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U.S. Code as of:
01/19/04
Section 718. Traditionally underserved populations
(a) Findings
With respect to the programs authorized in subchapters II through
VII of this chapter, the Congress finds as follows:
(1) Racial profile
The racial profile of America is rapidly changing. While the
rate of increase for white Americans is 3.2 percent, the rate of
increase for racial and ethnic minorities is much higher: 38.6
percent for Latinos, 14.6 percent for African-Americans, and 40.1
percent for Asian-Americans and other ethnic groups. By the year
2000, the Nation will have 260,000,000 people, one of every three
of whom will be either African-American, Latino, or
Asian-American.
(2) Rate of disability
Ethnic and racial minorities tend to have disabling conditions
at a disproportionately high rate. The rate of work-related
disability for American Indians is about one and one-half times
that of the general population. African-Americans are also one
and one-half times more likely to be disabled than whites and
twice as likely to be significantly disabled.
(3) Inequitable treatment
Patterns of inequitable treatment of minorities have been
documented in all major junctures of the vocational
rehabilitation process. As compared to white Americans, a larger
percentage of African-American applicants to the vocational
rehabilitation system is denied acceptance. Of applicants
accepted for service, a larger percentage of African-American
cases is closed without being rehabilitated. Minorities are
provided less training than their white counterparts.
Consistently, less money is spent on minorities than on their
white counterparts.
(4) Recruitment
Recruitment efforts within vocational rehabilitation at the
level of preservice training, continuing education, and
in-service training must focus on bringing larger numbers of
minorities into the profession in order to provide appropriate
practitioner knowledge, role models, and sufficient manpower to
address the clearly changing demography of vocational
rehabilitation.
(b) Outreach to minorities
(1) In general
For each fiscal year, the Commissioner and the Director of the
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
(referred to in this subsection as the "Director") shall reserve
1 percent of the funds appropriated for the fiscal year for
programs authorized under subchapters II, III, VI, and VII of
this chapter to carry out this subsection. The Commissioner and
the Director shall use the reserved funds to carry out one or
more of the activities described in paragraph (2) through a
grant, contract, or cooperative agreement.
(2) Activities
The activities carried out by the Commissioner and the Director
shall include one or more of the following:
(A) Making awards to minority entities and Indian tribes to
carry out activities under the programs authorized under
subchapters II, III, VI, and VII of this chapter.
(B) Making awards to minority entities and Indian tribes to
conduct research, training, technical assistance, or a related
activity, to improve services provided under this chapter,
especially services provided to individuals from minority
backgrounds.
(C) Making awards to entities described in paragraph (3) to
provide outreach and technical assistance to minority entities
and Indian tribes to promote their participation in activities
funded under this chapter, including assistance to enhance
their capacity to carry out such activities.
(3) Eligibility
To be eligible to receive an award under paragraph (2)(C), an
entity shall be a State or a public or private nonprofit agency
or organization, such as an institution of higher education or an
Indian tribe.
(4) Report
In each fiscal year, the Commissioner and the Director shall
prepare and submit to Congress a report that describes the
activities funded under this subsection for the preceding fiscal
year.
(5) Definitions
In this subsection:
(A) Historically Black college or university
The term "historically Black college or university" means a
part B institution, as defined in section 1061(2) of title 20.
(B) Minority entity
The term "minority entity" means an entity that is a
historically Black college or university, a Hispanic-serving
institution of higher education, an American Indian tribal
college or university, or another institution of higher
education whose minority student enrollment is at least 50
percent.
(c) Demonstration
In awarding grants, or entering into contracts or cooperative
agreements under subchapters I, II, III, VI, and VII of this
chapter, and section 794e of this title, the Commissioner and the
Director, in appropriate cases, shall require applicants to
demonstrate how the applicants will address, in whole or in part,
the needs of individuals with disabilities from minority
backgrounds.
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