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GDDC eyes to address disability services for non resident workers
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Posted on Oct 13 2000
By Marian A. Maraya
Staff Reporter
The Governor’s Developmental Disabilities Council disclosed yesterday plans to act on growing concerns that non-resident individuals with disabilities on the CNMI have very limited access to disability services.
Executive Director Thomas J. Camacho raised the issue during the Service Providers’ Training on Legislative Issues held at the Aqua Resort Club yesterday, saying the issue is not only isolated to the Northern Marianas but is a mounting concern experienced by the whole nation.
“We have been receiving some calls from local agencies and families about their children with disabilities and how they are unable to tap the services due to their citizenship. These individuals, by law, are not covered to avail the services we offer,” said Mr. Camacho.
The DD council chief recognized the need for the Commonwealth to explore possible solutions that would allow local service providers to extend their services even to non U.S. citizens who have acquired some forms of disabilities.
“It’s terrible when you have a child who’s born to non U.S. citizen parents and the child has severe disability…even if the child is a citizen, sometimes eligibility requirements provide that in order for the child to avail of the services, both parents must be citizens also,” Mr. Camacho explained.
He vowed that the council would conduct a more thorough study of the situation to determine how best to address the issue.
Meanwhile, DD council sponsored yesterday a one day seminar in efforts to increase local awareness on the political climate pertaining to current federal issues on disabilities.
Guest speaker Celane McWhorter, Director of Public Policy for the Association for Persons in Supported Employment, delivered a presentation on timely federal disability issues to include the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Development Disabilities Act, Fair Housing Act, Air Carrier Access act, Social Security act, and others.
