A National Paralysis and Physical Disability Quality Of Life Action Plan
The Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act of 2009

The fourth meeting of the Paralysis Task Force of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation was convened in Washington DC, July 21-23, 2009.  The task force is composed of a large number of federal and state public health agencies, academic public health specialists, and numerous individuals and organizations involved in health advocacy in the paralysis community.  The Congress passed and the President signed into law the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act of 2009.  The new law mandates the development of “...a national paralysis and physical disability quality of life action plan that promotes health and wellness in order to enhance full participation, independent living, self-sufficiency and equality of opportunity for people with paralysis and other physical disabilities.”  A primary purpose of the task force meeting was to develop recommendations which would form the basis of the national action plan for paralysis and physical disability.  A second goal of the task force meeting involved the population survey that was conducted by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.  The results of this survey research were presented in the TMA Newsletter Volume 9 Issue 1.  The workshop included two days of intensive discussions focused on health promotion, care giving, and multicultural outreach.  The fourth area of focus was the development of a plan to continue research into the magnitude and composition of the paralysis population in the United States.  The meeting organizers were presented with a report at the conclusion of the meeting enumerating the findings and recommendations that were developed during the workshops in each of the subject areas.  This information is currently being developed into a draft of the National Paralysis and Physical Disability Quality of Life Action Plan which will be shared with the task force for comment before being finalized.

Cody and Shelley Unser and Pauline and I serve on the Paralysis Task Force.  People with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, neuromyelitis optica and transverse myelitis and their care givers were very well represented in the discussions.  We are hopeful that our issues and the issues of the broader paralysis community will be significantly enhanced through the various policies and programs that will be implemented through this plan.