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Council of the District of ColumbiaCommittee on Human Services

 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Room 500, Washington, D.C. 20004

THE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

TOMMY WELLS, CHAIR 

ANNOUNCES A PUBLIC HEARING

B18-0501 “DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES REFORM ACT OF 2010”

AND

B18-0502 “PEOPLE FIRST RESPECTFUL LANGUAGE MODERNIZATIONAMENDMENT ACT OF 2010”

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2010 - 10:00 A.M.

THE JOHN WILSON BUILDING

1350 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W.

ROOM 500

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20004

Councilmember Tommy Wells, Chair of the Committee on Human Services,

announces a Public Hearing on Bill 18-501 the “Developmental Disabilities Reform Actof 2010” and Bill 18-502 the “People First Respectful Language Modernization Act of 2010”. Both bills were co-introduced by Chairman Vincent Gray and Councilmember 

Tommy Wells and referred to the Committee on Human Services.

The Public Hearing on both bills will be held on Wednesday, November 24, 2010

at 10:00 a.m. in Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue,

 N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004.

Bill 18-501 the “Developmental Disabilities Reform Act of 2010” represents a

complete modernization of service delivery to persons with intellectual and

developmental disabilities. The bill would establish rights for persons withdevelopmental disabilities, expand eligibility to all developmental disabilities, phase-out

commitment, create a program to provide legal services and advocates to adults and

support services to families who are eligible for services.

The bill would also establish waiting list guidelines, require criminal background

checks for employees and volunteers of DDS and service providers; and require DDS tomeet certain reporting requirements regarding service-delivery to clients.

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To minimize the fiscal impact of the bill, while ensuring that the bill represents a

flexible framework that is consistent with best practices, the Committee on HumanServices is considering certain bill revisions. The Committee invites testimony regarding

the revisions being considered, in addition to other testimony on the bill. Highlights of 

those revisions include:

• Ceasing commitment of individuals as of the effective date of the bill andallowing for a one-year phase-out of Family Court involvement.

• Allowing for planned eligibility expansion to persons with developmental

disabilities based on needs assessments, but requiring that DDS extend services to

all persons with developmental disabilities within four years.

• Eliminating the legal program in favor of the advocacy program.

To receive a working draft of the bill with a redline of all revisions under consideration, please email China Terrell at cterrell@dccouncil.us.

The purpose of Bill 18-502 the “People First Respectful Language Modernization

Act of 2010” is to change District law by replacing antiquated, insensitive terms

describing intellectual and developmental disabilities with more respectful terminology.

Those who wish to testify should contact Ms. Vivian McCarter of the Committee

on Human Services by e-mail at vmccarter@dccouncil.us or by telephone at (202) 724-8191 by Tuesday, November 22, 2010.  E-mail contacts to Ms. McCarter should include

the full name, title, and affiliation -- if applicable -- of the person(s) testifying. Witnesses

should bring 15 copies of their written testimony to the Hearing. Representatives of organizations and individuals will be allowed a maximum of thee (3) minutes for oral

 presentation. Additionally, if you plan to testify and require reasonable accommodations,

 please contact Ms. McCarter so arrangements can be made.

If you are unable to testify at the Public Hearing, written statements are

encouraged and will be made a part of the official record. Copies of written statements

should be submitted to Committee on Human Services, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 117, Washington, D.C. 20004, by no later than Friday,  November 26, 5:00

 p.m.

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