National Council on Disability – Town Hall on May 6th in Portland
Please join the National Council on Disability at a Town Hall on Community Living
Friday, May 6
1:00 – 2:30 PM
Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront
1404 SW Naito Parkway, Portland, OR 97201
About NCD The National Council on Disability (NCD) is a small, independent federal agency charged with advising the President, Congress, and other federal agencies regarding policies, programs, practices, and procedures that affect people with disabilities. NCD is comprised of a team of fifteen Senate-confirmed Presidential appointees, an Executive Director appointed by the Chairman, and eleven, full-time professional staff.
More about the Town Hall In order to be effective in its capacity as an advisor to the President, Congress, and other federal agencies, NCD relies upon frequent and timely input from its diverse stakeholders, including people with disabilities, parents or guardians of people with disabilities, groups and organizations representing a broad range of people with disabilities, and providers and administrators of services to people with disabilities. NCD welcomes its stakeholders to participate in the town hall as an opportunity to provide public consultation to the agency to help inform the work it does. Specifically, NCD will take the testimony given at the town hall and use it as it writes its annual mandated “Progress Report,” which is a big picture assessment of the “state of the disability community” and the effectiveness or inadequacy of the policies affecting it. NCD’s “Progress Report” is a report to the President of the United States and the U.S. Congress.
If you are interested in participating in the town hall, please limit your comments to the topic of community living for people with disabilities. The following issues are specific topics on which the Council would appreciate receiving testimony:
- Effects of budget cuts on community living for people with disabilities
- Availability of affordable, accessible, integrated housing
- Availability and adequacy of community supports for people with disabilities
- Transition experiences of people with disabilities joining or rejoining the community
General Guidelines
- Sign In: Those who plan to provide testimony will be asked to provide their name and contact information for possible follow-up. Please be sure to sign-in when you arrive.
- Introduce Yourself: Tell us who you are. Say whether you are commenting as a private citizen, representing other people, or on behalf of an organization.
- 5 Minutes: Individuals providing testimony will be limited to five minutes. Gentle reminders will be given as an individual’s time is nearing an end.
Additional Suggestions
- Successes, problems and solutions: Testimony can involve identification of successes, problems, and/or proposed solutions. Ideas from the community help inform the recommendations NCD makes to the President and Congress.
- Provide evidence: Testimony supported by evidence or information is especially helpful to the Council as it prepares its Progress Report.
- Focus on what is most important to you: Consider beginning your comments with a statement about what is of the greatest concern to you regarding the topic, to ensure your most important point(s) aren’t lost because time is up.
On April 19th from 5 – 7pm, you have an opportunity to make a short statement to legislators about your concerns over proposed budget cuts. 
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