AAMR F.Y.I.
December 2002, Vol. 2, No. 6

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Dear AAMR Friends and Colleagues:

IN THIS ISSUE:

    1. Interview with Director of new HHS Office on Disability, Dr. Margaret Giannini
    2. New report examines a problematic aspect of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
    3. AAMR is featured in the "Top Ten Best Health Charities" list
    4. Have you renewed your membership yet?
    5. In Virginia, jurors may decide if defendant has mental retardation
    6. Hard to find, yet critical to obtain data on public funding in the new 7th edition of the State of the States
    7. Explore an exciting new feature of AAMR F.Y.I.!
    8. Tips on accommodating persons with mental retardation in regular work settings
    9. Don't forget to send in your ballots by December 27!

INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR OF NEW HHS OFFICE ON DISABILITY, DR. MARGARET GIANNINI
"A new day, a new era...for the world of disabilities," says Dr. Giannini. As the new HHS Office on Disability officially opened its doors on October 15, 2002, Dr. Giannini shares her optimism and vision for this new federal office with Anna Prabhala, editor of AAMR F.Y.I.

Visit www.aamr.org/FYI/interview_giannini.shtml to read the interview.

NEW REPORT BY THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY ON THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES(ADA)ACT
The National Council on Disability (NCD) released a new report on the significance of the ADA finding that 43 million Americans have a disability. The report is third in a series of policy papers by NCD examining problematic aspects of the ADA caused by detrimental rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court. Future policy papers will focus on the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the word "disability" and constitutional limits on the power of Congress to enact disability rights laws such as the ADA.

To read the new NCD report online, visit http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/43million.html

AAMR AMONG "TOP TEN BEST HEALTH CHARITIES" SELECTED BY THE PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a health advocacy group based in Washington, DC, has selected AAMR for its first ever "Top Ten Best Health Charities" list. "Charities were chosen for the excellence of their service programs and also for their commitment to education, prevention, or life-saving research," says PCRM Coordinator Kathyrn Kuhn.

To learn more about selection criteria and other organizations that made the list, visit http://www.pcrm.org/news/issues021118.html

HAVE YOU RENEWED YOUR AAMR MEMBERSHIP YET?
Become an active AAMR member and enjoy access to top journals on intellectual disabilities, and discounts on conferences, seminars, and more!

Renew your membership online at www.aamr.org/Membership/index.shtml

Don’t forget to check out our e-membership special international e-membership benefits.

IN VIRGINIA, JURORS MAY DECIDE IF THE DEFENDANT HAS MENTAL RETARDATION
In its January 2003 session, the Virginia General Assembly will consider a bill that would make juries responsible for deciding whether people charged with murder have mental retardation or not.

This article appeared in the Virginian-Pilot and was selected by RADAR, an online AAMR database that tracks top news stories and trends in developmental disabilities. Visit RADAR at www.radaraamr.com

AAMR F.Y.I. HAS AN EXCITING NEW FEATURE!
Would you like to forward AAMR F.Y.I. to a friend? Simply click on the link at the top of this email and enter an email address!

You can also read AAMR F.Y.I. online at http://www.aamr.org/FYI/

HARD TO FIND, YET MUST-HAVE DATA ON PUBLIC FUNDING IS MAIN FEATURE OF THE NEW 7TH EDITION OF THE STATE OF THE STATES
Here are some questions to which you’ll find answers in the State of the States:

  1. Which U.S. states have no institutions and provide only non-institutional services to persons with developmental disabilities?
  2. Which states spend the most on family support services?
  3. Which states spend the most on supported employment?
  4. Which states provide extensive community-based long term care for persons with mental illness and physical disabilities?
  5. Which 15 states spend half or more of their total resources on mental retardation/developmental disabilities on Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waiver services?

Visit http://www.aamr.org/Bookstore/MGMT/state_of_states.shtml to learn more about the State of the States.

HOW DO YOU ACCOMODATE PERSONS WITH MENTAL RETARDATION IN REGULAR WORK SETTINGS?
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN), a service of the U.S. Department of Labor, has an online database called Searchable Online Accommodation Resource (SOAR) that allows you to explore various accommodation options for persons with disabilities in work and educational settings. Read accommodations specific to persons with mental retardation at http://www.jan.wvu.edu/soar/mr/mrex.html

You can also talk to a JAN consultant for free to discuss job accommodations confidentially at 1-800-526-7234 (V/TTY) in the U.S. and 1-304-293-7186 (V/TTY) worldwide.

DON'T FORGET TO SEND IN YOUR BALLOTS BY DECEMBER 27!
Leadership counts. Leaders matter. Here’s your chance to tell us who you think should steer AAMR in 2003-4.

Send in your ballots today. Let your voice be heard. Remember, every vote counts!

AAMR F.Y.I. is compiled by Anna Prabhala, Editor. Please submit comments, suggestions, tips, and news to annap@aamr.org

© Copyright 2002 American Association on Mental Retardation
AAMR F.Y.I. may only be redistributed in its unedited form