Council of the District of Columbia

Committee on Human Services

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

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

Revised

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 MODERNIZATION
AMENDMENT ACT OF 2010”

MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2010 – 1:00 P.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 Act
of 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.

This revised hearing notice reflects a change in the date, time of the hearing
from Wednesday, November 24, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, December 13, 2010,
at 1 p.m.

The public hearing on both bills will be held on Monday, December 13, 2010, at
1:00 p.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 with
developmental disabilities, expand eligibility to all developmental disabilities, phase-out
commitment, create a program to provide legal services and advocates to adults and

1
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 to
meet certain reporting requirements regarding service-delivery to clients.

The committee will take comments on the introduced version of the bill. You
may access the introduced version of Bill 18-501 at the following link:
http://dccouncil.us/images/00001/20091021172014.pdf.

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.

You may access the introduced version of Bill 18-502 at the following link:
http://dccouncil.us/images/00001/20091030103026.pdf.

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 Friday, December 10, 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 were scheduled to testify on the hearing’s original date of November 24, 2010,
your name will be automatically transferred to the witness list for December 13, 2010.
Please contact Ms. McCarter if you are no longer available.

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, December 17, 5:00
p.m.