the National Disability Institute (NDI) announced plans to expand the Real
Economic Impact Tour (REI Tour) to 100 cities nationwide. The REI Tour helps low income workers
with disabilities receive free assistance in filing their tax returns and
accessing the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The REI Tour also provides added access to financial
education, saving and asset-building strategies. During the past four years,
the REI Tour has assisted over 330,000 individuals with disabilities with
accessing over 300 million dollars in tax refunds and beginning to plan for a
better economic future. "We believe that in these challenging times, the REI
tour conveys a message of hope beyond disability and beyond charity that
economic empowerment is fundamental for a democracy to survive," stated REI
Tour Director Johnette Hartnett.
Introduced to an overflow crowd, government partner
Internal Revenue Service and corporate sponsors for the REI Tour, Bank of
America, AT&T, Visa Inc., Acorda Therapeutics, 54Freedom and Sealund &
Associates Corporation made the business case for supporting outreach and
education activities to this growing market segment. "One in five families has
a member with a disability. People with disabilities are the fastest growing
minority in America," said Michael Morris, Executive Director of the National
Disability Institute (NDI), creators of the REI Tour.
REI Tour City Awards were given to Rochester, New
York; Las Vegas, Nevada; Denver, Colorado; and Atlanta, Georgia. REI Tour Deaf
Tax Awards were given to the Harlem, New York Independent Living Center and
Lexington Vocational Services Center in New York City. The Federal Employee
Award was given to Lee Bowman of the FDIC and an Outstanding Leadership Award
was given to Brian Moynihan, President, Consumer Banking Division of Bank
America. REI Tour Outstanding Achievement Award went to Maria V. Reina,
Executive Director, Global Partnership for Disability and Development (GPDD)
Secretariat, Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University
Exciting new initiatives unveiled included a
disability online version of the Visa Inc. critically acclaimed Financial
Soccer game to test individuals' knowledge of core financial concepts of
managing credit, saving and staying on a budget and the Sealund &
Associates Corporation's donation of its Alaris Financial Literacy e-learning
products to the disability community in the 100 REI Tour cities.
54Freedom announced a nationwide entrepreneur search
to identify and honor outstanding business owners with disabilities and NDI
introduced its first Building Economic Strength Together (BEST) Fellow, Joshua
Beal, who will create innovative new economic empowerment strategies to be
tested and piloted with government and private sector support.
The highlight of the Tour Kick-Off was the appearance
by AT&T-sponsored USA Team Paralympian Brad Emmerson; Erika Bogen, Ms.
Wheelchair America and Robert David Hall who stars as Dr. Robbins on the CBS
hit show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
Hall urged the capacity crowd to stay focused and dream about the power of real
economic impact to change communities and build their roadmap to financial
freedom. For
more information, please visit www.reitour.org
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NDI Participates in Global Partnership in Disability & Development Forum in Turin, Italy
On October 14-17, 2009, leaders in the asset
development and disabilities communities from across the globe met in Turin,
Italy, for the Global Partnership in Disability and Development Forum, which
was sponsored by the Directorate General of Development Cooperation (DGCS) of
the Italian Foreign Ministry, the World Bank, the Turin-based Fondazione Cassa
di Risparmio (CRT) and the Global Partnership for Disability &
Development. The four-day forum
included workshops, seminars, and entertainment to raise awareness and develop
new criteria for treating the theme of disability and social inclusion.
Participants in the event included representatives of international
organizations, national institutions, local Italian bodies, worldwide volunteer
associations and organizations of persons with disabilities. During the Forum, a study was
presented which reviewed the results of Italian Cooperation projects that
focused on persons with disabilities and were conducted in several countries
between 2000-2008. NDI also made a
presentation of its work with the Real Economic Impact (REI) Tour as a
successful case study demonstrating effective public-private partnership for
developed countries with strong tax laws that offer work incentives and other
benefits for employers and employees with disabilities.
The Global Partnership on Disability and
Development will continue to focus on building awareness of the impact of
disability in countries throughout the world. Approximately 80% of world's
650-800 million persons with disabilities live in developing countries.
Numerous studies reveal that the increase in disabilities is associated with
higher levels of illiteracy, malnutrition, infrequent vaccinations, low birth
weight and rising unemployment and underemployment.
The Directorate General for Development Cooperation
of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has included the promotion of
inclusion and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
(adopted by the UN General Assembly on 13 December 2006 and ratified by Italy
in 2009) among its 2009-2011 policy concerns and in confirmation of its long
history in the sector, acknowledged in 2002 when Italy was selected for the
Franklin D. Roosevelt International Disability Award.
http://www.esteri.it/MAE/EN/Sala_Stampa/AreaGiornalisti/NoteStampa/2009/10/20091013_NS_ForumDisabilitaSviluppo.htm?LANG=EN
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NDI Testifies during FDA Advisory Committee hearing in
support of new pharmaceutical intervention that increases mobilization for
individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
On October 14th, NDI federal government
affairs consultant Serena Lowe testified on behalf of the National Disability
Institute at an FDA Advisory Committee about the importance of therapeutic
interventions aimed at improving mobility for individuals with MS and the
connection between improved mobility and increased opportunities for individuals
with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce and economy.
NDI submitted testimony on
October 14th in support of New Drug Application # 22-250, which
proposed for the first time a drug to be indicated to improve walking ability
in individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). MS represents a
chronic degeneration of the central nervous system. Approximately 400,000 Americans have MS, and every week an
estimated additional 200 people are diagnosed. World-wide, MS affects about 2.5
million people. Because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) do
not require U.S. physicians to report new cases, and because symptoms can be
completely invisible initially, the numbers can only be estimated.
Problems with gait (difficulty in
walking) are among the most common mobility limitations experienced by people
with MS. Limited mobility affects
the ability of individuals to accomplish daily tasks at home, work, school and
in the community, and significantly limits their independence. NDI provided research about the
significant barriers that limited mobility can cause in terms of preventing an
individual from engaging in a meaningful way in the workforce, economy, or
community. Research from the
Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University was shared with the advisory
panel, demonstrating that lack of mobility and other challenges related to
disabilities results in major obstacles to an individual's ability to work,
earn, save, and contribute back into the economic system through taxes,
investments and consumption.[1] Because there are currently no
therapies indicated specifically to improve walking ability for those with MS,
this aspect of the disease has not been adequately treated and clinicians and
patients alike are frustrated by the lack of viable therapeutic interventions. As
Lowe stated, "Even the most incremental benefit in an individual's mobility
could make the difference between that person not being able to actively engage
in the workforce and the ability of that person to earn, save, and sustain
one's financial independence".
Immediately
following the public forum - in which 21 individuals testified, including Lowe
- the FDA Advisory Committee approved the New Drug Application. This decision was deemed a major
victory for the MS population and will likely lead to the pursuance of more
therapeutic interventions focused on increasing the mobility of individuals
with chronic disabilities.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/167488.php
http://www.acorda.com/
[1] Mendelsohn,
Steven. "Barriers and
Opportunities in Asset Reform," Building
a Better Economic Future: A
Progress Report for Individuals with Disabilities and Their Families in America. Manchester, NY: Community Economic Development
Press. 2008. pp. 35-43.
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Tsongas to Introduce Legislation to Increase Asset
Limits required for SSI Eligibility Considerations
NDI and other national disability organizations have
long advocated for a revisiting of current asset limits connected with supplemental
security income (SSI) eligibility, arguing that the significantly low asset
limits discourage individuals with disabilities from working, earning and
saving resources. In an attempt to
address this concern, Representative Niki Tsongas (D-MA) will soon be
introducing legislation which would make the following modifications under the
SSI program:
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Increases
the limits on countable resources to $7,500.00
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Excludes up to $10,000 for individuals and $15,000
for couples of any assets included in a qualified retirement plan, trust, education
savings account, savings bond, or individual development account.
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Eliminates current requirements that SSI recipients
apply for periodic payments form deferred compensation arrangements;
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Excludes from income 1/3 of distributions from
deferred compensation arrangements
Representative Tsongas has been working with CFED and
others to craft the legislation, and is now seeking input from the disability
community.
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SPECIAL IN-FOCUS: Incorporating
Asset Development in Legislative Proposals focused on Transition and Employment
for Individuals with Disabilities
Current
efforts are underway in both the House of Representatives and Senate to develop
comprehensive legislation in the areas of transition and employment for
individuals with disabilities. In
order to ensure that asset development and financial planning are key themes
included in these legislative initiatives, NDI is seeking your input on
specific recommendations to share with Congressional champions leading these
initiatives. Please send your
comments and feedback to Serena Lowe, Federal Government Relations consultant,
at [email protected]. Comments are requested no later than
November 20th, 2009.
As reported by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of
Labor Statistics for September 2009
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National Disability Institute gets social with Real Economic Impact Online!
Email Website
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Real Economic Impact Text Campaign - Money Mondays
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