Events in the Development of Disability Part 2

1982 – The Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 (P.L. 97-248) permits states to cover under their Medicaid plans home care services for certain children with disabilities even though family’s income and resources exceeded state’s normal eligibility standards.

1982 – The Job Training Partnership Act (P.L. 97-300) revamped the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA).  The Act emphasizes training for private sector jobs. The Act establishes a estate “Job Training Coordinating Council” and the “Private Industry Council (PIC)”.

1982 – Telecommunications for the Disabled Act of 1982 (P.L. 97-410) requires that workplace telephones used by persons with hearing aids, and emergency phones are hearing-aid-compatible.

1984 – The Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1984 (P.L. 98-221) transformed the National Council on Disability from and Advisory Board in the Department of Education into an independent Federal agency.

1984 – The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act (P.L. 98-435) requires that registration and polling places for federal elections be accessible to persons with disabilities.

1984 – Child Abuse Amendments of 1984 (P.L. 98-457) requires states to enact procedures or programs within child protection agencies to respond to cases in which medical treatment is withheld from disabled infants.

1984 – The Social Security Disability Benefits Reform Act of 1984 (P.L. 98-460) extended the Section 1619 worker incentive program under SSI for an additional 3 years.

1984 – The Developmental Disabilities Act of 1984 (P.L. 98-527) added a statement of purpose to the Act, authorized protection and advocacy systems to have access to the records of persons with developmental disabilities residing in institutions.

1985 – The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (P.L. 99-272) authorizes states to cover case management services on less than a statewide or comparable basis to targeted groups under Medicaid; expanded the definition of “habilitation” for Home and Community-Based Waiver recipients with developmental disabilities to cover certain pre-vocational services and supported employment for previously institutionalized individuals; authorizes states to cover ventilator-dependent children under the waiver program if they would otherwise require continued inpatient care.

1986 – The Protection and Advocacy for Mentally Ill Individuals Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-139) establishes a formula grant program operated by existing protection and advocacy systems primarily focusing on incidences of abuse and neglect of mentally ill individuals.

1986 – The Handicapped Children’s Protection Act (P.L. 99-372) Overturned a Supreme Court decision and authorizes courts to award reasonable attorneys fees to parents who prevail in due process proceedings and court actions under Part B of the Education of the Handicapped Act.

1986 – The Air Carrier Access Act (P.L 99-435) prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities by air carriers and provides for enforcement by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

1986 – The Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments (P.L. 99-457) includes a new grant program for states to develop an early intervention system for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families and provide greater incentives for states to provide preschool programs for children with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 5.

1986 – Amendments to the Job Training Partnership Act (P.L. 99-496) require special consideration for persons with disabilities in the awarding of discretionary grants.

1986 – The Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1986 (P.L. 99-506) clarified that supported employment is a viable outcome of vocational rehabilitation and specified that states must plan for individuals making the transition from school to work.

1986 – The Employment Opportunities for Disabled Americans Act (P.L 99-643) made the Section 1619 (a) and 1619 (b) work incentives a permanent feature of the Social Security Act.  The Act also added provisions to enable individuals to move back and forth among regular SSI, Section 1619 (a) and Section 1619 (b) eligibility status.

1987 – The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act Amendments of 1987 (P.L. 100-146) updated language in the legislation, strengthened the independence of the State Planning Councils, strengthened authority of protection and advocacy systems to investigate allegations of abuse and neglect and created separate line items for core funding and training for university affiliated programs.

1987 – The Housing and Community Development Act of 1987 (P.L. 100-242) requires HUD to earmark 15 percent of Section 202 funds for non-elderly persons with disabilities.

1988 – The Civil Rights Restoration Act (P.L. 100-259) amends the Rehabilitation Act’s definition of an individual with a disability and defines coverage of Section 504 as broad (e.g. extending to an entire university) rather than narrow (e.g. extending to just one department of the university) when federal funds are involved.

1988 – The Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act of 1988 (P.L. 100-360) clarifies the circumstances under which Medicaid reimbursement would be available for services included in a child’s individualized education program (IEP) or individualized family services plan (IFSP) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

1988 – Haring Aid Compatibility Act of 1988 (P.L. 100-394) requires most telephones manufactured or imported into the U.S. must be compatible for use with telecoil-equipped hearing aids.

 1988 – The Temporary Child Care for Handicapped Children and Crisis Nurseries Act of 1988 (P.L. 100-403) authorized the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to states for public and nonprofit agencies to furnish temporary, non-medical care services to children with disabilities and special health care needs.

1988 – The Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act (P.L. 100-407) provides grants to states to develop statewide assistive technology programs.

1988 – The Fair Housing Act Amendments (P.L 100-430) adds persons with disabilities as a group protected from discrimination in housing and ensures that persons with disabilities are allowed to adapt their dwelling place to meet their needs.

1989 – Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989 (P.L 101-239)

• Specified, among other things, that at least 30% of the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant under Title V of the Social Security Act must be used to improve services for children with special health care needs.
• Included a major expansion in required services under Medicaid’s Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Program (EPSDT).

1990 – The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) (P.L. 101-336) guarantees the civil rights of people with disabilities by prohibiting the discrimination against anyone who has a mental or physical disability in the area of employment, public services, transportation, public accommodations, and telecommunications.