OPERATION PEOPLE FIRST:

TOWARD A NATIONAL DISABILITY POLICY
___________________________________________________________________

A REPORT OF 

THE PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT OF

 PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

1993 TELECONFERENCE PROJECT

All public documents produced by the President's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities are available in alternative formats.

March 1994

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. THE EMPOWERMENT PROCESS . . . . . 1

  Purpose and Goals . . . . . . . 2
  Methodology of Project . . . . . . 4
  Network Participants . . . . . . 4

II. PRIMARY RECOMMENDATION . . . . . 7     

III. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . . . . . . . 8

IV. PROJECT FINDINGS . . . . . . . 10

  Health Care . . . . . . . . 10
  Personal Assistance Services . . . . . 11
  ADA Implementation and Enforcement . . . . 12
  Removal of Barriers to Work . . . . . 16
  Mental Health Issues . . . . . . 17
  Advocacy, Coalition Building, and Empowerment . . 18
  Education and the Schools . . . . . . 19
  Attitudinal Change . . . . . . . 21
  Minority Issues . . . . . . . 22

V. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . 23

  Disability Action Plan . . . . . . 23
  ADA Implementation . . . . . . 24
  Government . . . . . . . . 25
  Business . . . . . . . . 25
  Media . . . . . . . . 25
  Disability Community . . . . . . 26

VI. APPENDICES . . . . . . . . 27

 Appendix A:  Statistical Summary . . . . . 27
 Appendix B:  Comments on the Teleconference Format and Methodology
28
 Appendix C:  The People of Operation People First . . . 29

OPERATION PEOPLE FIRST:   TOWARD A NATIONAL DISABILITY POLICY

A REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES'
 1993 TELECONFERENCE PROJECT

"This election is about putting power back in your hands and putting
government back on your side.  It's about putting people first."  -
 Bill Clinton, Democratic National Convention, 1992.

"We believe that all persons with disabilities must be fully integrated
into mainstream society, so they can live fulfilling and rewarding lives.
 During our years in public office, we have compiled strong records
of support for public and private initiatives to enhance the independence
and productivity of persons with disabilities.  We will bring that commitment
to Americans with disabilities to the White House.  And we will actively
involve people with disabilities in developing a national policy that
promotes equality and opportunity for all Americans.  People with disabilities
are among our nation's greatest untapped resources.  We will make sure
they have every opportunity to help all of us rebuild America."   -
 Clinton/Gore Campaign Position Paper on People with Disabilities 1992.

I.  THE EMPOWERMENT PROCESS

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, of the nation's population of 48.9
million citizens with disabilities, an estimated 30.2 percent (14.8
million) are of working age and have a severe disability, one with a
severe limitation in a functional activity or in a socially defined
role or task.  Of these 14.8 million people with severe disabilities
over 76 percent (11.3 million) are unemployed.  We believe this tremendous
loss of human potential in the workplace is caused by the barriers and
findings identified in this report.

Over the years members of the disability community have joined other
citizens to protest their exclusion from the decision-making processes
of a paternalistic and increasingly bureaucratic government.  President
Clinton has pledged to bring the American people, including people with
disabilities, into the decision-making and action processes of government.
 This is not simply a good thing to do; it is the only way that human
society can make the transition from millennia of authoritarian paternalism
and labor intensive industry to an era of science and free enterprise
democracy consistently utilized for the enhancement of each individual
life.  The magnificent life-quality potential of an age of information
and technology, of increasingly complex interdependency, can only be
achieved in a society that empowers each of its members to be a decision
maker and a producer -- a society that puts individual people first.

President Clinton has significantly expanded pioneer policies of inclusion
established in the
Carter, Reagan and Bush administrations.  He has appointed disability
rights leaders to significant positions.  He and his cabinet members
have met personally with disability community leaders to discuss policy.
  Representatives of major disability constituencies have been involved
in the development of national policy such as health care reform and
the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Some Governors
and Mayors have provided similar leadership for inclusion.  However,
the vast majority of Americans with disabilities remain outside of the
decision-making process.

This message has come to the President's Committee on Employment of
People with Disabilities from representatives of Governors, Mayors,
state and local agencies, service providers, parents, and especially
from disability-rights organizations and individuals with disabilities.
 People labeled mentally retarded, people with psychiatric disabilities,
people with multiple disabilities and very severe disabilities of all
types have had problems even finding forums in which to voice their
views.

After many years of well-intended but not entirely effective efforts
to bridge the gap between the grass roots and government through existing
mechanisms, the President's Committee undertook Operation People First:
 the development of an ongoing communications network that would enhance
the power of state and national representatives of major disability
community constituencies to engage in meaningful dialogue and cooperative
action with the Presidency and the federal administration, with the
Congress and with each other.

The final goal of these efforts, of course, is to systematically empower
each person to take conscious, effective responsibility for society.
 Until that happens, the human dream -- the potential of science and
democracy fulfilled -- cannot be achieved. 

Following is a report of phase one of Operation People First.

In June 1992, after completing face-to-face meetings with disability
community leaders in each of the 50 states, Chairman Justin Dart, Executive
Director Rick Douglas and Executive Assistant John Lancaster launched
Operation People First.   Lancaster was designated to head the project
team, assisted by Dart, Douglas, States Relations Executive, Maggie
Roffee and Administrative Assistant to the Chair, Lori Pressley.  In
addition, a team of four special project associates with experience
in outreach, communications, and political campaign operations were
recruited in February 1993 to assist with the project.  

Purpose and Goals

Chairman Justin Dart eloquently outlined the purpose of Operation People
First in his introductory remarks to each of the teleconference calls
with disability community leaders in
the 50 states and territories.

"Traditional liberalism and conservatism have reached the limits of
their potential.  Too many Americans are left out by systems that put
political dogma ahead of people.  Too many Americans are robbed of responsibilit
y by the illusion of government and free market as magical sources of
solutions....  The task of the nineties is to put people first, to put
people before process and style....  The task of the nineties is empowerment....
  We of the disability community cannot afford to stand apart ... to
focus on disability issues only ... to wait for government to act....
 We of the disability community must join with our fellow Americans
to launch a revolution of empowerment.... We can, as we did with ADA,
insist on firm commitments to a blueprint for definitive, comprehensive
change...." 

The initial goals of Operation People First were:

*  to identify 20-40 authentic representatives of the major disability
community agencies and constituencies in every state -- a group small
enough to engage in meaningful personal dialogue with each other and
with federal leaders, but large enough to represent most of the major
disability constituencies;

*  to hold at least one teleconference in every state to discuss the
network process and issues of concern to the disability community at
this time; and

*  to create a structure for national and intrastate leadership forums
for the development of national disability policy recommendations.

The long-range goal of Operation People First is to create a communications
network through which all who impact employment of people with disabilities
can be represented in an economical, timely and democratic process of
information sharing and decision making.

This will require participation by the disability community, the White
House, relevant federal agencies, the Congress, state and local government,
business, labor, service providers, educators, media representatives
and others.

Because the President's Committee lacks the resources to accomplish
the entire project at one time, and because empowerment must by its
very nature start with those who would be empowered, the first phase
of Operation People First included only representatives of the disability
community.  It represents a modest but significant movement away from
paternalistic authority, and toward government that empowers.  In addition,
it has served as a forum for immediate, meaningful dialogue about historic
policy decisions of the day such as the budget and health care reform.
 

Methodology of Project

1.  The project team conducted a series of 60 telephone conference calls,
each lasting between 90 and 120 minutes.  During the period March-September,
1993, telephone meetings were held in every state, the District of Columbia,
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam and the Pacific territories; two
teleconferences were conducted in some of the larger states:  New York,
California, Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania.  Many persons not able
to participate in the teleconferences were talked to separately.  More
than 1,200 disability constituency leaders participated in the process.

The teleconference agenda was designed to ensure people first participation.
 After brief introductions by Justin Dart and staff, each participant
spoke for 2-3 minutes on issues of their choice.  This was followed
by free discussion of the issues.  Finally, participants were asked
to discuss ADA implementation in their states, cooperative action on
the part of the disability community, and how the Presidency could better
serve them.  

Participants were not required to speak officially for their groups.
 This enabled them to communicate more frankly and to engage more freely
in creative interaction.

2.   On November 22, 1993 an expanded staff team held a national two
hour teleconference on President Clinton's health care plan.  Several
thousand leaders of the disability community participated at 131 sites
covering all 50 states.  Questions were directed to a distinguished
panel of experts gathered at studios of Atlantic Video in Washington,
DC.  Executive Director Rick Douglas acted as the moderator, and Chairman
Justin Dart the keynoter.  The panel featured former Ohio Governor Richard
Celeste, Director of the President's Health Care Campaign, Sue Daniels
of the Department of Health and Human Services, Gina McDonald of the
National Council of Independent Living and Janet O'Keeffe, Marty Ford
and Tony Young of the Consortium of Citizens with Disabilities.  There
was very substantial dialogue on the major health care concerns of the
disability community.  America's Disability Channel video-taped the
meeting at the central Washington site; it was aired later.

The Network Participants

Participants for the Operation People First network were identified
and contacted by the project team with the assistance of national constituency
groups, representatives of state Governor's Committees and disability
community leaders.  In all cases, a careful effort was made to identify
and include persons who were democratically selected representatives
of the major disability community constituencies, or who were recommended
by their colleagues in their communities to be representatives at large.
 When designated representatives were unable to participate due to scheduling
conflicts, they were encouraged to chose a proxy to participate
in their place.  While the project team attempted to ensure representation
of the major constituencies in each state, this was not possible in
every instance due to technical and logistical problems. 

However, more than 1,200 leaders of every major disability constituency
in every state participated in Operation People First.  Most participants
were the democratically selected representatives of thousands of other
people.  Each person spoke.  Unlike opinion polls that limit responses
to one version of one issue, all participants expressed their opinions
about issues of their choosing.  All participants had the opportunity
to advise and question their government on a wide range of policies.
 All had the benefit of immediate feedback from their state level colleagues,
as well as national officials.   Many leaders who were not able to participate
in the scheduled call were interviewed separately by staff members of
the project.  An unprecedented sampling of informed opinion occurred.
 An unprecedented experiment in empowerment was begun.

Wherever possible, at least one representative from each of the following
numbered groupings of major disability constituencies, agencies and
organizations was included in every teleconference.

1.  Governor's Committees on Disability (or equivalent entity)
2.  AIDS community - AIDS Coalition, ACT-UP, other
3.  American Council of the Blind affiliate, or equivalent representative
of the community of   persons with visual impairments
4.  ADA state coordinating entity,  Disability Rights Education and
Defense Fund (DREDF)      trainer, regional Disability and Business
Technology Access Centers (DBTAC) and  other entities related to ADA
implementation.
5.  AFL-CIO
6.  American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (ADAPT)
7.  Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) -- State liaison
8.  Developmental Disabilities Planning Council
9.  The Arc (formerly Association for Retarded Citizens), TASH, Parent
Network, United  Cerebral Palsy affiliates
10.  Brain Injury Survivors, National Head Injury Foundation
11.  Epilepsy, learning disabilities and other "hidden" disabilities

12.  Independent Living
13.  National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, Mental Health Association
affiliates 
14.  National Association of the Deaf affiliate, or equivalent representative
of persons who are  deaf
15.  National Association of Psychiatric Survivors, National Mental
Health Consumers             Association, National Mental Health Consumer
Self-Help Clearing House  (people          with psychiatric disabilities
advocating for themselves).
16.  Paralyzed Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans affiliates,
other veterans         groups.
17.  People First, Self-Advocates, Speaking for Ourselves (people labeled
mentally retarded       advocating for themselves)
18.  Protection and Advocacy entities
19.  State Coalitions for People with Disabilities
20.  State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency and other rehabilitation
agencies for persons with  blindness and deafness, where those exist
21.  Representatives at large -- individuals whose historic contributions
have qualified them for  participation in meaningful policy dialogue
  
Representatives from many other groups were included in states where
such groups were recommended as being particularly active in disability
community affairs.  

State representatives of the National Federation of the Blind participated
in the early phase of the project.  However, the leadership of the organization
requested that President's Committee solicit input exclusively from
their national office.  This request was honored.

There is no illusion that this list includes all constituencies of the
vast, diverse disability community, or that impact disability policy.
 It does reflect a sincere effort to include as many of the real players
in the disability movement as could reasonably speak on one state teleconference
, and that could reasonably be in ongoing personal contact with President's
Committee staff at this time.   

Staff will continue to update and expand the list of people and organizations
active in the ongoing disability community network.  

II.  PRIMARY RECOMMENDATION

As a result of initiating Operation People First and conferring with
the network of disability-community leaders identified, we have reached
an overriding conclusion and recommendation beyond the more specific
findings and recommendations enumerated below. The nation lacks a coordinated
and comprehensive policy that is consistent with and supportive of the
purposes of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) so eloquently
stated by Congress in Section 2. Findings and Purposes of the Act. The
United States lacks coordinated, comprehensive programs and laws that
empower people with disabilities in the political, economic and social
mainstream of our culture.

Thus, we recommend the development of a coordinated, comprehensive national
disability policy that is driven by and consistent with the ADA.  This
policy should be developed over the next several years, complete with
legislative language, regulatory and programmatic change, and budget
recommendations.  Every government program, specific to individuals
with disabilities and generic, should be considered -- from employment
and training to income supports, rehabilitation, education, housing,
transportation, health care, personal supports, recreation, etc.  It
should then be presented to the President and the Congress.  This policy
planning process should be undertaken with the complete cooperation
of all federal government agencies, including financial and personnel
resources as necessary, to complete the task in a timely manner.

The President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities
advises the President and the federal government on policy and programs
to develop maximum employment opportunities for people with disabilities,
and provides the nation with public education and cooperation among
organizations and agencies to achieve this end.  Consistent with this
role the President's Committee is prepared to work with the National
Council on Disability and other government agencies in carrying out
the primary recommendation of this report.

III.  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The following 11 points represent the major findings of Operation People
First.  These points were repeatedly stressed by participants as the
crucial building blocks for progress by people with disabilities.  These
issues are the principal remaining barriers to employment for people
with disabilities.

For racial, ethnic, and Native American minorities with disabilities,
these issues are even more problematic.  Special initiatives need to
be developed to ensure that minority groups, including African-Americans,
Asian- Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans, receive equal access
to information, treatment and services for people with disabilities.

Among them, three stood out as top priority.  Nearly unanimous support
was expressed for (1) health care reform, (2) ADA enforcement, and (3)
empowerment.
 
1.  Health Care.  Reform of the nation's health care system was cited
as a major concern by almost all 1,200 teleconference participants.
 Fair, effective reform of the health care system is clearly the number
one priority of the disability community.  For real empowerment to occur,
a health care system must be established guaranteeing universal coverage,
a comprehensive package of services to include long-term care, and affordable
delivery of services in a manner that meets the needs of consumers.

2.  ADA Enforcement and Implementation.  The legal framework to assure
full equality and equal opportunity for people with disabilities has
been created with ADA's passage.  A vigorous implementation and enforcement
program must be pursued to ensure that the goals of ADA are met.  Such
a program should include broad educational measures for employers, government
officials, media, and people with disabilities.  It should also include
effective enforcement tools and real sanctions for non-compliance.

3.  Advocacy and Empowerment.  The ADA is a means to an end, not an
end in itself.  To take advantage of the opportunities for change presented
by the law, people with disabilities must become educated about their
rights, must assume the responsibility of self-advocacy, and must seek
ways to cooperate in order to make their presence felt at all levels
of decision making.  

4.  Personal Assistance Services.  The establishment of affordable,
accessible and consumer-

controlled personal assistance services for people with disabilities
ranked among the groups' highest priorities.  Access to such services
represent to many the basic precondition of independence, equality and
dignity. 

5.  Parity of Coverage for Mental Health.  The stigma attached to mental,
cognitive and
psychiatric disabilities needs to be overcome.  A critical first step
towards that goal would be to ensure that parity of health care coverage
for people with mental-health disabilities is included as a component
of any health care reform package.

6.  Removal of Work Disincentives.  Rules and regulations built into
Social Security disability programs, Medicaid, Medicare, and other welfare
programs often make work and independence difficult and often impossible
for people with disabilities.  The entire spectrum of programs for people
with disabilities must be reviewed and such disincentives abolished.

7.  Inclusive Education.  The process of full and meaningful  inclusion
in the schools for all young people with disabilities is the starting
point for real social change and integration in all walks of life. 
This effort must become a national priority.  However, the transition
to equal, integrated education must be accompanied by a thoughtful consideration
 of the special needs and requirements of all people with disabilities,
and should not serve as an excuse to withhold necessary services for
children who require them.

8.  Effective Transition Programs.  In order not to lose a vast number
of potentially productive, contributing members of society to the trap
of post-graduate dependence and isolation, effective transition programs,
work-study programs, and vocational training must be made available
in schools and after graduation to all young persons with disabilities
who need them.

9.  Housing.  There is a tremendous need nationwide for affordable,
accessible, integrated and safe housing for people with all sorts of
disabilities.  People with mental and physical disabilities account
for a high percentage of the homeless.

10.  Transportation.  Employment, education, health care and many other
opportunities are often not available without transportation.  In urban
areas, there is a tremendous need for additional transportation services
for people with disabilities who are unable to use mainline systems.
 The need for effective paratransit services for people with disabilities
is critical throughout rural America.

11.  Attitudinal Change.  A broad, society-wide effort to change attitudes
about disability and about people with disabilities needs to be carried
out.  Responsibility for this effort extends from members of the electronic
and print media, educators, health care professionals, textbook writers
and program administrators to employers, and, not least significantly,
people with disabilities themselves.
IV.  PROJECT FINDINGS

Health Care

Health care reform clearly emerged from the teleconference discussions
as the number one concern of people in the disability community.  The
implementation of a national health care plan with universal coverage
for all Americans would do more to help people with disabilities enter
the job market than perhaps any other measure.  Many people with disabilities
on Social Security Administration programs would be freed from worry
that taking a job might endanger their Medicaid or Medicare benefits.
 At the same time, employers would be relieved of the burden of assuming
higher health insurance payments for new employees with disabilities.
 As it currently exists, the employment-based health care system exerts
subtle disincentives to businesses, particularly small businesses, to
hire people with disabilities.

Many participants listed health care reform as their single greatest
concern, and nearly all participants agreed that health care reform
was a prerequisite for advancement on issues like employment, quality
of life, and independent living.  Without access to adequate, affordable
care, people with disabilities will continue to face tremendous obstacles
integrating into the mainstream of American life.  

In general, Operation People First participants were highly supportive
of the health care reform plan endorsed by the Consortium For Citizens
With Disabilities (CCD).  The CCD plan states that any ultimate solution
to the health care crisis must be based on the principle of non-discrimination,
ensuring that people with disabilities of all ages and their families
have the opportunity to fully participate.  

The CCD would define a successful health care system as one that offers
a comprehensive array of health, personal and support services, a system
that ensures that these services are appropriate in that they are provided
on the basis of each individual's need, personal choice, and circumstances.
 Additionally, it holds that any truly effective solution must be equitable,
ensuring that no group of people bears a disproportionate burden.  Finally,
the CCD asserts that an effective and accessible health care system
must be efficient, ensuring that system resources are utilized to meet
health care needs.  The CCD strongly supports the right to health care
for all persons regardless of income or health status.

Operation People First participants stressed that any health care reform
package should include the following core set of features:

* Comprehensive, universal coverage
* Long-term care
* Coverage for catastrophic illness
* Personal Assistance Services and assistive technology, including durable
medical   equipment
* Ensured access to specialists, drugs, and new medical technologies
* No pre-existing condition clauses and
* Parity of coverage for treatment of mental and psychiatric illnesses.

Members of the disability community disagree over the final form that
a reformed health plan should take.  However, participants expressed
a noticeable preference for a single-payer system.  "Managed Competition"
as a reform model was greeted skeptically.  They also detailed several
related health maintenance issues.

* Recreation programs and preventative services for people with disabilities
are an often overlooked but important component of a well-rounded mental
and physical health care program. 

* Prevention efforts, particularly in such fast-growing disability areas
as brain injury and AIDS, need to be intensified.  Broad-based education
efforts can greatly decrease the rate of disability in these areas.

* Participants repeatedly stressed the need to break from the traditional
"medical model" of disability health care, which emphasizes the treatment
of illness through institutional and technological systems dictated
by health-care professionals.  In its place they advocate the adoption
of a "social model" stressing community-based care, independent living,
quality of life, and services which are in the control of people with
disabilities themselves.  

* Service and health care providers need to expand focus to encompass
a "continuum of care" focus on individual needs through better case
management, and incorporate new techniques for "futures planning" into
services and programs.

* Training and education of doctors and medical professionals regarding
treatment and care of people with disabilities, particularly treatment
of people with AIDS or people who are HIV positive, needs to be improved.

Personal Assistance Services

Personal assistance services are a high-priority concern of the disability
community.  Approximately 17 percent of teleconference participants
cited personal assistance services as the single most significant issue
facing people with disabilities.  As one said, "Equal rights
don't mean much if you can't get out of bed."  

* Support is strong among participants for the proposal advocated by
the disability rights group American Disabled for Attendant Programs
Today (ADAPT).  The ADAPT proposal advocates shifting 25 percent of
federal Medicaid funds that currently are spent on nursing homes to
personal assistance and in-home care programs.

* Participants stressed that any system of personal assistance services
must be community based and consumer driven, providing users of personal
assistance services the greatest latitude to choose appropriate and
effective programs.

ADA Implementation and Enforcement

An important outcome of the project involved the collection of  impressions
on the success and effectiveness of the Americans with Disabilities
Act and the identification of areas of difficulty in its implementation
and enforcement.  The consensus among project participants was that
not enough resources are being devoted at either state or federal levels
to implement and enforce the ADA.  A number of general issues related
to ADA implementation and enforcement were identified.

* There is an overwhelming need for wider dissemination of information
about ADA to businesses, local and state governments, and individuals
with disabilities.  Practical and specific information must be provided
to employers on how to make reasonable accommodations which address
the needs of specific disabilities in a variety of work settings.  Such
information must be made available in bilingual and alternative formats
accessible to non-English speaking Americans and people who are blind
and those with cognitive and learning disabilities.  
 
* Methods need to be developed to identify and sanction responsible
and reputable providers of information on ADA compliance.  Currently,
too much conflicting and inaccurate information is being provided by
individuals seeking to make money from well-intentioned but uninformed
employers.

* Too many employers are not taking forceful, proactive steps to comply
with ADA and instead are waiting to see if the law will be enforced.
 Strong encouragement from the highest levels of government is critical
to ensure that everyone understands America is committed to the full,
speedy implementation of ADA.  Additionally, Americans need to be informed
that compliance with the law is not only a duty but will deliver many
benefits, including an expanded market of consumers and a more productive
and higher quality workforce.
* Across the nation, from New York City to southern Oregon, many small
employers and places of public accommodations continue to ignore the
law.  Special initiatives such as expanded tax credits and educational
efforts need to be targeted towards this sector.  This is of critical
importance in many rural states like Iowa and Vermont, where small businesses
provide the vast majority of employment opportunities.

* Many state and local governments and elected officials have been slow
to respond to ADA obligations, essentially the same ones they have ignored
since the passage of  Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
 Many disability leaders are frustrated and exasperated by what they
perceive to be foot dragging on compliance with Title II of the ADA.

* Local governments, frequently strapped for resources, desire federal
assistance earmarked for barrier removal.

* Greater efforts need to be made to educate employers on how to accommodate
people who have AIDS or are HIV positive and people who have mental,
cognitive or psychiatric disabilities.  These groups remain among the
most discriminated against in America.  Often, simple measures such
as the adoption of more flexible work schedules to accommodate particular
needs are all reasonable-accommodation standards require.

Jobs and employment issues are at the heart of the ADA and are critical
to all people with disabilities.  In recognition of this, Title I of
the ADA prohibits discrimination in employment against people with disabilities.
  Disability advocates made it clear that full equality for people with
disabilities will not be possible until they are fully integrated in
the workplace as equal partners, co-workers, government officials and
independent business persons.  Work guarantees income and provides the
cornerstone of independence and dignity for all people with disabilities.
 Employment of people with disabilities, furthermore, represents a dramatic
enrichment of society in general, as it supplies a new source of qualified,
trained workers, enhances workplace diversity, and removes dependents
from the welfare roles and places them onto the tax rolls.   Participants
identified specific issues related to employment.

* Employer, union, and the worker with a disability must engage in discussions
to resolve conflicts between ADA and collective bargaining agreements.
 Occasionally, the union's responsibility to represent all of its members
under collective bargaining procedures--on issues like job-sharing or
seniority, for example--can infringe on the rights of individuals under
the ADA.

* States need to review their workers' compensation laws to ensure that
they are in harmony with the ADA.

* Alternative methods of dispute resolution and mediation need to be
developed in order to speed the enforcement and implementation of ADA.

* DOJ and EEOC need larger staffs devoted to ADA enforcement and claims
investigation.  Also needed: (1) screening mechanisms to quicken the
response time for DOJ and EEOC to act on legitimate complaints, and
(2) a reduction in paperwork required to file a claim under ADA.

Title II, Subpart B of the ADA requires that transportation programs
and services of local, state and other nonfederal government agencies
be accessible to people with disabilities.  Despite the mandates included
in Title II of the ADA, people with disabilities across the country
still are finding transportation a significant obstacle to employment,
socialization and the economic marketplace.  More than 20 percent of
Operation People First participants named transportation as one of the
most significant issues facing people with disabilities.
 
* Transportation issues rank particularly high in rural areas like Iowa,
Wyoming, and upstate New York, where long distances and thin population
concentrations make convenient and accessible public transportation
scarce yet correspondingly critical.  
 Though ADA mandates existing systems to be accessible, the real problem,
particularly in rural areas, is that often no transportation systems
exist at all.

* Paratransit systems are not complying with ADA standards.  One Tennessean
noted that in her area of the state a 14-day lead time was required
to schedule a simple ride to the grocery store.

* As mainline urban transit systems are made accessible according to
ADA standards and urban paratransit is only provided to those who cannot
use the mainline system, people with disabilities must accept their
responsibility to transition from specialized paratransit systems to
general mass transit.

Title III of the ADA covers a broad spectrum of entities: places of
business and commerce, educational institutions, recreational facilities
and social service centers.  It requires that readily achievable alterations
to existing facilities be made, that all new construction of facilities
and most alterations of existing facilities in public and commercial
facilities be accessible to people with disabilities, and that places
of public accommodation use auxiliary aids and services for effective
communications.  

* Compliance with the accessibility requirements for public accommodations
continues at a slow, spotty pace.  A leader from the deaf community,
for example, noted that more than 90 percent of the motel and hotel
facilities he visited in Oregon have not provided auxiliary aids and
services for people who are deaf.
* Other participants noted that compliance in public accommodations
might approach no better than 20 percent.  And some participants indicated
that in their states major new construction projects are being erected
that do not comply with ADA accessibility guidelines.

* Greater efforts need to be made to encourage builders and designers
to adopt universal design standards. 

* Despite the clear language of ADA, people with disabilities continue
to find establishments refusing to allow entry of service animals and
guide dogs.

* The cost of interpreter services was an often cited problem in providing
access to public accommodations for people who are deaf.  

One of the most significant barriers to the full inclusion of many people
with disabilities is the lack of a fully responsive and easily accessible
communications network.  People with hearing and visual disabilities
in particular often find access to information and communication a critical,
though unnecessary, obstacle to employment, social interaction, and
access to basic services like medical care.  

* While the deployment of a high-technology fiberoptic telecommunications
system--featuring high-quality interactive information retrieval and
communications, and enabling people to work, shop, socialize and learn
at home--promises dramatic improvement for many persons, disabled and
non-disabled alike, in the quality of living, the builders of these
systems must take note of certain important principles.  At minimum,
any new interactive communications system must be accessible to people
with all kinds of disabilities and must never be used to circumvent
accommodation requirements or to keep people with disabilities segregated
in their homes. 
 
* Because of ADA, the demand for interpreter services for people who
are deaf or hearing-impaired has greatly increased.  This has placed
a tremendous strain on interpreter resources in many places, which already
are stretched thin due to the scarcity of competent, trained interpreters.
 Steps need to be taken to resolve this problem.  Suggestions include
expanded funding for interpreter training, better certification standards
to ensure the quality of interpreter services, and encouraging schools
and universities to include ASL as a standard part of their language
department curricula.

* The responsibility to provide interpreter services to facilitate interactions
between people with hearing disabilities and doctors and other health
care professionals needs to be fully understood by the health care industry.
Removal of Barriers to Work from Social Services and Creation of Employment
Opportunities

Unfortunately, people with disabilities continue to be unemployed at
a shockingly high rate.  According to the Census Bureau, 70 percent
of all working-age persons with disabilities are unemployed.  And the
vast majority of those who do have jobs are underemployed.  The reasons
for this unacceptably high rate of unemployment are multiple and complex.
 Confusing rules, arcane procedures, and disincentives built into government
programs and services like Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid, and welfare create
tremendous barriers for people with disabilities and must be addressed.
 

There are myriad regulations and rules built into the complex network
of social services programs which have the perverse effect of discouraging
otherwise qualified and eager job seekers with disabilities from obtaining
employment.  These rules must be changed so that people with disabilities
can enter the workforce without fear of losing critical health care
benefits or supplemental income.

For example, restrictions and regulations of programs such as Vocational
Rehabilitation often have the adverse effect of discouraging people
qualified and able to work part-time from seeking employment and training.
 A better understanding and a quicker implementation of the 1992 Amendments
to the Vocational Rehabilitation Act would help to alleviate this problem.

Disincentives are a paramount reason behind the stubbornly high rate
of unemployment of people with disabilities.  Of those participants
who indicated that jobs and employment were a primary concern, nearly
30 percent cited disincentives as the most significant obstacle preventing
people with disabilities from entering the workforce.  Because of their
often substantial health care needs, people with disabilities are frequently
reluctant to jeopardize their access to government-provided benefits
or supplements.  Those with mental disabilities are particularly sensitive
to the problem, as the costs of necessary medication are high and the
earnings threshold for losing Medicaid or Medicare benefits is low.
 

Disability advocates are united in the belief that by removing disincentives
to work, people with disabilities can get off the welfare rolls and
onto the tax rolls, and contribute their fair share to the enrichment
of society.

* The fear of losing Medicaid and Medicare benefits constitutes perhaps
the single greatest barrier to employment for people with disabilities.
 Universal coverage for health care regardless of employment status
would go a long way towards removing barriers to work and opportunities
for career advancement.

* With SSI and SSDI the regulations governing the proper dispensation
of disability benefits under Social Security, especially its Work Incentives
program, are so complex and convoluted that even persons working for
the Social Security Administration do not understand how to properly
administer them.

* In some states, access to vocational rehabilitation services is restricted
to persons capable of working a certain minimum number of hours per
week.  People with certain disabilities, such as psychiatric disabilities
or AIDS, often are only able to work part-time and thus sometimes fail
to meet this requirement.  Because of their disability, they are unfairly
closed out of programs that would make them more employable workers.
 These program restrictions need to be reviewed on a state-by-state
basis.

* People with disabilities need assistance in all areas of employment,
including education and vocational training for proper job skills, increased
supported employment opportunities, and a greater effort by employers
to make reasonable accommodations for people with both physical and
mental disabilities.

* More focus must be placed on assuring quality employment and real
career opportunities for people with disabilities, rather than simple
make-work occupations.  

* There is a need for financial assistance for independent businesses
owned and operated by people with disabilities.  The Small Business
Administration should ease access to business loans for people with
disabilities under the Handicapped Assistance Loans program.

* People with disabilities have a right to participate in business entrepreneurs
hip, and must therefore have equal access to business loans and government
contracts.  An equal share of government contracts should be made available
by amending existing minority contracting rules to include people with
disabilities (Section 8A Set-Asides).

* Any government-sponsored jobs program, such as a national job corps,
or broad-based worker retraining program should specifically target
people with disabilities.  

* The Clinton administration should continue to set an example for states
and the private sector by appointing qualified individuals with disabilities
to high-ranking administration positions.  

Mental Health Issues

People with mental, cognitive, and psychiatric disabilities constitute
perhaps the single most
persecuted and least understood group of individuals in the disability
community.  The stigma associated with mental illness remains an oppressive
obstacle to employment and integration, hampering the efforts of people
with mental disabilities to enter the workforce, attend schools and
contribute their talents and energy to society.

The greatest programmatic concern of participants involved with mental
health issues was establishing parity in the provision of health care
services for treatment of mental and psychiatric illness.  Currently,
state Medicaid programs cap funding for mental health treatment at levels
so low they do not come close to meeting the needs of most persons requiring
such treatment.  Levels of coverage for treatment of mental disorders
are dramatically lower than those for comparable physical disorders.
 Participants in the project strongly support efforts by Vice President
Al Gore's wife, Tipper Gore, and others serving on the White House Health
Care Reform Task Force to expand coverage for mental disorders.

* Many attitudinal barriers towards people with mental disabilities
can be overcome by concerted efforts to educate employers and the community
at large, and by better integrating people with mental disabilities
into the community to increase society's comfort level with and understanding
of them. 

* Greater efforts must be made to educate employers about their responsibilities
 under ADA to develop appropriate reasonable accommodations for people
with mental and psychiatric disabilities.  Often, this simply means
encouraging employers to provide flexible and part-time work schedules
for employees who need them.

* People with all kinds of disabilities are at a disproportionately
high risk of alcohol and substance abuse problems.  Greater treatment
and rehabilitation efforts are required to treat these problems. The
frequently encountered bias against inclusion in these programs of persons
with disabilities, such as those who have AIDS or are HIV positive,
must be overcome.

* Procedures involving the involuntary institutionalization and treatment
of people with mental and psychiatric disabilities must be closely scrutinized,
with the presumption that such action is almost always a violation of
the civil rights of those persons.  

Advocacy, Coalition Building, and Empowerment

Empowerment rests at the heart of the disability-rights movement.  People
with disabilities seek to free themselves from the chains of a paternalistic
social service system and assume the full range of rights and responsibilities
that accompany the status of equal citizenship.  Participants repeatedly
stressed a concern that people in the disability community were not
getting sufficient information about their rights under ADA, and thus
were not taking proper advantage of the opportunities opened up to them
by the law.

* There is a powerful need to expand efforts to educate and train people
with disabilities about their rights and responsibilities provided under
ADA.

* Training and development of self-advocacy skills is also critical
to the further empowerment of people with disabilities.  In many places
across the country, particularly in many rural areas, self-advocacy
groups are ineffective or non-existent.

* Coalition building and increased cooperative efforts must be encouraged
among different constituencies in the disability community.  As one
participant noted, "None of us have the Cadillac of disabilities."

* Empowerment would be strongly bolstered by the formation of a broad,
national organization for people with disabilities, similar to AARP,
NOW and the NAACP, that would provide a focus for united advocacy efforts
on a national basis and support full-time lobbyists in Washington to
represent to Congress and the federal administration the needs of all
people with disabilities.

* People with disabilities must be recruited to oversee and implement
programs and services, like state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies
and special-education programs, targeted towards the disability community.

* A greater emphasis must be placed on consumer choice and satisfaction
in the delivery of services to people with disabilities.  It was suggested
that government undertake a nationwide research project designed to
measure consumer satisfaction with disability programs and services.

Education and the Schools

High quality education and vocational training from pre-school to post
graduate levels is the best way to ensure that people with disabilities
integrate effectively into the economic marketplace and become full
citizens and active, productive members of society.  This can be most
effectively achieved through the inclusion of people with disabilities
into mainstream education.

Currently, the national drop-out rate for children with disabilities
hovers near 35 percent, and literacy rates for students with disabilities
are well below their peers without disabilities.  Aggressive measures
must be developed and implemented by professional educators to reverse
the unacceptably high drop-out and illiteracy rates and prepare young
adults with disabilities to enter the workforce, get post-graduate vocational
training, or go to college.
  
The main aim of persons concerned with education issues and of parents,
is to facilitate full integration  of children with disabilities to
the greatest extent possible into the classroom.  Most participants
stressed that integration, or "inclusion," is the best way to raise
the self-esteem and self-expectations of children with disabilities,
and to accustom their peers to work and live with them side by side
throughout their lives.  

* Efforts to achieve full inclusion require a better understanding of
the principles behind meaningful mainstreaming, and should be expanded
beyond the traditional classroom to include participation in music and
gym classes, recreation programs, and the whole range of extracurricular
activities that are a fundamental part of a child's educational experience.

* Full inclusion requires the provision of trained specialists to assist
teachers in the classroom.  As New York State has demonstrated, it is
possible to take great strides towards integration of special education
students into the mainstream by abolishing special education classes
and reassigning special education teachers to provide schoolwide assistance,
training, and consulting.

* The special concerns of particular disability constituencies, such
as people who are deaf and hearing-impaired, learning disabled, blind
and sight impaired, and severely disabled, must be taken into account
as the mainstreaming process is carried forward.  Many representatives
of the deaf community, for example, are concerned that education programs
designed for persons with hearing will inevitably disadvantage those
without hearing.  In such circumstances, some fear, inclusion of children
who are deaf in mainstream programs will result in a loss of the mastery
of American Sign Language and of the unique culture in the deaf community.
 

* Similarly, some participants were concerned that an overemphasis on
mainstreaming will disadvantage students with highly specialized needs,
like children with severe retardation, who may not receive the focused
attention in the regular classroom that they would in specially designed
programs.

* Transition programs must be developed and implemented for graduating
students with disabilities.  Too often, these students graduate from
a social environment in which they received a great deal of attention
and counseling, only to be thrust into the world at age 18, unprepared
to work and cut off from any vocational aid, counseling, or assistance.

* High school students must be better prepared to enter the job market
after graduation.  Internship programs, work-study programs, vocational
training programs, and business partnerships with schools have proven
highly successful where they have been implemented and need to be expanded
to serve all students with disabilities.

* Adult education and vocational training programs need to be expanded
to allow more persons with disabilities to acquire the skills necessary
to take advantage of their right to compete for jobs as guaranteed by
the ADA's employment provisions.

Attitudinal Change

Stigma and discrimination are being fought by all people with disabilities.
 This is the key to effecting a transformation of the role of people
with disabilities in the community and society.   
* The media can become a powerful and effective tool to change attitudes
towards people with disabilities.  Coverage should emphasize the empowerment
of individuals, rather than focus on the human-interest side of disability,
or overstate the costs and problems of disability and the implementation
of ADA.  It is primarily the responsibility of activists and advocates
in the disability community to lead the campaign for effective, truthful,
and positive coverage of the issues affecting people with disabilities.

* Employers must be educated that people with disabilities have skills
and alternative methods of accomplishing job tasks effectively.  For
example, people who are blind can often work just as effectively as
sighted persons by taking advantage of voice and braille communication
techniques.

* In discussions of health care reform, such as took place recently
over Oregon's new health care plan, it is often assumed that people
with disabilities are "unhealthy," and thus deserve a low-priority for
treatment.  However, people with disabilities are often perfectly healthy
and have the same life expectancy as people without disabilities.  The
common correlation between disability and sickness must be replaced
by an understanding that all people deserve equal care and attention
to their particular needs.

* Efforts to overcome stigma against people with disabilities must begin
early and be pursued aggressively through such steps as school textbook
reform, sensitivity training for elementary, junior high, and high school
students, greater integration and assimilation of people with disabilities
in all community activities, positive media coverage, and the positive
representation of people with disabilities in advertising campaigns,
movies and television programs.

* Attitudes of people with disabilities must also change.  People must
recognize that with rights also come responsibilities, and people with
disabilities must accept their responsibility to become fully equal
citizens and contributors to a better America.

Minority Issues

For minority persons with disabilities, many of the problems faced by
other persons with disabilities are doubly compounded.  Minorities with
disabilities are often discriminated against in the delivery of services.
 The dissemination of information to minority communities is even more
inadequate than to the general disability community, and many minorities
living in urban, inner city environments find even fewer resources are
available to meet their needs.

Native Americans with disabilities also face distinctive obstacles.
 Because of the legal relationship between the Indian nations and the
federal government, provisions of the ADA do not extend to many Native
Americans.  Special initiatives emphasizing cooperation with Native
American leaders are needed to ensure that the benefits of ADA are extended
to all persons with disabilities.

V.  CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Disability Action Plan

As a nation, we lack a coordinated and comprehensive policy towards
disability that accords with the ADA.  The ADA has been a major first
step towards creating a structure of empowerment for people with disabilities
to maximize their potential.  But it is not by itself enough.  America
needs a comprehensive disability policy.  Laws, regulations, programs,
and services on both the federal and state level need to be revisited
to ensure that they are philosophically and programmatically in tune
with the spirit and letter of ADA.  Everything should be put on the
table: state workers' compensation laws; health care reform; Social
Security Administration disability programs; housing services; transportation
services; welfare programs; tax code provisions related to disability;
vocational rehabilitation; developmental disability laws and programs,
etc.  They should all be reworked as needed to develop a coordinated,
philosophically consistent national disability policy that empowers
people with disabilities and puts them in control of their own destiny.
 The fragmented array of services now available need to be coordinated
and made more easily accessible to people with disabilities.  Government
jurisdiction over disability needs to be rationalized and ordered to
ensure clear communication of national priorities and goals.  

The primary recommendation of this report is that the federal government
undertake the development of a coordinated, comprehensive national disability
policy that is driven by and consistent with the ADA.  This policy should
be developed over the next several years, complete with legislative
language, regulatory and programmatic change, and budget recommendations.
 It should then be presented to the President and the Congress.  This
task is totally within the purpose, scope and charge of the President's
Committee and the National Council on Disability.  The President's Committee
and the Council would need no additional authority and could commence
work on the task immediately.

The President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities
advises the President and the federal government on policy and programs
to develop maximum employment opportunities for people with disabilities,
and provides the nation with public education and cooperation among
organizations and agencies to achieve this end.  Consistent with this
role the President's Committee is prepared to work cooperatively with
the National Council on Disability in carrying out the primary recommendation
of this report.  The President's Committee will also play a role, as
appropriate, in the implementation of recommendations enumerated below.

The following additional recommendations are based on the comments made
by Operation People First participants and would support the formation
of a national disability policy.  To
assure continued progress for people with disabilities, these recommended
actions should immediately be taken by government, business, media and
the disability community.  Only by pursuing an aggressive, forward-looking
agenda for change will the most important goals of ADA and of people
who support fairness, equality, increased productivity and full inclusion
of all Americans be reached and the intent of Congress fulfilled.  President
Clinton has pledged to revolutionize American government by empowering
individual citizens in the governmental process.  The following steps
represent an immediate agenda designed to put People First.

ADA Implementation

Though significant advances have been made in many areas due to ADA,
participants in nearly every state complained of a slow response by
state and local government officials to implement and enforce the law,
and by the business community--particularly small business--to comply
with its provisions.

Numerous states were specifically named by participants as taking a
 "wait-and-see" attitude towards ADA enforcement and implementation.

Following is a list of recommendations for the federal government to
increase effectiveness and efficiency of the ADA:

 1. Improve and increase efforts to educate employers and state and
local government   officials about ADA.

 2. Provide strong leadership from White House on ADA enforcement.

 3. Develop, refine and better communicate methods of  "reasonable accommodation
,"    in particular, the accommodation needs of people with mental health
            

conditions, developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, brain
injuries,             chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple chemical
sensitivity.

 4. Develop and institute alternative methods of dispute resolution
and mediation to   speed the enforcement and implementation of ADA.

 5. Provide larger staffs for DOJ and EEOC for ADA enforcement and claims
        
  
investigation.

Recommendations to Government

Government should lead by forming partnerships with business, state
and local governments, the schools, and the disability community to
create integrated programs that meet the needs of everyone.

Government could also facilitate employment by establishing a national
database or archive of job opportunities and training programs for people
with disabilities.

The current administration should immediately take steps: to change
Medicaid-waiver procedures to allow states to pursue innovative strategies
for more community based services for people with disabilities, and
to mandate the closing of inappropriate, dehumanizing institutions for
people with developmental and psychiatric disabilities.  

Special initiatives need to be designed to improve the whole spectrum
of services available in rural areas.  In particular, more transportation
services should be established for people with disabilities.

Likewise, initiatives targeted at other underserved populations, including
elderly persons and minorities with disabilities need to be developed.

Recommendations to Business

Business should take proactive steps to comply with the ADA and to recruit,
hire, train, and retain people with disabilities.

Employers should seek out more information on ADA and become better
informed about different kinds of "reasonable accommodations," particularly
for people with cognitive and psychiatric disabilities.  The Job Accommodation
Network (JAN) sponsored by the President's Committee on Employment of
People with Disabilities is a valuable resource which can play an important
role in this educational process.

 
Recommendations to Media

The media should seek to cover people with disabilities in a responsible,
dignified manner, and eschew coverage which condescends, pities, or
demeans people with disabilities.  

The media should focus coverage of people with disabilities on positive
accomplishments, successful integration into the mainstream, and the
civil rights struggle of ADA.  People with
disabilities must be covered as people first, not as representative
"disability types."

Film and television media should seek to include people with disabilities
as real, central characters in programming.  People with disabilities
need to be seen as normal, capable, three-dimensional individuals with
human needs and human problems, including involvement in romantic and
sexual relationships.

The advertising community should include people with disabilities in
advertising imagery and media.  The 49 million Americans with disabilities
represent an enormous potential market to which the advertising and
business communities should appeal directly.

Like every other sector of the employment community, the media should
provide opportunities for qualified people with disabilities to work
as reporters, anchors, editors and correspondents.

Recommendations to the Disability Community

People with disabilities should empower themselves by becoming fully
educated about their rights and responsibilities under ADA, and seek
actively to defend those rights and advocate on behalf of themselves
in all public forums, including in the media and in governmental arenas.

People with disabilities should consider greatly expanding an existing
national organization,  or creating a new one, to advocate their civil
and social rights,   Although various disability constituencies have
excellent advocacy representatives in Washington, there is no organization
with the staff and the responsibility to represent the disability community
as a whole. 

All disability constituencies and organizations should work together,
building effective coalitions and presenting a united front in order
to be maximally effective in political struggles at all levels of government,
particularly the state and local levels.

VI.  APPENDICES

Appendix A:  Statistical Summary

Top Priority Issue Areas:   No. of  Times Listed First Percentage

ADA Enforcement and Implementation   403    38.5%
Health Care *      354    33.8%
Empowerment and Advocacy     281    26.8%
Employment       280    26.7%
Education       221    21.1%
Personal Assistance Services    179    17.1%
Transportation      147    14.0%
Housing       145    13.8%
Mental Health      103      9.8%
Attitudes       101      9.6%
Work Disincentives        94      9.0%
Assistive Technology       83      7.9%

* While health care was not the issue most often identified first by
the participants, it was the single most often mentioned issue in all
of the teleconference calls.  Over 80 percent of the participants mentioned
health care for people with disabilities as one of their issues of concern.

Appendix B:  Comments on the Teleconference Format and Methodology

1. Teleconference format refinement:  As the project proceeded, some
refinements were made in the teleconference format in order to improve
the quality of discussion and enhance the effectiveness of the calls.
 In the first few teleconferences, the President's Committee attempted
to conduct an informal poll of six important issues affecting people
with disabilities, including health care, personal assistance services,
new telecommunications technology, and the federal budget deficit. 
However, in response to a sense of unease among participants in casting
simple yes-no votes on highly complex issues like health care, the poll
was dropped from the teleconference format. 

2. Inclusion of people who are deaf: Including people with deafness
provided a particular challenge for participation in the telephone conference
format.   In general, such individuals used the services of an interpreter
to facilitate their participation in the teleconference.  The President's
Committee paid the costs of the interpreter when it was requested. 
However, due to the scarcity of qualified interpreters and short time
frames, individuals often found it impossible to arrange for interpreter
services in time.  In these cases, the President's Committee interviewed
individuals with deafness separately by TDD or through a relay service.
 The President's Committee recognized that this was a sub-optimal solution
to the problem of full inclusion of persons who are deaf, and is seeking
better ways to ensure full participation.

3. Inclusion of people with visual disabilities:  While the telephone
conference call format presented no problems for people with blindness
or limited visual abilities, the speedy exchange of background materials
in alternative format did create certain difficulties.  While the President's
Committee possesses the technology to create materials in alternative
format, because of equipment breakdown and fast turnaround time, such
materials were not always available in a timely manner.  The President's
Committee will continue to seek better ways to accomplish these tasks
in the future.
Appendix C:  The People of Operation People First

The Operation People First project was initiated by the immediate-past
Chairman of the President's Committee on Employment of People With Disabilities,
 Justin Dart.

The following President's Committee staff were assigned to the project:

  Rick Douglas -  Executive Director
  John Lancaster -  Executive Assistant to the Chairman
  Maggie Roffee -  States Relations Executive
  Lori Peterson -  Administrative Assistant to Chairman Dart
  Russell Covey -  Project Coordinator
  Jill Gathmann -  Project Coordinator
  Allen Gray -   Project Coordinator 
  Robin Hershman -  Project Coordinator 

The following is a list of the some 1,200 leaders from the disability
community that participated in the Operation People First teleconference
calls.  Our apologies to anyone we may have inadvertantly missed or
left out.  These leaders have become the core of the President's Committee's
ongoing Disability Leaders Network.

 OPERATION PEOPLE FIRST TELECONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS

ALABAMA

David Cannon, Executive Director, Mental Health Consumers of Alabama
Barry Cavin, Executive Director, Easter Seal of Alabama
Margaret Coley, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Alabama
Rueben W. Cook, Director, Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program, The
University of Alabama
Robert Cothren, President, Alabama Council of the Blind
Michael Davis, Executive Director, Independent Living Center of Mobile
Gary Edwards, Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Birmingham
Mary Garrett, President of Alumni, Alabama School of the Blind
Judith M. Gilliam, President, Alabama State Association of the Deaf
Larry Johnson, Assistant Director, Alabama Vocational Rehabilitation
Dan Kessler, Executive Director, Independent Living Center in Birmingham
Lisa Landers, Director, AIDS Action Coalition
Lamona H. Lucas, Vice-Chairman, Governor's Committee, Division of Rehabilitative
 Services
Ann Nelson-Marshall, Director, Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program,
University of Alabama
Pat Orr, President, Learning Disabilities Association of Alabama
Angeline Pinckard, Executive Director, Governor's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
Charles D. Priest, Executive Director, Alabama Head Injury Foundation
Annie Saylor, President, Alabama Alliance of the Mentally Ill
Joel Slack, Director, Department of  Mental Health and Mental Retardation,
Division of Mental Illness
Gary Tonks, Executive Director, The ARC of Alabama

ALASKA

Albert Berke, Past President, Alaska Association of the Deaf
Don Brandon, Chairman, Governor's Committee on Employment of People
with Disabilities
Duane French, Executive Director, Access Alaska Inc.
Mavis Hancock, President, Learning Disabilities Association of Alaska
Yvonne Jacobson, Executive Director, Alaska Alliance for the Mentally
Ill
Tim Kruse, Administrative Aide, Governor's Committee on Employment of
People with Disabilities
David Maltman, Director, Governor's Council for Handicapped and Gifted
Mary Jane Micheals, Executive Director, The ARC of Alaska
Rodd Moline, Executive Director, REACH
Carolyn Morris, Administrative Coordinator, Governor's Committee on
Employment of People with Disabilities
Stan Ridgeway, Staff, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Rebecca Rogers, Executive Director, Alaska AIDS Assistance Association
Jerry Shack, Executive Director, ASSETS of Alaska
Rick Tessandore, Executive Director, Advocacy Services for the Disabled

ARIZONA

Kirk Baxter, Executive Director, Phoenix Body Positive
Patricia Brown, Executive Director, The ARC of Arizona, Inc.
Jim Bruzewski, Executive Director, Arizona Governor's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
James Burr, Principal Architect, Cullen-Burr Architect
Ruth Druding, Past President, Arizona Council of the Blind
James Goodson, Executive Director, Arizona Association of the Deaf
Randy Howe, Assistant Attorney General, Attorney General's Office
Frank Kells, Past President, Disability Network of Phoenix
Denise LaBreque, Program Coordinator, Disability Resource Center, Arizona
State University West
Sue Lehew, Executive Director, Arizona Easter Seal Society
Richard Mahoney, Secretary of State, Office of the Secretary of State
Frank Maurer, Executive Director, Empowerment Inc.
Donna Noland, Publisher/Editor, National Focus
Steve Palevitz, Staff Attorney, Arizona Center for Law in the Public
Interest
Ellen Pilcher, Arizona Polio Advocate, Post Polio of Arizona
Tedde Scharf, Associate Director, Disabled Students Resource of Arizona
State University
Mike Shea, Director, AFL-CIO COPE
Diane Skay, Director, Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities
Bob Swing, Consortium Representative
Carol Urich, Pueblo RV Resort
Sam Vagenas, Assistant Secretary of State, Office of the Secretary of
State
Susan A. Webb, Executive Director, Arizona Bridge to Independent Living

ARKANSAS

Edmond A. Benton, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Central
Arkansas
Carol Cato, Executive Director, Governor's Commission on People with
Disabilities
Nan Ellen D. East, Executive Director, Advocacy Services, Inc.
Linda Gibson, Case Manager, Student Employment & Empowerment Program,
University of Arkansas
Brenda Gullett, President, Learning Disabilities Association of Arkansas
Carol Hart, Director, Fayettville Independent Living Center
John Herndon, Advocate
Adeline Holden, President, Arkansas Council of the Blind
Bonnie Johnson, Executive Director, Arkansas Disabilities Coalition
Richard Petty, Executive Director, Independent Living Resource Center
Michael Reed, Member, State Consumer Advisory Council, Independent Living
Kathy Schmidt, Executive Director, Arkansas Alliance for the Mentally
Ill
Janet Scholl, Administrator, Personal Empowerment of the Psychiatrically
Labled, Inc.
Kay Schriner, Research Associate, Department of Rehabilitation, University
of Arkansas
Dee Sharp, Assistant Director, Mainstream Living
Glenn Sharp, Advocate, ADAPT
Bobby C. Simpson, Director, Arkansas Vocational Rehabilitation
Cynthia Stone, Director, The ARC of Arkansas
Danielle Strickman, TRNER Director, Sources for Community Independent
Living
Mary Anne Sullivan, Head Injury Survivor
John Taylor, Day Treatment Supervisor, Counseling Associates, Inc.
Keith Vire, Executive Director, Family Support Services

CALIFORNIA

Denny Amundson, Director, California Department of Developmental Services
Jane Bagley, President, California Disabilities Association
Catherine Baird, Chairperson, Governor's Committee for Employment of
People with Disablities
Gerald Baptiste, Associate Director, Berkeley Center for Independent
Living
Kim Bartlett, Manager, Independent Living Program Access Center
Blain Beckwith, Representative, California ADAPT
Mark Beckwith, Representative, California ADAPT
Jenna Blue, Self Help and Policy Coordinator, California Network of
Mental Health Clients
Mike Boyd, Director, American Brain Injury Association
Steven E. Brown, Training Director, RTC/PPIL, World Institute on Disability
Bill Brucker, Disability Consultant
Bill Campagna, ADA Consultant, California Department of Rehabilitation
Chuck Campos, Coordinator, Being Alive
Sylvia Caras, Representative, California Network of Mental Health Clients
John Coombs, Chairman Transition Committee, Learning Disabilities Association
Chapter
Bill Davis, President, California Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Dan Delgado, Chief Executive Officer, Ability Access Incorporated
Chuck Elliot, Mind*Star
Doug Fisher, Representative, Interwork Institute, San Diego State University
Stanley Greenberg, Executive Director, Westside Center for Independent
Living
Rick Horn, Representative, United Cerebral Palsy
Erica C. Jones, Executive Director, PDBTAC Berkeley Planning Associates
Linda Jones, Director of Day Program, United Cerebral Palsy Spastic
Children's Program
Deborah Kaplan, Associate Director, World Institute on Disability
Linda Kilb, Managing Director, Disability Rights, Education and Defense
Fund
Lou Kuehner, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of California,
Inc.
John Lopez, President, California Council of the Blind
Eldon Luce, President, California Foundation of Independent Living Centers
Stella March, Board of Directors, National Alliance for the Mentally
Ill
Roberta A. Marlowe, Executive Director, California State Council on
Developmental Disabilities
Mickey Moore, Director, Learning Disabilities Association, San Diego
Chapter
Lonnie Nolta, Director of Advocacy Services, United Cerebral Palsy of
California
Robert Perrotti, Executive Director, The ARC of California
Ed Roberts, President, World Institute on Disability
Marta Russell, Representative, Southern California ADAPT
Sharon Rust, Executive Director, Riverside Mental Health Association
Maria Rutter, Representative, American Brain Injury Association
Julian Singleton, President, California Association of the Deaf
Terry Stimpson, CRC, Public Policy Commmittee for the California Head
Injury Foundation 
Darlene West, Managing Partner, Accommodating Ideas of California

COLORADO

Arlan J. Anderson, Executive Director, Paralyzed Veterans of America
State Chapter
Mike Auberger, Director, ADAPT
Sandra D. Burns, State ADA Coordinator, Rehabilitation Services, State
of Colorado
Penny Dustin, President, Learning Disabilities Association of Colorado
Pat Going, Representative, ADA Technical Assistance Center
Lynn Grosso, Coordinator, Colorado Protection and Advocacy
Judy Ham, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Denver
Brian Lensink, Division Director, Developmental Disabilities of Colorado
Karen Litz, Director, ACL-Foothills Association
Hedy Margolis, Chairperson, Colorado Coalition for Persons with Disabilities
Bryant Moore, President, American Council of the Blind of Colorado
Jane Pemberton, Executive Director, Colorado Head Injury Foundation
Robert Roggow, President, Colorado Association for Persons with Severe
Handicaps
Mark Simon, ADA Trainer
Carol Staples, Executive Director, Colorado Alliance for the Mentally
Ill
Bill Stricklen, President, Colorado Association of the Deaf
Gary Tober, Director, Hospital Services, Colorado Division of Mental
Health
Allen Welch, President, Colorado Head Injury Survivors

CONNECTICUT

Cassandra Boryslawskyj, President, Connecticut Association of the Deaf
Barbara Britton, President, Connecticut Traumatic Brain Injury Citizens
Council
Elaine Coleman, Executive Director, Learning Disabilities Association
of Connecticut
Thomas J. Connors, President, Connecticut Coalition of Citizens with
Disabilities
Peg Dignoti, Executive Director, The ARC of Connecticut
Eliot J. Dober, Executive Director, Protection and Advocacy for Handicapped
and Developmentally Disabled Persons
Patricia Hartung, Second Vice President, Connecticut Alliance for the
Mentally Ill
Michael Kissane, Adult Issues Coordinator, Learning Disabilities Association
of Connecticut
Tom O'Bryant, Vice President, EEO Affairs, Champion International Corporation
Arthur Pepine, Vice President, Connecticut Coalition for Independent
Living
Edward T. Preneta, Director, Developmental Disabilities Council
Kathleen Ryan, Executive Director, Connecticut Traumatic Brain Injury
Association
Marcia Smith-Harris, Equal Opportunity Coordinator, Connecticut Governor's
Committee
Shelley Teed-Wargo, President, Connecticut Union of Disability Action
Groups
Suzanne Tucker, Coordinator, Disability Services for Student and Staff,
Southern Connecticut State University
Beverly Walton, CEO & President, Mental Health Association of Connecticut
Phyllis Zlotnick, Advocate

DELAWARE

Marianne Aghazadian, Executive Director, Parent Information Center of
Delaware, Inc.
Barbara Bennett, Program Specialist, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Rosy Cassidy, Executive Director, Easter Seal Society
Bob Cichocki, Writer/Editor, HANDI Network
Larry Henderson, Chairman, Booth Social Service Center
James F. Linehan, Director, Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council
Sy Londoner, President, Delaware Head Injury Foundation
Christine Long, Administrator, Disabilities Law Program
William J. McCool, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Delaware
Denise McMullin-Powell, Executive Director, Post Polio Group
Carol Miller, President, Delware Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired
Majorie S. Mudrick, Executive Director, Mental Health Association in
Delaware
Robert Piech, Director, Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative
Michelle Pointer, Director, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Department
of Labor
Jerry Spilecki, Program Coordinator, Residential Program of People with
Severe Disabilities
Diane Treacy, Executive Director, Governor's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities

FLORIDA

Robert L. Billingslea, Director & CEO, The Walt Disney Company
Carol Ann Breyer, Executive Director, Governor's Alliance for Employment
of Disabled Citizens
Stanley Carter, Director, Opportunity Development Inc., Center for Independent
Living
Thom DeLilla, Program Manager, Spinal Cord Injury Program, Division
of Vocational Rehabilitation
Pat Erwin, Director, State Coalition for the Center for Independent
Living
Collen Fix, Assistant to the Coordinator, Disabled Student Services
William M. Graham, President, Goodwill Industries-Big Bend, Inc.
Tom Haynes, Advocate
Daniel S. Holder, Coordinator, Office of Handicapped Opportunities,
Office of ADA, Dade County
Lisa Jenson, Government Relations Specialist, Florida Association of
Rehabilitation Specialists
Warren Jernigan, Director, Florida Council of Handicapped
Ellie Kazuk, Executive Director, National Head Injury Foundation, Florida
Association
Joseph Krieger, Executive Director, Florida Developmental Disabilities
Planning Council
Michael Lanham, Director, Accommodating the Disabled, Inc.
Peter Manheimer, Director, Office of Disability Services for Students,
Florida International University
Harold Mayo, Director, Mental Health Clearing House
Jim Parrish, Chairman, Florida Disability Caucus on Disability Issues
Donna Reed, Assistant to the Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy
of Florida
Peggy Schmidt, Program Administrator, Florida Council on Hearing Impaired
Chris Schuh, Executive Director, The ARC of Florida
Frank Travillion, Advocate, Alliance for the Employment of People with
Disabilities
William F. Twomey, Executive Director, Center for Independent Living
in North Florida, Inc.
Greg Volcanta, Senior Statistician, University of Florida, Department
of Psychiatry

GEORGIA

Lucy Baugh, President, National Head Injury Foundation
Jerry Bensman, Director, Department of Human Services
Charlotte Cook, Community Specialist, Rehabilitation Services
Denny Davis, Executive Director, Atlanta Buyers Club
Mark Johnson, Advocacy Specialist, Clinical Research, Shepherd Spinal
Center
Cindy Lockhart, Community Services Coordinator, Rome Neurospinal Center
David McKinney, President, Georgia Alliance of the Mentally Ill
LeeAnn Pendergrass, Statewide Independent Living Coordinator, Georgia
Field Services Independent Living Program
J. Wyman Poole, Executive Director, Governor's Committee on Employment
of Handicapped Persons
Barbara Sachs, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Greater
Atlanta
Pat Smith, Executive Director, The ARC of Georgia
Jim Sparks, President, Georgia Council of the Blind
Cynthia Wainscott, Executive Director, Mental Health Association of
Georgia

GUAM

Jesus Cruz, Executive Director, Goodwill Industries of Guam
Cerrila Rapadas, Vice Chair, Commission on Persons with Disabilities
Lola Rojas, Director, Independent Living Training Center
Ugene Santos, Administrator, Department of Public Health
Steve L. Spencer, Associate Superintendent, Department of Education,
Special Education Division
Maria St. Nocholas, Program Coordinator, Guam Mami Independent Living
Training Center
Francis Standing Soldier, Executive Director, Developmental Disabilities
Planning Council
Roland Taimanglo, Chairperson, Commission on Persons with Disabilities
Lily Tenfingers, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Norbert Ungacta, Director, Department of  Vocational Rehabilitation

HAWAII

John Dart, Chairman, Maui Branch, Hawaii Mental Health Association
Donna Fouts, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Hawaii
Kathleen Gould, Executive Director, Learning Disabilities Association
of Hawaii
Randy Hack, Program Director, United Self Help
John Noland, Assistant Administrator, Vocational Rehabilitation Services
for the Blind
Mark O'Donnell, Executive Director, Mental Health Association of Hawaii
Mark T. Obatake, Executive Director, Hawaii Center for Independent Living
Carolyn Oki, President, Big Island Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Gary L. Smith, Executive Director, Protection and Advocacy Agency
Ed Sullem, President, Hawaii Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Filo Tu, President, Hawaii Association of the Blind
Francine Wai, Executive Director, Commission on Persons with Disabilities
Lambert Wai, President, The ARC of Hawaii

IDAHO

Janet K. Atkinson, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Idaho,
Inc.
Virgil Barnett, Disabled American Veterans
Jackie Baxter, Executive Director, Treasure Valley Association of Hearing
Impaired
David Blackwell, Epilepsy League of Idaho
Kelly Buckland, Director, LINC
John Centa, President, Self Help for Hard of Hearing
Dennis Emery, President, Idaho Council of  the Blind
Jack Farley, Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Idaho
Joyce Ford, Chairperson, National Parent Network
Dana Gover, Access Consultant
Donna Grummer, Executive Director, Easter Seal Society
Partick Harting, Program Coordinator, The ARC
Debra Johnson, Director, Idaho Parents Unlimited
Mark Leeper, North Idaho Center for Independence
Edward J. McHugh, Director, Commission for the Blind
Kyle Packer, Citizens Review Commission for ADA
George Pelletier, Administrator, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Richard Schmidt, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
Ramona Walhof, President, National Federation of the Blind of Idaho
Frances Wright, Learning Disabilities Association
Janet Wright, Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities

ILLINOIS

Tom Berkshire, President, Illinois Easter Seal Society
Marca Bristo, President, Access Living Center for Independent Living
Tammy Diakogeorgion, Co-Coordinator, Family Resource Center on Disabilities
Thomas Duncan, Executive Director, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Voughan
Chapter
William Fielding, Executive Director, Central Illinois Center for Independent
Living
Lawrence J. Gorski, Special Assistant to the Mayor, Mayor's Office for
Persons with Disabilities
Jan Holcomb, Executive Director, Mental Health Association of Illinois
Josephine Holzer, Council for Disability Rights
Joyce Hrovatin, Vice President, Illinios Head Injury Association
Tom Kennedy, Board Member, Illinois Association for Persons with Severe
Handicaps
Robert Kilbury, Executive Director, Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities
in Illinois
Elizabeth Langen, Chairperson, Independent Living Advisory Council,
Traffic Safety Division
Rene C. Leininger, Director, Independent Living Planning Council on
Developmental Disabilities
Rene David Luna, Disability Rights Coordinator, ADAPT
Audrey McCrimon, Director, Department of Rehabilitation Services
Marjorie Miller, Chairperson, Blind Services Planning Council
Bruce Moore, Marketing Coordinator, Department of Rehabilitative Services
Kathryn Moorie, Project Coordinator, Family Resources Center on Disabilities
Don Moss, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Illinois, Inc.
Dwayne Murphy, Director of Social Services, Chicago Hearing Society
Tony Paulauski, Executive Director, The ARC of Illinois
Maria Rodriquez-Sullivan, Director, Fiesta Educativa
Joyce Russell, President, Illinois Council of the Blind, Inc.
Clyde C. Smith, President, Illinois Association of the Deaf

INDIANA

John Dickerson, Executive Director, The ARC of Indiana
Richard J. Edwards, Consultant, Vocational Rehablitation Section, Division
of Aging & Rehabilitative Services
Jerome Freeman, Executive Director, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
Nancy Griffin, Executive Director, Indianapolis Resource Center for
Independent Living
Mary Nell High, Staff Assistant, Learning Disabilities Association of
Indiana
Suellen Jackson-Boner, Executive Director, Governor's Planning Council
for People with Disabilities
Liz Jewel, Advocacy Coordinator, Depression and Related Treatment (DART)
Karen May, President, Head Injury Foundation of Indiana
Costa N. Miller, Executive Director, Indiana Association of Rehabilitation
Facilities
Darcus Nims, President, Self-Advocacy of Indiana
Donna Olsen, Executive Director, The Indiana Parent Information Network
Jackie Pittman, Executive Assistant to the Director, Division of Disability
and Rehabilitative Services
Beverlee Preske, Director, Path, Inc.
Matt Ravin, Chairman, Council on Disability Affairs
Ron Ray, President, American Council of the Blind of Indiana
Donna L. Roberts, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Central
Indiana
Cindy Rose, Attorney, Rose, Iovino, and Shinness
Henry Schroder, Director, Developmental Disabilities
Pat Stewart, Executive Director, ATTIC
Al Tolbert, Executive Board Member, Indiana Paralyzed Veterans of America
Margaret Trauner, Advocacy Coordinator, Indiana Key Mental Health Consumer
Organization
Sharon Wooten, President, Indiana Association of the Deaf Home Office

IOWA

Lesa Ackman, Iowa Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps
Jay Brewer, Director, Governor's Committee on Employment of People with
Disabilities
Jane I. Butler, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Iowa
Michael Current, Executive Director, Gay and Lesbian Research Center
Ken Derby, President, Iowa Association of the Deaf, Inc.
Ethel Madison, Independent Living, Inc.
Christina Mathis, Black Hawk Partnership
Gary Mattson, Executive Director, Exceptional Persons, Inc.
Kit Olson, Executive Director, The ARC of Iowa
Duane Purdy, Past President, Blackhawk Partnership of People with Disabilities
Merv Roth, Executive Director, Iowa Protection and Advocacy Services,
Inc.
Jon R. Schneider, National Director, Iowa Paralyzed Veterans of America
R. Creig Slayton, Director, Commission for the Blind
Gene Smail, President, Iowa Coalition
Margaret Stout, Executive Director, Alliance for the Mentally Ill of
Iowa
Donald W. Westergard, Administrator, Commission of Persons with Disabilities

KANSAS

Dick Charlton, Attorney, American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today
Sergio Delgado, Past President, American Academy of Disability Evaluation
Michael Donnelly, Director, Topeka Independent Living Resource Center
Brenda Eddy, Executive Director, Kansas Commission for Deaf and Hard
of Hearing
Martha Gabehart, Executive Director, Kansas Commission on Disability
Concerns
Martha Hodgesmith, DREDF Trainer, Kansas Association of Rehabilitation
Facilities
Terry D. Hostin, President, Kansas Association of the Deaf, Kansas School
for the Deaf
Dave Jones, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Kansas
Robert Jordan, Chairperson, Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns
Jane Knight, State Coordinator, Department of Administration
Terry Larson, Executive Director, Kansas Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Bill Lewis, Recording Secretary, Kansas Association for the Blind and
Visually Impaired
Jack Markham, President, Positive Action Coalition
Gina McDonald, Executive Director, Kansas Association of Centers for
Independent Living
Dale Moore, President, Kansas AFL-CIO
William Moore, Service Officer, Paralyzed Veterans of America
Mike Oakford, State Coordinator, Kansas ADAPT
Lila Paslay, Executive Director, The ARC of Topeka
Alan Post, Trainer, Disability Rights, Education, and Defense Fund
Jane Rhys, Executive Director, Kansas Developmental Disabilities Council
Sally Roberts, President, Kansas Association for Persons with Severe
Handicaps
John Schwenn, President, Learning Disabilities Association of Kansas
Tim Steininger, Past Chairperson, Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns
Joan Strickler, Executive Director, Kansas Advocacy and Protection Services
Glen Yancey, Acting Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services, Department
of Social and Rehabilitative Services

KENTUCKY

Sue Davis, Organizer, Louisville ADAPT
Jan Day, Center for Accessible Living
Ken Duncan, Co-Chair, Center for Accessible Living
Jacqui Farmer, President, Kentucky Association for Persons with Severe
Handicaps
Sharon S. Fields, Chief of Staff for ADA, Governor's Office
Carla Franklyn, Vice President, Kentucky Council of the Blind
Roosevelt Gholston, Advocate
Susan Glasgow, President, Kentucky Head Injury Association
Mary Ellen Harned, Director, Access Center
Jane Hart, President, Kentucky Coalition on Disabled Persons
Susie McElwain, Executive Director, Kentucky Alliance for the Mentally
Ill
Prudence Moore, Director, Kentucky Developmental Disabilities Planning
Council
JoAnn Rivas, Chairperson, Kentucky Committee on Employment of People
with Disabilities
William Rogers, Executive Director, Commission on the Deaf and Hard
of Hearing
Catherine Senn, Learning Disabilities Association of Kentucky
Connie Starcher, Adovocate
Thelma Whiteside, State Liaison, Kentucky Committee on Employment of
People with Disabilities
Kathy Williams, Director, Division of Program Development, Office of
Vocational Rehabilitation

LOUISIANA

Kammie Barfield, People First of Louisiana
Patsy Barrett, Liaison to the President's Committee on Employment of
People with Disabilities
Harold Broussard, Managing Operator, Louisiana Council for the Blind
Jay B. Childs, Executive Director, New Horizon Independent Living Center
Rick DeJean, Attorney at Law
Clorice Eckleberger, Program Director, Developmental Disabilities
Ann Farmer, Vice President, Louisiana Head Injury Foundation
Pat Johnson, Coordinator, Jefferson Parish Office for Citizens with
Disabilities
Linda Jones, Executive Director, Louisiana Association for Persons with
Severe Handicaps
Jean Keuker, Assistant Professor, Learning Disabilities Association
of Louisiana
Suzanne LaVerne, Administrator, Louisiana Office of Rural Health, Department
of Health and Hospitals
Medford Magill, President, Louisiana Association of the Deaf
Yadi Mark, Advocacy Legislative Director, Paralyzed Veterans of America
Larry Pate, Administrator, Podua Community Service
John Schulze, Planner/Coordinator, Governor's Council on Rural Areas
Lois V. Simpson, Executive Director, Advocacy Center for the Elderly
and Disabled
Scott Smith, Program Director, Easter Seal Society
Alton Toms, Director, Division of Rehabilitation, Office of Human Development
Kenneth Vince, Executive Director, Louisiana Rehabilitation Services

MAINE

Katherine Adams, Staff, Alpha One Center for Independent Living
Claudia B. Anderson, Executive Director, Portland Coalition for the
Psychiatrically Labled
Geeta Balakrishnan, Director, Phoenix Industries
Richard Balser, Executive Director, Maine Medicine Center Rehabilitation
Medicine Department
Paige Barton, Advocate, Community Support Services
Lee Beadde, Staff, Muskie Institute of Public Affairs, University of
Southern Maine
Edward Bouchea, Director, MHCPV
Nancy Chase, Executive Director, Maine Head Injury Foundation
Patty Coleman, Professor, University of Maine, Orono School of Social
Work
Ron Hanson, Executive Secretary, Governor's Committee on Employment
of the Handicapped
Brenda Harvey, Staff, Maine Medicine Center, Rehabilitation Medicine
Department
Matt Hunter, Chairman, Governor's Committee for Supported Employment
Carol Ippolitti, Program Director, Peneboscot Valley Industries
Valerie Landry, Chair, Governor's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped
Jean Manning, Advocate
Bill Nye, Director of Adult Edcuation, National Association of the Deaf
Norman Perrin, Executive Director, Division of Deafness
Pete Stowell, Director, Developmental Disabilities Council
Pete Vestal, Executive Director, Maine Advocacy Services

MARYLAND

Nancy Bloch, President, National Association of the Deaf
Cristine Boswell Marchand, Executive Director, The ARC of Maryland
Nate Butler, President, Marylanders for Adequate Attendant Care
Diane Ebberts, Director, Office for Individuals with Disabilities
James Gashel, Director, National Federation of the Blind
Phil Holmes, CEO, The League: Serving People with Physical Disabilities,
Inc.
James S. Jeffers, Assistant State Superintendent, Division of Vocational
Rehablitation, State Department of Education
Elizabeth Jones, Director, Maryland Disability Law Center
Marc Maurer, President, National Federation of the Blind
Bill Ohge, President, People on the Go
Frank Pinter, Executive Diretor, Maryland Center for Independent Living
Linda Raines, Acting Executive Director, Mental Health Association of
Maryland
Paul Rendine, Chairman, Governor's Committee on Employment of People
with Disabilities
Gene Spurrier, Vice President, American Council of the Blind
Hardy Stone, Committee for Change, Head Injury Survivors
John Stuban, President, Coalition for People with AIDS
Carol Urich, Disability Rights Advocate
Marian Schooling Vessels, Executive Director, Governor's Committee on
Employment of People with Disabilites
Dave Ward, Chairman, Baltimore County Commission on Disability

MASSACHUSETTS

Jason Albert, Executive Director, Governor's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
Moe Armstrong, Director, Consumer Affairs
Elmer Bartels, Commissioner, Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission
John Butterworth, Director, New England Association for Persons with
Severe Handicaps
Judi Chamberlin, Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Boston University
John Chappell, Deputy Commissioner, Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission
Brian Charlson, President, Bay State Council of Blind
Steve Collins, Executive Director, Massachusetts Alliance for the Mentally
Ill
Speed Davis, Director, Massachusetts Office on Disability
Richard DeNoyer, Senior Benefits Advocate, Paralyzed Veterans of America
Frederick Fay, President, Disability Rights and Voter Education
Jeffrey W. Hamm, Employment Coordinator, Stepping Forward
Sue Hertz, Executive Director, Protection and Advocacy, Disability Law
Center
Richard Howard, Attorney at Law, KOTINC
Arlene Korab, Executive Director, Massachusetts Head Injury Association
Peter Myette, Deputy Commissioner, Committee for Persons with Disabilities
Kathy Petrillo, Development Management, Centers for Living and Working
Heidi Reed, Executive Director, DEAF Inc.
Leo Sarkissian, Executive Director, The ARC of Massachusetts
Marilyn Price Spivack, President, MPS Associate, Inc., Network for Education
and Training
Lorelee Stewart, Director, Independent Living Center of the North Shore
John E. Winske, Executive Director, Massachusetts Coalition of Citizens
with Disabilities

MICHIGAN

Richard Baldwin, State Director, Special Education Services, Department
of Education
Elizabeth W. Bauer, Executive Director, Michigan Protection and Advocacy
Service
Larry Best, Deputy Director, Commission on Handicapper Concerns
Renee Bostick, President, National Association for Rights, Protection
and Advocacy
Patrick Cannon, Executive Director, Commission on Handicapped Concerns
Penny Crowley, Executive Director, Michigan Council for Independent
Living
Fred Cummins, President, Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Michigan
Brad Dier, Michigan State AFL-CIO
Peter P. Griswold, State Director of Vocational Rehablitation, Bureau
of Rehablitaiton, Department of Education 
Terrance Hunt, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Michigan,
Inc.
Christopher Hunter, Director, Division of Deafness, Michigan Committee
of Handicapper Concerns
George Illingworth, President, Michigan Association of the Blind and
Visually Impaired
Sally Lindsey, Member, Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council
Patricia McDonald, Executive Director, Michigan Multiple Sclerosis Society
Linda S. Michaels, Chairperson, Michigan Commission on Handicapper Concerns
Majorie Mitchell, Executive Director, The ARC of Michigan
Philip E. Peterson, Director, Commission for the Blind, Department of
Labor
Linda Ries, Past President, Learning Disabilities Association of Michigan
Clark Schuler, President, Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America
Tom M. Sovine, Executive Director, Mental Health Assocation in Michigan
Lauren Thomas, Grants Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Michigan, Inc.
Debra Wiese, Senior Staff Counselor, Client Assistance Program, Michigan
Rehabilitation Services

MINNESOTA

Scott Anderson, Duluth Office Program Coordinator, Center for Independent
Living in Northeast Minnesota
Greg Asher, Chairman, Minnesota State Council on Disability
Douglas Bahl, President, Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens
Richard Davis, Assistant Commissioner, State Services for the Blind
and Visually Handicapped
Jo Ann Erbes, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Minnesota
Andrea Everett, Board Chairperson, Mental Health Association of Minnesota
Luther A. Granquist, Director, Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis
Karen Grykiewicz, Acting Executive Director, The ARC of Minnesota
Stephanie Hall, President, Council of the Blind of Minnesota
Ellie Hands, Executive Director, Minnesota Head Injury Association
Clell L. Hemphill, Director, Minnesota State Council on Disability
Margot Imdieke, Accessibility Advocate, State Council on Disability
Jay Johnson, Executive Director, Options-Interstate Resource Center
for Independent Living
Jerry Krueger, Chairman, Minnesota Association for Centers for Independent
Living
Alan Lunc, Rehabilitation Program Specialist, Division of Rehabilitation
Services, Department of Jobs and Training
Wade Reckenger, Advocacy Director, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Minnesota
Chapter
Audry Richardson, Vice Chairperson, Minnesota State Council on Disability
Carrie Richter, Chairperson, Learning Disabilities Association on Minnesota
Lisa Shepard, Director, Minnesota AFL-CIO
John Wehlan, Executive Director, Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Minnesota
Colleen Wieck, Executive Director, Governor's Planning Council on Developmental
Disabilities

MISSISSIPPI

Michelle Bahret, President, Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities
E. C. Bell, Director, Developmental Disabilities Planning Council
Linda Bond, Director, The ARC
Ruby Bowman, State ADA Coordinator, Mississippi Department of Rehabilitative
Services
Betty Busbea, Parent Facilitator, Deaf/Blind Grant
Nell C. Carney, Executive Director, Department of Rehabilitative Services
Rebecca Floyd, Executive Director, Mississippi Protection & Advocacy
System for Developmental Disaibilities, Inc.
Neil Fowler, AFL-CIO
Nola Gray, President, Mississippi Mental Health Consumers' Association
John Lee, Director, Office of Special Services for Individuals with
Disabilities
David Lucas, Acting Director, Jackson Center for Independent Living
Edward L. Manning, President, Mississippi Head Injury Association
J. Elton Moore, Director, Rehabilitation Research and Training Center
on Blindness and Low Vision
Eddie Sandifer, Director, People with AIDS Project
Tessie Schweitzer, Executive Director, Mississippi Families as Allies
Mark Smith, Executive Director, Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities
Mike Smitherman, President, Mississippi Council of the Blind
Jim Zipperer, Mississippi Alliance for the Mentally Ill

MISSOURI

Randy Cantrell, Executive Director, Mid-Missouri AIDS Project
James DeJong, ADA Project
Edna Freeman, President, Missouri Council of the Blind
Don L. Gann, Assistant Commissioner, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation,
State Department of  Education
Candace Hawkins, Executive Director, Governor's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
Dale Herrick, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Kansas City
Cindi Keele, Executive Director, Missouri Coalition of the Alliance
for Mentally Ill
Denise Morrow, Executive Director, Missouri Mental Health Consumer Network
Paul Pealer, Director, Disabled American Veterans of Missouri
Richard Powell, Past Executive Director, Governor's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
Michael Renner, Program Specialist, Developmental Disabilities Council
David Roberts, Director of Rehabilitation, Education and Training, University
of Missouri at Columbia
Cynthia N. Schloss, Executive Director, Missouri Protection and Advocacy
Services
William B. Sheldon, President, Missouri Association of the Deaf
Max Starkloff, Executive Director, Paraquad, Inc.
Jim Tuscher, Chairman, Governor's Committee on Employment of People
with Disabilities
David S. Vogel, Deputy Director, Services for the Blind, Division of
Family Service
Nathan Walker, Executive Director, Missouri Head Injury Association
Joe Wrinkle, President, People First of Kansas City

MONTANA

James Allen, President, Montana Association of the Deaf
George Bessette, Advocate
Joe Harrington, Independent Living Center
Kathy Kelker, Project Director, Parents Let's Unite for Kids
Bob Maffitt, Executive Director, Governor's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
Jim Marks, Professor, Disability Student Services
Kate McGathlin, Past President, The ARC of Montana
Sharon Odden, Assistant Vice President of Vocational Training, Northern
Rocky Mountain Easter Seal Society
Greg Olsen, Executive Director, Developmental Disabilities Planning
and Advisory Council
Pat Pope, Executive Director, Meriwether Lewis Institute
Tom Powell, Executive Board Member/Treasurer, The Association for Persons
with Severe Handicaps of Montana
Jim Smith, Staff, Montana Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Zana Smith, Project Director, Montana Independent Living Project
Jim Spall, Vice President, Montana Head Injury Association

NEBRASKA

Terri Bennett, Board Member, Autism Society of Nebraska
Randy Brown, Lawyer, Nebraska Advocacy Services, Inc.
Linda Burkey, Executive Director, Nebraska Head Injury Association
Bernard E. Childerston, Executive Secretary, Governor's Committee on
Employment of the Handicapped
Ginger Clubine, Executive Director, The ARC
Doug Eicher, Nebraska Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps
Jane Elliot, Policy Analyst for ADA, Governor's Office
Gary George, Executive Director, Nebraska AIDS Project
Peg Goeschel, Field Representative, Nebraska Commission for the Hearing
Impaired
Margaret Hoffmann, Director, Vocational Rehabilitation
J. Rock Johnson, President, Nebraska Depressive and Manic Depressive
Association
Jeanine Martin, President, Learning Disabilities Association, Lincoln
Chapter
Gordon L. McDonald, President, Nebraska AFL-CIO
Rose Meiley, Chairperson, Nebraska Developmental Disabilities Council
William Orester, President, American Council for the Blind of Nebraska
Marlene Orton, Vice Chairperson, Governor's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
Joslyn Richie, Lawyer, Nebraska Advocacy Services, Inc.
Mike Schafer, Director, Center for Independent Living, League of Human
Dignity, Inc.
Timothy Shaw, Executive Director, Nebraska Advocacy Services, Inc.
Jerry Siders, President, Nebraska Association of the Deaf
Marleene Snyder, National CHAD
Dean Ventor, Consultant, Private Rehabilitation Sector
Tom Verkler, President, People First of Nebraska
Nancy Ward, Coordinator, People First of Nebraska
Virginia Wright, Chairperson, Governor's Committee on Employment of
People with Disabilities

NEVADA

Jim Boscacci, Chair, Northern Nevada Center for Independent Living
John Butterworth, President, Nevada Technologies, Inc.
John Chambers, Chairman, Governor's Planning Committee on Developmental
Disabilities
William Couey, President, Northern Nevada Alliance for the Mentally
Ill
Diana Dowling, Director, Reach Out Learning Center
Anthony Farris, Advocate
Merv Flander, Director, Bureau of Service for the Blind
Paul Haugan, Planning Director, Planning Committee on Developmental
Disabilities
Lonnie C. James, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Southern
Nevada, Inc.
Mack Johnson, Advisory Council Representative, Native Americans with
Disabilities Campaign
Bernard Kaufman, Chairman, Governor's Committee on Employment of People
with Disabilities
David Krause, President, Nevada Council of the Blind
Brian Lahren, Executive Director, Washoe ARC
Cecilia Leal, Self Advocate, Hispanic Issues
Donny L. Loux, Chief, Planning, Research and Program Development, Rehabilitation
 Division
Steve Moore, Facilitator/Organizer, People First of Nevada
Kathleen E. Olson, Executive Director, Governor's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
Loralie Schaus, President, Head Injury Association of Nevada
Ronald Ray Smith, Consultant, Complaints Under the ADA
Dick Squires, State Commander, Nevada Disabled American Veterans 
Suzanne Thomas, Regional Representative, Governor's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
Frank Weinrauch, The ARC of Nevada

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Bruce A. Archambault, Director, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation,
State Department of Education
Susan Auerbach, Education Consultant, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation,
Office of Hearing Impaired
Joyce Bearisto, Chairperson, Vocational Rehabilitation Advisory Committee
of New Hampshire
Paula Bundy, Office Manager, The ARC of New Hampshire
Larry Gammon, Director, Easter Seal Society of New Hampshire
Michael Jenkins, Executive Director, Governor's Commission on Disability
Mike Malloy, Executive Director, Alliance for the Mentally Ill of New
Hampshire
Lee Perselay, Director, Disability Rights Center of New Hampshire
Thomas E. Pryor, Director, New Hampshire Developmental Disabilities
Council
Judith Raskin, Parent Information Center
Kathy Reilly, President, Learning Disabilities Association of New Hampshire
Larry Robinson, Co-Executive Director, Granite State Independent Living
Foundation
Mathew Sochalski, Advocate
George Tetler, Director, Employment Services
Donna Woodfin, Director, Disability Rights Center
Diane E. Woods,  Director, International Exchange of Experts & Information
in  Rehabilitation Institute on Disability

NEW JERSEY

Sylvia Axelrod, Executive Director, New Jersey Alliance for the Mentally
Ill
Monroe Berkowitz, Professor, Bureau of Economic Research
Jack Bucher, Director, CSP of New Jersey
Ann Ciavaglia, Governor's Liaison to the President's Committee, New
Jersey State Department of Labor
Margaret Duthie, Administrator, Collaborative Support Program of New
Jersey
Ethan Ellis, Director, New Jersey Developmental Disabilities Council
Colleen Fraser, Executive Director, Dial, Inc.
Barbara Geiger-Parker, Executive Director, New Jersey Head Injury Association
Celine Glagola, Respresentative, The ARC of New Jersey
Eileen Goff, Heightened Independence and Progress
Ronee Groff, President, Learning Disabilities Association of New Jersey
Linda Headley, Assistant Deputy, Division of Public Advocacy
Tom Jennings, Director, Department of Vocational Rehabilitation of New
Jersey
Anna Katz, Executive Director, AIDS Coalition of Southern New Jersey
Howard Kley, Associate Executive Director, Mental Health Association
of New Jersey
Howard Luckeet, Chairman, New Jersey's Governor's Committee
Karen Melzer, President, New Jersey Association for Persons with Severe
Handicaps
Jeanne Sanders, President, New Jersey Council of the Blind
Coker Stogner, Coordinator, Independent Living Services, Vocational
Rehabilitation for the Blind

NEW MEXICO

Glass Architect, Director of Programs, People Living with AIDS
James Cheadle, Executive Director, Independent Living Resource Center
John Foley, Executive Director, The ARC of New Mexico
James Jackson, Director, Protection & Advocacy System for New Mexicans
with Developmental Disabilities
Judy Myers, Director, Governor's Committee on Concerns of the Handicapped
Linda Tonsing-Gonzales, Advocate
William Trant, Executive Director, New Mexico Association for Persons
with Severe Handicaps
Sallie Van Curen, Executive Director, Parents Reaching Out to Help
Ron Williams, Director of Special Education, Albuquerque Public Schools

NEW YORK

John Bateman-Ferry, Chairperson, ARISE Inc., Center for Independent
Living
Christine Bevilacqua, New York Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps
Marc Brandt, Executive Director, New York State Association for Retarded
Citizens, Inc.
Susanne Bruyere, Director, Program on Employment and Disability, Cornell
University
Rena Button, Executive Director, New York State Head Injury Association
Marcel Chaine, Director of Advocacy Services, Commission on Quality
of Care
George Ebert, Project Coordinator, Mental Patients Liberation Alliance
Anne Emerman, Director, New York City Mayor's Office on People with
Disabilities
Denise Figueroa, President, Troy Resource Center for Independent Living
Susan Finisdore, Rockland Independent Living Center
Christopher Fortune, Administrative Vice President, Center for the Disabled
Michael Fox, Executive Director, NYSARF
Dick Gelman, Director, Consumer Information Network
John Heimerdinger, President, Jewish Guild for the Blind
Gwen Hubbard, ADAPT
Sally Johnston, Vice President, Disabled in Action
Edward Knight, Program Coordinator, Mental Health Association in New
York State
Rosemary Lamb, Liaison to the President's Committee, State Advocate
for the Disabled
Michael Losow, Director of Government Affairs, National Multiple Sclerosis
Society
Eugene Luini, Acting Director, New York State Commission of the Blind
and Visually Impaired
Jean Mann, President, American Council of the Blind of New York
Brian McLane, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Vocational & Educational
Services for Individuals with Disabilities
Terry Moakley, Associate Executive Director, Eastern Paralyzed Veterans
of America
Roy Neville, President, New York State Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Harvey Pacht, Director of Public Education, Self-Advocacy Association
of New York
Ed Panarello, Civil Rights and Women's Designee, New York State AFL
CIO
Michael Parker, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of New York
State
Michael Peluso, Director, New York Client Assistant Program, New York
State Commission on Quality of Care
Harmon Putter, Executive Director, Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island
Daniel S. Robert, Board Member, Disabled in Action
Larry Roberts, Coordinator, Ithaca Mental Patients Advocacy Coalition
Sam Sabino, Supervisor, Disabled American Veterans
Marilyn E. Saviola, Executive Director, Center for Independence of the
Disabled in New York, Inc.
Ralph Shields, Chair, Council of Persons with Head Injury
Janet Susin, President, Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Douglas Usiak, Executive Director, Independent Living Center of Western
New York
Victoria Zambartino, Coordinator, Protection and Advocacy of New York
City
Joel Ziev, Executive Director, New York Society for the Deaf
Cliff Zucker, Executive Director, Disability Advocates

NORTH CAROLINA

Kater Cornwell, Director of Legislation/Architectural Barriers, Georgia
Carolina Paralyzed Veterans Association,Inc.
John B. DeLuca, Director, Division of Services for the Blind, Department
of Human Resources
James E. Everest, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of North
Carolina
Roger B. Foushee, Community Liaison, Governor's Advocacy Council for
Persons with Disabilities
Ken Franklin, Community Liaison, Governor's Advocacy Council for Persons
with Diabilities
R. Franklin Gose, Former Executive Director, North Carolina Alliance
for the Mentally Ill
Herman Gruber, Vocational Rehabilitative Services for the Blind
Connie Hawkins, Executive Director, Exceptional Children's Assistance
Center
Chester Helms, Director, Programs for Accessible Living
Terry Ingram, President, People First of North Carolina
Sherman Lewis, President, North Carolina Council of the Blind
Ronald L. Mace, President, Barrier Free Environments, Inc.
Deborah C. McKeithan, President, Handicapped Organized Women Learning
How, Inc.
Bob Philbeck, Deputy Director, Division of Vocational Rehabiltation
Services
Dave Richard, The ARC of North Carolina
Holly Riddle, Executive Director, North Carolina on Developmental Disabilities
Janet Simoneau, Executive Director, North Carolina Association Rehabilitative
Services
Arlene Stewart, Transition Program, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Services
Linda Voorhees, Educator, National Head Injury Foundation
James Wilson, Director, Division of Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

NORTH DAKOTA

Myrt Armstrong, Executive Director, North Dakota Mental Health Association
Barbara C. Braun, Director, Protection and Advocacy for Developmental
Disabilities
Karen Chilson, Executive Director, Head Injury Association of North
Dakota
Kathryn Erickson, Pathfinder Parent Training and Information Center
Myles Erickson, Coordinator of Outreach Services, Dakota Center for
Independent Living
Darrell Farland, Executive Director, Governor's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities 
Wanda Gier, ADA State Coordinator, Vocational Rehabilitation
Gene Hysjulien, Executive Director, Department of Vocational Rehabilitation,
State Board of Social Services
James Johnson, President, North Dakota Association of the Deaf
David Kemnitz, President, North Dakota AFL-CIO
Kevin Kolbo, Board Member, North Dakota Association of the Blind
Bob O'Keefe, Executive Director, North Dakota Alliance for the Mentally
Ill
Carol Riels, Chair, MHCA of North Dakota
Tom Wallner, Director, North Dakota Developmental Disabilities Council
Joy Wezelman, President, The ARC of North Dakota

OHIO

Frank Anderson, Government Relations Director, Ohio Paralyzed Veterans
of America
Tom Bell, Worker Compensation Representative, AFL-CIO of Ohio
Renee Bostick, President, National Association for Rights, Protection
and Advocacy
Margaret M. Burley, Executive Director, Ohio Coalition for Education
and Rehabilitative Services
Ken Campbell, Executive Director, Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council
Mary Lynne Capelletti, Executive Director, Alliance for the Mentally
Ill of Ohio
Barbara Corner, Vice President, Ohio Council of the Blind
Eric Duffy, Client Advocate, Client Assistance Program
Ray Ferguson, Executive Director, The ARC of Ohio
J. Bradley Garner, President, Ohio Association for Persons with Severe
Handicaps
Cathy Heizman, Executive Director, Child Advocacy Center
Janet Jodowski, Executive Director, Learning Disabilities Association
of Ohio
Karla Lortz, Executive Secretary, Ohio Governor's Council on Disabled
Persons
Suzanne Minnich, Executive Director, The Ohio Head Injury Association
Beverlee Rackett, Executive Director, MOBIL
Mike Repas, Executive Director, Ohio Deaf Services Center
John Simpson, Executive Director, Mental Health Association in Ohio
Betty Sugarman, Program Director, Ohio Easter Seal Society
Anna Ward, AIDS Advocate

OKLAHOMA

Frank Bagley, President, Oklahoma Association of the Deaf
Mike Brose, Executive Director, Mental Health Association of Tulsa
Pat Burns, Director, Oklahoma Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities
Bill Donovan, President, National Head Injury Foundation, Oklahoma Affiliate
Jo Hill, Director, Consumer Coordination Council
Jean Jones, Disability Program Specialist, Client Assistance Program
Helen Kutz, Director, Client Assistance Program, Office of Handicapped
Concerns
George Lamb, Technical Assistance Specialist, ADA, Governor's Committee
on Employment of the Handicapped
George B. Lewis, Chairman, Mayor's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped
Anna McBride, State President, Oklahoma Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Lee McGough, Vice-Chairman, Governor's Committee on Employment of the
Handicapped
Debra Murphy, President, Learning Disabilities Association of Oklahoma
Steve Novick, Director, Oklahoma Disability Law Center
Judy Pool, Chairperson, Oklahoma Council of the Blind
Jim Rankin, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Oklahoma
Jerry Sell, Executive Director, Paralyzed Veterans of America
Steven Stokes, Director, Governor's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped
Brook Tarbel, Chairman, Metropolitan Tulsa Transit Authority
Sharon Tonseth, President, Oklahoma Head Injury Foundatioin
Mike Ward, Director, Oklahoma Independent Living
Ross J. Williams, President, Oklahoma State AFL-CIO

OREGON

Charlotte Duncan, Executive Director, Developmental Disabilities Council
William Hoar, Business Center
Robert Joondeth, Executive Director, Oregon Advocacy Center
Patty McKelvey, Executive Director, ACCESS Oregon
Carla McQuillan, President, National Federation of the Blind of Oregon
Sandra J. Millius, Executive Director, Mental Health Association of
Oregon
Eugene Organ, Executive Director, Oregon Commission for the Handicapped
Kristi Schaefer, Board Chair, Oregon Head Injury Foundation
Garrett Smith, President, Mind Empowered, Inc.
Joil A. Southwell, Administrator, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation,
Department of Human Resources
Bertha Spinning, President, People First of Oregon
Janna Starr, The ARC of Oregon
Bill Templeman, Director, Alan Collins AIDS Project
Tina Treasure, Executive Director, Spokes Unlimited
Glenn VanCise, Program Director, Central Oregon Resources for Independent
Living
Eleanor Whissen, Director, Epilepsy Foundation

PENNSYLVANIA

Lynda Anthony, Program Director, Pennsylvania Coalition of Citizens
with Disabilities
Marsha Blanco, Executive Director, The ARC of Allegheny
William Burke, Service Officer, Paralyzed Veterans of America
Kevin T. Casey, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Protection and Advocacy,
Inc.
J. Benedict Centifanti, National Mental Health Consumer Association
Judith Cohen, Executive Director, National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Al Condeluci, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy Association
of Pittsburgh
Linda Dickerson, Publisher and President, Executive Report
David Dinich, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Alliance for the Mentally
Ill
Bob Edwards, Rehabilitation Specialist, United Cerebral Palsy of Pittsburgh
David A. Engel, Administrative Assistant, Allegheny County
Joe Geiger, Executive Director, Keystone State Head Injury Foundation
Don Hahn, Grants Manager, Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Planning
Council
Pat Halpin-Murphy, ADA Director, Governor's Office
Judy Heh, Executive Vice President, Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
Leslye Hess Herrmann, Assistant ADA Director, Governor's Office
Ollie Jordan, Director, Mayor's Commission on People with Disabilities
Pete Kennedy, Director, Community Services, National Multiple Sclerosis
Society
Kathleen Kleinmann, President, Pennsylvania Council on Independent Living
Tim Knoster, President, Pennsylvania Association for Persons with Severe
Handicaps
Patti Marino, Community Relations Director, The ARC of Allegheny
Carl Marshall, Administrator, Governor's Committee on Employment of
People with Disabilities
Robert E. Michaels, Executive Director, Resources for Living Independently
Center
Bob Mochan, Director of Advocacy, The ARC of Allegheny
Ken Oakes, President, Coalition of People with Disabilities
Carl F. Odhner, Executive Director, Lehigh Valley Center for Independent
Living
Ralph N. Pacinelli, Regional Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services Administratio
n, US Department of Education 
Stephen S. Pennington, Statewide Director, Client Assistance Program
Elizabeth Pollard, President, Pennsylvania Society for the Advancement
of the Deaf
Mabel Reese, Former President, Blindness/Visual Services
Lynda Richman, Manager, Resources for Living Independently Center
Debra Robinson, President, Speaking for Ourselves
Joseph Rogers, Director, National Mental Health Consumer Self Help Clearing
House
Joe Scullin, Director, United Cerebral Palsy Association of  Philadelphia
and Vicinity
Gil Selders, Director, Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation
Ilene W. Shane, Executive Director, Disabilities Law Project
Sigi A. Shapiro, Coordinator of Disability Studies, Institute on Disabilities,
Temple University
Stephen A. Sheridan, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy Association
of Philadelphia and Vicinity
D. J. Stemmler, Director, Center for Independent Living of Southwestern
Pennsylvania
Connie Tarr, Consultant, Universal Accessibility Design Disability Issues
Sheri Wilson, Associate Advocate, Eastern Pennsylvania Paralyzed Veterans
Association

PUERTO RICO

Ester Caro, Director, Cemecav Employment Center
Adela Costa, Director, Special Education Services
David Cruz, Ombudsman, Office of the Ombudsman for Disabled Persons
Mildred De Velazquez, President, Learning Disabilities Association of
Puerto Rico
Gelitza Falero, Director, Puerto Rico Epilepsy Foundation
Gloria Fragoso, President, Asociacion Puertoriquena Por Ciegos Louisa
Station
Heidi Garcia, Director, Association of People with Disabilities of San
German
Nilela Goncalec, Executive Director, Easter Seal Society of Puerto Rico
Dorcas Hernandez, State Coordinator, Supported Employment Program, Vocational
Rehabilitation
Hilda Rosa Kairuz, Executive Director, Training and Education New Horizon
Center
Maria Laguna, Acting Director, Developmental Disabilities Council
Nayda Negron, President, Association of Retarded Citizens of Puerto
Rico
Eliam Olliveras, Assistant Secretary, Vocational Rehabilitation Program,
Department of Social Services
Rolando Ramos, Director, Independent Living Center Mive
Maria Romero, Parent Trainer, Asociacion de Padres Por Bienestar de
Ninos Impedidos de Peurto Rico
Jose Santana, Advocate, Graduate School of Special Education of Puerto
Rico
Alfred Virellas, Service Officer, Paralyzed Veterans of America

RHODE ISLAND

Ray Bandusky, Executive Director, Rhode Island Protection and Advocacy
System, Inc.
Sharon Brinkworth, President, Rhode Island Head Injury Foundation
Marie Cirtone, Rhode Island Developmental Disabilities Council
Don Deignan, President, United Cerebral Palsy
Bill Emmett, Executive Director, Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Rhode
Island
Bob Geller, DRIVE
Sue Hamilton, President, Rhode Island Regional Council of the Blind
and Visually Impaired
James Healey, The ARC of Rhode Island
Nancy Husted-Jensen, Chairperson, Governor's Commission on the Handicapped
Mary Lomastro, Board Member, Rhode Island Association of the Deaf
Bill A. Messore, Acting Administrator, Vocational Rehabilitation Department
of Human Services
Barbara Myron, Co-Chair, CCSA
Paul Pickens, President, Vocational Resources
Gregory Solas, Advocate
Noma Veresko, President, Learning Disabilities Association of Rhode
Island

SOUTH CAROLINA

Bruce Bertram, Representative, Head Injury Survivors of South Carolina
Al Corbett, University of South Carolina, College of Business
Joseph S. Dusenbury, Commissioner, Department of Vocational Rehabilitation
Betty Easler, Director, South Carolina Developmental Disabilities Council
Donald Gist, Commissioner, Commission for the Blind
Eddie E. Glenn, Assistant Professor, South Carolina State College
Pam Goodman, Executive Director, South Carolina Share
J. Charlie McKinney, Executive Director, South Carolina Association
of the Deaf
Charles McLafferty, Executive Director, South Carolina Head Injury Foundation
Rebecca Miles, Executive Director, Mental Health Association of South
Carolina
Louise R. Ravenel, Executive Director, South Carolina Protection and
Advocacy System for the Handicapped, Inc.
Vince Rhodes, Executive Secretary, Governor's Committee on Employment
of  the Handicapped
Mary Tichenor, Executive Director, South Carolina Alliance for the Mentally
Ill
Hughey Walker, Chairman, Georgetown County Council

SOUTH DAKOTA

Charlie Anderson, Executive Director, Govenor's Planning Council on
Developmental Disabilities
Mary Baumiester, Deputy Executive Director, South Dakota Association
for Persons with Severe Handicaps
Deb Boman, Director, Division of Developmental Disabilities
Margot Burton, Chairperson, Governor's Advisory Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
Casey Davidson, ADA Coordinator, Prairie Freedom Center for Independent
Living
Monica Degen, Project Director, South Dakota Parent Connection, Inc.
John Ellefson, District Supervisor, Department of Vocational Rehabilitation
Rochelle Folley, President, South Dakota Association for the Blind
Jim Johnson, President, South Dakota Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities
Robert J. Kean, Executive Director, South Dakota Advocacy Project, Inc.
Grady Kickul, Director, Services for the Visually Impaired
Gaye Mattke, Assistant Director, Services for the Visually Impaired
Karen Mayry, President, South Dakota Board of Services to the Blind
and Visually Impaired
David L. Miller, Director, Division of Rehabilitation Services
Randy Morris, Executive Director, South Dakota Association for Persons
with Severe Handicaps
Joel Niemier, Member, South Dakota Paralyzed Veterans of America
Dennis E. Schmitz, Executive Director, Prairie Freedom Center for Disabled
Independence
Clete Sehr, Chairperson, Sioux Falls Mayor's Committee
Jane Souhrada, President, South Dakota Association of the Deaf
Ben Soukup, President, National Association of the Deaf
John Stengle, Director, The ARC of South Dakota
Rae Unzicker, Coordinator, National Association of Psychiatric Survivors
Donna Yocom, Executive Director, South Dakota Alliance for the Mentally
Ill

TENNESSEE

Roger Blue, Director, The ARC of Tennessee
William L. Byrne, President, Learning Disabilities Association of Tennessee
Diane Coleman, ADAPT of Tennessee
Tim Craven, Citizen/Advocate
Deborah Cunningham, Memphis Center for Independent Living
Patricia Farmer, Executive Director, Governor's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
Catherine Fletcher, Program Development Manager, Siskin Hospital
Michael Gibson, Executive Director, TRAC and TRAIL
Jerry Goley, Service Officer, Paralyzed Veterans of America
Bobby Greer, Professor, Memphis State University
Jim Hagy, President, Tennessee Head Injury Association
Joyce Judge, Executive Director, Tennessee Alliance for the Mentally
Ill
Janet Kidd, Director, Nashville Independent Living Center
Wendy Kurland, People First of Tennessee, Inc.
Patsy J. Mathews, Assistant Commissioner, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation,
 Department of  Human Services
Carol Westlake, Director, Coalition for Tennesseans with Disabilities
Wanda Willis, Director, Developmental Disabilities Planning Council

TEXAS

Teresa Adams, Administrative Assistant, Lonestar Paralyzed Veterans
of Americans
Andy Alexander, Staff, Governor's Committeee on Employment of People
with Disabilities
Judy Baker, Executive Director, Panhandle Action Center for Independent
Living Skills
Bernie L. Cantu, Deputy Regional Administrator, City of San Antonio
Planning Department
Belinda Carlton, Executive Director, Coalition of Texans with Disabilities
Mary Deese, FAIR Coordinator, Mental Health Association of Texas
Melanie Gall, Executive Director, Consumer Advantage Liaison
Jerry Hassell, Advocate
Sherry Hurst, Chair, Lubboch Mayor's Committee
James L. Jackson, Executive Deputy Commissioner, Texas Rehabilitation
Commission
David Leiker, Executive Director, Texas Mental Health Consumers
Stella Mullins, Executive Director, Mental Health Association of Texas
Homberto Orozoto, Coordinator, Independent Living Rural Minority Outreach
Valley Association
Carolyn Parker, Executive Director, Texas AIDS Network
Shorty Powers, President, POINT
Michael Quigley, Executive Editor, Handicapped Travel Newsletter
Angel Ramos, President, National Hispanic Council of the Deaf and Hard
of Hearing
Virginia Roberts, Executive Director, Governor's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
Ralph D. Rouse, Director, Department of Health and Human Services
David Vanderhee, Executive Director, Valley Area Independent Living
Robert Vargas, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy of Metropolitan
Dallas, Inc.
Pat D. Westbrook, Executive Director, Commission for the Blind
Ralph White, Executive Director, Texas Commission of the Deaf and Hard
of Hearing

UTAH

Carole Barton, President, Utah Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Ray Behle, Executive Director, The ARC of Utah
Celeste Bowers-Irons, Executive Director, Utah Alliance for the Mentally
Ill
Marvin G. Fifield, Chair, Hatch Committee on Disabilities Issues, Utah
State University
Phyllis Geldzahler, Executive Director, Legal Center for the Handicapped
Abe Guss, Chairman, Governor's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped
Julie Hightower, Director, Utah Association for Persons with Severe
Handicaps
Grant Mack, President, Utah Council of the Blind
Blaine Peterson, Executive Director, Utah State Office of Rehabilitation
Eva Pickering, President, Learning Disabilities Association of Utah
John Pinter, President, Easter Seal Society of Utah, Inc.
Helen W. Post, Executive Director, Utah Parent Center
Sherry L. Repscher, Executive Director, Governor's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
Barbara Rex, Grants Coordinator, Utah Council for People with Disabilities
Helen C. Roth, Executive Director, Options for Independence
Linda Smith, Coalition Director, Coalition for People with Disabilities
Richard Starley, Placement Specialist, Career Action Center
Donna Suter, Study Project Director, At Risk and Special Education Services
Barbara Toomer, Member ADAPT, Disabilities Rights Action Committee
Gary Utt, Acting Chairman, Governor's Council on Disabilities
Rick Zaharia, Director, Division of Services to People with Disabilities

VERMONT

Susan Atkinson, Co-Coordinator, Vemont Psychiatric Survivors
Barry Bernstein, Executive Director, Vermont Independent Living Center
Emmie Burke, Executive Director, Vermont National Head Injury Foundation
Norman Case, President, Vermont Council of the Blind
Glenna Copeland, Co-Chairperson, Governor's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
Ben Coplan, Executive Director, Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Vermont
Connie Curtin, Executive Director, Vermont Information and Training
Network
Diane Dalmasse, Director, Vocational Rehabilitation
James Dooley, Clinician, Veteran's Affairs
Rick Durgin, Vermont Center for Independent Living
Paul Engels, Past President, National Mental Health Consumers' Association
Tom Frank, President, Coalition for Disability Rights
Steve Graci, Director, Vermont Advocacy Network
Zeke Hanzl, President, Triad Services
Susan Hasazi, University of Vermont
Ann Holmblad, Recreation Program Coordinator, United Cerebral Palsy
Association, Inc.
Deborah Lisi, Executive Director, Vermont Protection and Advocacy System,
Inc.
Donna McCullough, Co-Chair, People with AIDS Coalition of Vermont
David M. Mentasti, Director, Department of  Social and Rehabilitation
Services
Renee Pavlus, President, Vermont Federation of the Blind
Thomas A. Pombar, Liaison, Governor's Committee on Employment of People
with Disabilities
David Sagi, Coordinator, ADA Implementation Project, Vermont Department
of Aging and Disabilities
Jean Shiner, Assistive Technology Recycling Project
Joan Sylvester, Executive Director, The ARC of Vermont
Roch Thibodeau, Vermont Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Christina Thurston, Learning Disabilities Association of Vermont
Kevin Veller, Executive Director, Vermont Association of Business and
Industry Rehabilitation
Randy Wagoner, ADA Training and Implementation Network

VIRGINIA

Tom Bass, President, Learning Disabilities Association of Virginia
Susan Bischoff, Executive Director, Epilepsy Foundation of Virginia
Donald L. Cox,  Commissioner, Department for the Visually Handicapped
Bev Fleming, President, Virginia Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Laurie Flynn, Executive Director, The National Alliance for the Mentally
Ill
Maureen Hollowell, Project ACT Coordinator, Endependence Center, Inc.
Ann Marie Hughey, Executive Director, National Council on Independent
Living Center
Steve Johnson, Director, Endependence Center, Inc.
Christine Lord, Director of Government Relations, National Center for
Learning Disabilities
Kathleen Megivern, Executive Director, Association for Education & Rehabilitatio
n of the Blind & Visually Impaired
Theresa Preda, Independent Living Coordinator, Department of Rehabilitative
Services
Sandra K. Reen, Director, Virginia Board for the Rights of People with
Disabilities
James Rothrock, Director, Department for Rights of Virginians with Disabilities
John Ward, Senior Benefits Advocate, Paralyzed Veterans of America
Paul Wehman, Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, RRTC,
Virginia Commonwealth University
Betty Willeford, Executive Director, VMHCA

VIRGIN ISLANDS

Camille Ayala, Director, Committee on Advocacy for the Developmentally
Disabled, Inc.
Sedonie Halbert, Chairperson, Department of Human Services, Disability
and Rehabilitative Services
Delma Jackson, Project Director, Division of Mental Health 
Laurent Javois, Director, Division of Mental Health
Carri Johns, State Supervisor, Vocational Special Education and Transition
Gwendylynn Powell, Executive Director, Work Able, Inc.
Irene Rithgeb, Program Coordinator, Virgin Islands Association for Independent
Living
Priscilla Stridiron, State Director, Virgin Islands Department of Education,
Special Education

WASHINGTON

Babara Allen, Executive Director, Easter Seal Society of Washington
Sue Ammeter, Chairperson, Governor's Committee on Disability Issues
and Employment
Carol Bonson, Self-Advocate, People First of Washington
Debbie Cook,  Program Manager, Assistive Technology Department Services
for the Blind
Arlene Engel, Chairperson, State Mental Health Advisory Board
Rose Mary Galliger, Staff Director, Washington Independent Living Council
Laurel Jones, Executive Director,  Learning Disabilities Association
of Washington
Charles Karcvewski, Chapter President, Northwest Chapter Paralyzed Veterans
of America
Sherri Kerns, Executive Director, Epilepsy Foundation of Western Washington
Dona Lawrey, Executive Director, People First of Washington
Cecil Lindquist, Admissions Director, Child Development and Mental Retardation
Center
Lori Magnuson, Rehabilitation Coordinator, Client Assistance Program
Huss Malik, Manager of Employment Services, Department of Social & Health
Services, Mental Health Division
Mel Mangum, Vice Chair, Governor's Committee on Disability Issues and
Employment
Jeanne Munro, Director, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Department
of Social and Health Services
Toby Olson, Executive Secretary, Governor's Committee on Disability
Issues and Employment
Elenor Owen, Director, Washington Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Tony Screws, Executive Director, Washington State Head Injury Foundation
Mark Stroh, Executive Director, Washington Protection and Advocacy System
Mary Jo Wilcox, President, Washington Assembly for Citizens with Disabilities
Paul J. Wysocki, Former Chair of Governor's Committee, Seattle Human
Rights Department

WEST VIRGINIA

Hubert Anderson, Executive Director, West Virginia Commission for the
Hearing Impaired
Susan Edwards, Director, Client Assistance Program for West Virginia
Advocates
Ninetta Garner, President, Mountain State Council of the Blind
Barbara Judy, Project Manager, Job Accommodation Network
Judy Krull, Director, West Virginia Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Jan Lilly, Huntington Center for Independent Living
Carolyn J. Nelson, Executive Director, West Virginia Alliance for the
Mentally Ill
Sally Nemeth, Advocate
Barbara O'Donnell, President, Learning Disabilities Association of West
Virginia
Michael A. Oliverio, Rehabilitation Administrator, West Virginia Division
of Rehabilitation Services
John M. Panza, Director, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services,
State Board of Vocational Education
Alice Vandelinde, Interim Director, West Virginia Advocates
Anne O. Weeks, Executive Director, Huntington Center for Independent
Living
Dorothy Whitehurst, Executive Director, Mental Health Association of
West Virginia

WISCONSIN

William Bertram, President, Badger Association of the Blind
Joanna Boey, President, Wisconsin Brain Trauma Association
Lou Brown, Professor, Special Education , University of Wisconsin at
Madison
Dorothy Calcott, President, Wisconsin Brain Trauma Association
Bob Diest, President, Wisconsin Independent Living Center
Mary Eft, Planning Analyst, Wisconsin Vocational Rehabilitation
Cleo Eliason, Director, Easter Seal Society of Wisconsin
Elise Frattura Kampschroer, Wisconsin Association for Persons with Severe
Handicaps
Tom Hlavacek, Director, Wisconsin Coalition for Advocacy
Patrick Irick, Advocate
Dan C. Johnson, Director, Office for Persons with Physical Disabilities,
Deparment of Health and Human Services
Tim Murray, Service Officer, Paralyzed Veterans of America
Jon A. Nelson, Executive Director, The ARC of Wisconsin
Judy Norman-Nunnery, Administrator, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation,
Division of Health & Social Services
John Nousaine, Director, North County Independent Living
Jennifer Ondrejka, Executive Director, Alliance for the Mentally Ill
of Wisconsin
Dick Pomo, Disabilities Rights Coordinator, Department of Administration
Gus Sorenson, Director, Paralyzed Veterans of America of Wisconsin
Jayn Wittenmyer, Executive Director, Wisconsin Council on Developmental
Disabilities
Paul A. Yochum, Executive Director, Governor's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities

WYOMING

Woody Absher, Program Manager, Governor's Committee on Employment of
the Handicapped
Scott Bergey, Executive Director, The ARC of Wyoming
Bob Bricher, Chairman, Cody Mayor's Committee
Barbara Bumgardner, Chair, National Association of the Deaf
Tammy Carney, Chair, National Federation of the Blind of Wyoming
Gary W. Child, Administrator, Wyoming Department of Vocational Rehabilitation
Marion Cotterman, Director, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation 
Dennis Fransted, Executive Director, Wyoming Alliance for the Mentally
Ill
Jeanne Kawcak-Phobro, Executive Director, Protection and Advocacy System,
Inc.
Judi Kluever, Director, Wyoming Easter Seal Society
Darlo Koldenhoven, Program Consultant, Independent Living Center
Leslie Lanham, Executive Director, Wyoming Head Injury Association
Dick Patterson, Chairman, Mayor's Council
Margaret Salisbury, Executive Director, National Multiple Sclerosis
Society, Wyoming Chapter
Dan Shatto, ADA Coordinator, Town of Lander Wyoming
Carolyn B. Simkins, Director, Wyoming Polio Survivors Network

28 March 1994

The President
The White House
Washington, DC  20500

Dear Mr. President:

Enclosed please find our report -- Operation People First: Toward a
National Disability Policy.  The project was undertaken in the spirit
of your Presidency, that of bringing all of the American people, including
people with disabilities, into the decision-making process of government
and that of putting people first.  It was conducted by the previous
Chairman, Justin Dart, and the staff of the President's Committee on
Employment of People with Disabilities.

This report provides you, and the nation, findings and recommendations
toward the development of a national disability policy.  It is based
on over 60 teleconference meetings with more than 1,000 disability-community
leaders in all states and territories.  I concur with the report's findings
and recommendations.
  
As a result of this project, we have determined the need for a cohesive
national policy on disability.  The nation lacks coordinated and comprehensive
policy and law which are consistent with and supportive of the intent
of the Americans with Disabilities Act and which bring people with disabilities
into the political, economic and social mainstream of our culture.

The development of a national disability policy would come at a unique
time in our nation's history.  The ADA provides the legal framework
for achieving equality and empowerment for America's 49 million citizens
with physical and mental disabilities.  Coordinated policy and programs
consistent with the purposes of ADA would establish the foundation on
which individuals with disabilities can build in reordering our society
from one which fosters exclusion, dependence and paternalism to one
which promotes inclusion, independence and empowerment.

Operation People First: Toward a National Disability Policy is an important
step forward in this journey.  It is important not just for the recommendations
it provides and the national leadership network it creates, but also
for the process through which it was developed.  All factions of the
disability community were invited to participate, including representatives
from
frequently excluded groups like psychiatric and head-injury survivors
and people labelled mentally retarded.  All were represented.  All spoke.
 All were listened to with attention, consideration and respect.  We
did more in our teleconferences than talk about inclusion; we practiced
it.

Operation People First: Toward a National Disability Policy provided
a forum for over a 1,000 disability leaders in the 50 states and territories
to meet.  They identified and discussed key issues.  They represented
the views of their organizations and constituencies in a dialogue designed
to shape public policy on matters of critical importance to them.  Our
teleconferences across the country created a national network which
now numbers over 6,000 disability leaders.

The President's Committee activated this national network on the single
most important issue facing people with disabilities -- health care
reform -- by holding a nationwide teleconference call on November 22,
1993 to explain the implications for people with disabilities of your
health care proposals.  As with health care, we will continue to focus
on issues and policy in a way that will build the bridge to financial
independence through employment for people with disabilities.

Operation People First: Toward a National Disability Policy represents
the beginning of what will be, and must be, an ongoing commitment to
change.  We have identified what we need to do.  Now we need to do it.

Respectfully submitted,

Tony Coelho
Chairman