Current Events and Happenings at DDI
New 2007 DDI Annual Report Now Available! June 2008
The 2007 DDI Annual Report is now available. You can order print copies of the report for free or download the report in PDF format from our website. To access the report, please follow this link to our publications page and click on the report link. Or, please contact Michael Bray at DDI to inquire about ordering a copy by mail.
New Paper Published on Dual Diagnosis June 2008
Drs. Karen Hobden and Barbara LeRoy's paper entitled Assessing Mental Health Concerns in Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities was published in the May/June issue of the NADD Bulletin. The NADD Bulletin is a bimonthly publication of the National Association For the Dually Diagnosed. The paper presents the findings from DDI's Dual Diagnosis Project, which is funded by the James and Ethel Flinn foundation. Check back here for a link to the electronic version of the paper once it is available.
Project ACTION in Action Helping Schools Meet the Transportation Needs of Students with Disabilities April 2008
Easter Seals Project ACTION (ESPA) has posted a Request for Proposal (RFP) announcement for, “Project ACTION in Action Helping Schools Meet the Transportation Needs of Students with Disabilities.” ESPA seeks school districts that will bring together a team of district employees and other community members to discuss problems and propose solutions for transportation services for students with disabilities. Applicants are expected to describe project plans that can realistically be accomplished within the contract term of June 1, 2008 to August 15, 2008. The deadline for submission is May 15, 2008. Further information can be found at www.projectaction.org on our request for proposals page. If you have questions about this project, feel free to contact Ken Thompson, Technical Assistance Contract Specialist, Easter Seals Project ACTION, Tel: 202-347-3066.
Ecuador Ratifies UN Disability Rights Treaty April 2008
(New York, United Nations, April 3, 2008): RI congratulates the Government of Ecuador for ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and Optional Protocol today, becoming the 20th State Party to the Convention and thereby triggering the treaty’s entry into force. In 30 days, the UN Convention will be binding international law for all states that have ratified and will give persons with disabilities in these countries a powerful legal instrument to defend their rights. The ratification of the Convention by 20 States in just one year demonstrates a strong commitment to the principles of non-discrimination, inclusion and equal opportunities for all people in society.
“RI congratulates Ecuador for continuing its leadership role in the global disability rights movement, building on the work of Ambassador Luis Gallegos who served as the first Chair of the negotiations toward the Convention,” said RI President Michael Fox. “Over the years, Ecuador has made great strides in working together with civil society organizations, particularly organizations of persons with disabilities. RI looks forward to continuing this good collaboration with the Government of Ecuador as they take the steps necessary to develop more inclusive laws, programs and policies.”
In an innovative approach to mainstreaming disability rights, RI is working closely with members of the disability community, the Government of Ecuador and local lawyers to study existing disability legislation in Ecuador and present recommendations on how to fully implement the Convention into national law. The research is being conducted by lawyers from the Quito-based firm Corral & Rosales and from Weil, Gotshal & Manges (LLP), one of the leading international law firms, together from national disability organizations and agencies. RI hopes this research, which is also being conducted in Mexico and Costa Rica by local law firms partnered with the national disability movement, will serve as a resource for policymakers, NGOs and legal professionals. This effort is part of RI’s Global Advocacy Campaign, which aims to raise awareness and build capacity on the Convention within and beyond the RI network. This initiative is made possible because of the generous support of Irish Aid, Foundation Open Society Institute and an anonymous donor.
“This collaborative approach between national and local actors in Ecuador – the Assembly, Government and civil society, particularly disabled persons’ organizations – is essential to ensure that the priorities and needs of persons with disabilities are fully addressed in national disability legislation. The RI Campaign also aims to increase understanding and build cooperation among government officials, parliamentarians, lawyers and persons with disabilities – all of whom have important roles to play in ratification and implementation of the Convention,” said Xavier Torres, Advisor on Disability to the President of Ecuador and President of RI member The National Federation of Ecuadorians with Physical Disabilities. As part of this campaign, RI is also producing information and advocacy materials on the CRPD and organizing a regional conference in Latin America, to take place on April 15-16, 2008.
RI also commends the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and Tunisia for ratifying the Convention this week, on March 31 and April 2 respectively, becoming the first two Arab states to do so. To promote the CRPD in the region, RI held the first-ever Arab-African Regional Conference, in October 2007 in Djerba, Tunisia. Conference participants adopted a declaration (see http://www.riglobal.org/events/documents/RI_DjerbaDeclaration_FINAL.doc), which calls for the implementation of the Convention as a partnership between governments and civil society, particularly disabled persons’ organizations.
The CRPD is the first human rights treaty of the 21st century and prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in all areas of life, and includes specific provisions related to rehabilitation, habilitation, education, employment, health and access to information, public facilities and services. The Optional Protocol relates to how individuals or groups can seek redress for violations of the CRPD once national remedies are exhausted. To date, 126 countries have signed the Convention, 71 have signed the Optional Protocol, 20 states have ratified the treaty and 13 states has ratified the Protocol. (Attached is a current list of all signatories and states parties to the CRPD and Optional Protocol.)
For more information on the UN Convention and contact details of experts within the RI membership, please contact Tomas Lagerwall (sg@riglobal.org), RI Secretary General, or Shantha Rau (shantha@riglobal.org), Senior Program Officer, at +1-212-420-1500.
About RI
Founded in 1922, RI is a global network of organizations of persons with disabilities, government agencies, service providers, researchers and advocates promoting and implementing the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities. RI is currently composed of over 700 members and affiliated organizations in 93 nations, in all regions of the world.
RI works closely with other disability organizations, actively participating in the International Disability Alliance (IDA) – a network of the ten global and regional democratic disability organizations – and the International Disability Caucus (IDC) – a loose coalition of disabled peoples’ organizations and NGOs which participated in the negotiations toward the Convention. RI also maintains official relations with the United Nations and its agencies and institutions as well as with other international organizations, NGOs and universities.
For more information about RI, please visit our accessible website: http://www.riglobal.org.
DDI's Dr. Preethy Samuel Awarded Switzer Research Fellowship March 2008
The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) has selected DDI's Dr. Preethy 
Samuel as one of a selct group of Researchers nationwide to be the recipient of a 2008-2009 Switzer Research Fellowship. The Mary E. Switzer Research Fellowship Program was established to build rehabilitation capacity by providing support to qualified individuals to engage in scientific research relating to problems encountered by individuals with disabilities, or studies to improve the delivery of rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities. The fellowship program honors the memory of the late Mary E. Switzer, whose extraordinary leadership, drive and dedication were the catalyst for legislation, programs and services that changed attitudes, enhanced employment opportunities, facilitated independence, and improved the quality of life for millions of people with disabilities and their families in the United States and abroad. Dr. Samuel's research will explore the utility of the Family Quality of Life Survey (FQOLS) in assessing the impact of a family support and navigation one-stop program upon the quality of life of families of children with developmental disabilities.
DDI Director Earns Re-Election with USICD March, 2008
DDI Director, Dr. Barbara LeRoy, was recently re-elected for a two-year term as the Board Secretary to the United States International Council on Disability (USICD). The Council has identified three primary objectives for its work over the next two years: (1) Ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; (2) Outreach and training on disability issues; and (3) Global liaison with Rehabilitation International and Disabled Persons International. Marca Bristo (CEO, Access Living, Chicago) was elected as Board President. Please check out the press release by clinking onthe link here.
ACCESS Abu Dhabi Conference 2008 Held March 11th to the 13th March 2008
ACCESS Abu Dhabi 2008, the Third International Conference on Special Needs was held
from March 11th to 13th, 2008 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This annual conference provides a forum in which to present research results and shared experiences in all areas related to the educational and social inclusion of people with special needs in different parts of the world. Dr. Barbara LeRoy provided an invited keynote address at this year's event.
Universal Education Workshop to Feature Norman Kunc March 2008
The Developmental Disabilities Institute is proud to present reknowned disability rights advocate Norman 
Kunc. Norman will be speaking to participants of the Universal Education: Principles, Practices and Outcomes workshop scheduled for Wednesday April 16, 2008. The workshop is the third in the series and will be held at the Fairlane Center on the campus of the University of Michigan, Dearborn from 9am to 3:30pm. Mr. Kunc will be speaking from 9am to 11am. Flyers for the Universal Education workshop and Norman Kunc' talk are located below.
Universal Education Workshop Flyer
Did You Know? Project Hosting April Event in Ann Arbor, MI March, 2008
One of the biggest concerns cited by families of individuals with disabilities is that they do not know how to navigate the complex disability service system. Most families do not attain the full array of services that are available to them because of this lack of knowledge. The Did You Know? Families and Support Coordinators Meetings project addresses these issues by bringing individuals with disabilities, families and support coordinators together and giving them an overview of the Community Mental Health (CMH) system. Did You Know? also brings professionals into the conversation to inform them of different family issues that exist in order to better facilitate the sharing of information between families and those who work in the system. DDI will be facilitating more Did You Know? meetings on April 22 and 23, 2008 at the offices of the Washtenaw Association for Community Advocacy in Ann Arbor, MI. Registration for this very informative and important event is limited. Please follow the link below to view the registration form:
Did You Know? Registration Brochure