NCD meets in Orlando

NCD meets in Orlando

For Immediate Release

January 27, 2026

WASHINGTON - The National Council on Disability (NCD) met January 22-23 in Orlando, Florida.

The January 22 meeting included policy updates, panels, and two public comment sessions.

After introductions, a proclamation from Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer welcomed NCD to the community and thanked the agency for listening to and learning from residents.

A panel on institutionalization of youth in nursing homes discussed impacts of policy and institutionalization in nursing homes across the state.

Right now, there is over 100 children in Florida nursing homes who should not be there, said Paolo Annino, director of the Public Interest Law Center and the Children's Advocacy Clinic at Florida State University College of Law.

A panel shared experience of disabled Floridians during and after recent natural disasters.

The setback to the special needs shelter-it doesn't work for us, because they have strict guidelines, said Alberto Salvi, from Pembrooke Pines, Florida. If you're going to go, you need one person with you. I have a family of five, he said, in sharing his experience as a wheelchair user .

"Many of the people in Pinellas County who evacuated never returned back to their homes, said Kim Dittman, Disability Achievement Center. Elevators were continuing to have problems and were not operating; people went to nursing homes, so they had to leave everything behind.

NCD is working on an emergency management toolkit for states and local municipalities that can assist in plans and solutions that will be inclusive of people with disabilities.

The day concluded with a panel presentation on accessible transportation in Florida and questions from the Council.

"The barriers that people talked about today (are) something we see universally around the state," said Martin Catala, Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida. "The challenge is coming up with a solution set."

The January 23 business meeting included the Chairman's report; Councilmember reports; an Executive Committee report; legislative and public affairs updates.

Senior Attorney Advisor Amged Soliman provided updates on NCD's Disability Competency Curriculum Project, discussing request for information responses and potential NCD recommendations. He then answered questions from the Council on the project.

The Council then received a group presentation on a study looking at denials of Florida Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver eligibility, before presenting questions.

"To explain what this process does, it effectively says that Florida does not have a problem helping people with developmental disabilities because the people who have applied don't have developmental disabilities," said Robert Latham, associate director of the Children and Youth Law Clinic at the University of Miami.

The meeting finished with Acting Chairman Shawn Kennemer presenting a public service award for NCD Councilmember and former Chairman Neil Romano.

As an independent federal agency, NCD Council meetings under the Sunshine Act are free and open to the public. Learn more about the Council and upcoming meetings at NCD.gov.

###