National Advisory Committee on Individuals with Disabilities and Disasters
The National Advisory Committee on Individuals with Disabilities and Disasters is a federal advisory
committee that provides advice and guidance to the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response within the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and to the HHS Secretary. The Committee brings together
experts with policy, advocacy, and lived-world experience to make recommendations to address the specific needs
of people with disabilities in preparation for, response to, and recovery from all-hazards emergencies and
disasters.
Voting Committee Members
Members are appointed by the HHS Secretary from among the nation’s preeminent scientific, public health, and
medical experts in areas consistent with the purpose and functions of the advisory committee. The HHS
Secretary, in consultation with other heads of relevant federal agencies, will appoint a maximum of 17 members
to the NACIDD, ensuring that the total membership is an odd number that will include 7 voting members.
Marcie Roth, Chair,
National Advisory Committee on Individuals with Disabilities and Disasters
Marcie Roth is Executive Director and CEO of the World Institute on Disability, one of the first global disability-led organizations, advancing the rights of 1.3 billion people with disabilities worldwide. She was recently named by Forbes Magazine to their inaugural Fifty Over 50 Impact List, and by Womens eNews as one of their 21 Leaders for the 21st Century. Learn More >>
NACIDD Committee Member Requirements
The NACIDD consists of at least seven non-federal voting members, including a Chairperson, including:
- At least two non-federal health care professionals with expertise in disability accessibility before, during, and after disasters, medical and mass care disaster planning, preparedness, response, or recovery;
- At least two representatives from State, local, Tribal, or territorial agencies with expertise in disaster planning, preparedness, response, or recovery for individuals with disabilities; and
- At least two individuals with a disability with expertise in disaster planning, preparedness, response, or recovery for individuals with disabilities.
A voting member of the NACIDD shall serve for a term of three years, except that the Secretary may adjust the terms of appointees who are initially appointed after the date of enacted of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019 (June 24, 2019) in order to provide for a staggered term of appointment for all members. A voting member may serve not more than three terms on the NACIDD, and not more than two of such terms may be served consecutively. Voting members shall not be full-time or permanent part-time federal employees but shall be appointed by the Secretary as Special Government Employees (5 U.S.C. § 3109). A member may serve after the expiration of his/her term until a successor has been appointed. Vacancies will be filled as members rotate out or resign using the same procedures as the initial selection process.
The NACIDD has up to 10 federal, non-voting members (ex officio), including the following officials or their designees:
- The Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response;
- The Administrator for the Administration for Community Living;
- The Director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority;
- The Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
- The Commissioner of Food and Drugs;
- The Director of the National Institutes of Health;
- The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
- The Chair of the National Council on Disability;
- The Chair of the United States Access Board;
- The Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
A quorum for the NACIDD requires a majority of the appointed voting members. Of the voting members, any who are disqualified from participating in an action on an issue will not count toward the quorum.
The Secretary may establish subcommittees and working groups to assist the NACIDD explore topics
within its purview. Subcommittees and working groups report directly to the NACIDD and their
findings and recommendations must be deliberated by the NACIDD in a public meeting unless otherwise
exempted. Subcommittees and working groups do not report directly to the Secretary or the ASPR.
Subcommittee membership may be drawn in whole or in part from the NACIDD, but must include at least
one of the designated voting members. The Department Committee Management Officer will be notified
upon establishment of each subcommittee and will be provided information on its name, membership,
function, and estimated frequency of meetings.