Articles from prior issues of The Advocate

January/February, 1996

National Commission on Childhood Disability Completes Recommendations
by Lisa Elliott, Ohio DDS

AS YOU ARE AWARE, MY initial contact with Elaine Fultz, Staff Director of the NCCD, was February 6, 1995 in Washington DC following the Commission’s first meeting. My original objectives were to observe the proceedings and to express to Elaine, at Linda Langele’s request, NADE’s interest in the Commission and to submit the position paper based upon the membership survey.

As a result of that contact, Eileen Kasten, MD, a state agency pediatrician and NADE member, and I were invited to provide the Commissioners a training session in the development and use of the Individualized Functional Assessment in the evaluation of disability for children. This meeting was held in Washington DC on February 24, 1995.

In April I was contacted by Susan LaMorte as she was preparing to address the Commission and we discussed the strong voice the Commission had adopted in the public hearings. It was reassuring to know that NADE’s voice could still be heard.

The Chair, The Honorable Jim Slattery, attempted to meet the demands of various groups and held public meetings in locations outside Washington DC, such as Baltimore and Philadelphia, with plans to go to Kansas, California and Louisiana. However, the push in the House for HR4 created an urgency for the Commission to complete its recommendations to Congress before the Senate acted on it.

The Commission requested my participation once again for the meetings held May 5 and 6, 1995. This time I was asked to participate in a panel discussion of the Individualized Functional Assessment. I was asked to address the issue from the perspective of the disability examiner, describing the IFA’s shortcomings and strong points and provide a recommendation regarding its continued application. Dr. Kasten was asked to sit on a panel addressing possible differences in medical examiners opinions in rating the domains.

Multiple issues were raised which will be addressed in the final report of the Commission which is to be released the end of October 1995 with the recommendations of the Commission. The most noted division was 7 to 7 split over two options. One option established a new childhood definition of disability, expands the use of functional equals, and requires two marked limitations as a basis for functional allowance. The other option permits allowances with a marked and a moderate limitation. The Commission’s recommendations were delivered in time for consideration in the Senate Finance Committee. The final meeting of the Commission was September 11, 1995. Copies of the Bill after the Packwood Mark are available. The staff of the Commission will finalize the report and distribute the copies before closing in November 1995.

I want to thank Linda and the Board for their continued support. This truly represents the cooperative spirit of NADE in a vast group effort, from the beginnings in the Great Lakes Region to its culmination in Washington DC. Without people like Mary Marshall, Terri Klubertanz, Ione Klima, Eileen Kasten, Susan LaMorte, Jane Durfee, Sharon Galbraith, Linda Langele, Carroll Moore, Larry DeVantier, .... all the responders to the childhood disability survey... to name just a few.. this could never have happened, but NADE MAKES THINGS HAPPEN and I thank you for the opportunity to be a part of it.