Disability

The Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) is the principal advisor to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on policy development, and is responsible for major activities in policy coordination, legislation development, strategic planning, policy research, evaluation, and economic analysis. In this role, ASPE, through its Office of Science and Data Policy (OSDP), is responsible for developing the HHS Strategic Plan and the HHS Evidence-Building Plan (the plans) every four years.

New Editions provides technical assistance, dissemination services, and a wide range of other support to Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) grantees under the National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation Training Materials (NCRTM) DIF Supplement. These services are specifically tailored to enhance the impact of the DIF Program, one of the Rehabilitation Services Administration's (RSA) flagship initiatives, which was authorized by Congress through the Consolidated Appropriations Act.

New Editions provides technical assistance (TA) services to 27 grantees awarded under the Disability Innovation Fund--Creating a 21st Century Workforce of Youth and Adults with Disabilities Through the Transformation of Education, Career, and Competitive Integrated Employment Model Demonstration Project. DIF grantees are working to enhance state programs that create and expand opportunities for high-quality competitive integrated employment (CIE) by engaging with employers across various sectors – including traditional, non-traditional, flexible, and freelance opportunities.

CMS contracts with New Editions to provide technical assistance and program management support to three programs: Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) technical assistance (TA), HCB Settings rule implementation, and Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR). For HCBS TA, New Editions provides technical assistance to state agencies on HCBS mechanisms, program design, service delivery systems, and self-direction services.

New Editions serves as a subcontractor for the Adult Protective Services (APS) Opioids Pilot Project to WRMA, Inc. The purpose of the two-year (2023-2025) project is to design, pilot, and evaluate a model that state APS systems can implement to more effectively and efficiently serve APS clients impacted by opioid use and substance use disorders (SUDs). As part of the pilot, the project team is providing universal and targeted technical assistance (TA) to participating APS program to guide them in building the foundation and processes for effectively implementing and sustaining the model.

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) was created around the fundamental principle that older adults and people of all ages with disabilities should be able to live where they choose, with the people they choose, and with the ability to participate fully in their communities. New Editions provides program management, service coordination and technical assistance (TA) to ACL for the Housing and Services Resource Center (HSRC).

New Editions provides subject matter expertise in family caregiving to assist the Office of Supportive and Caregiver Services (OSCS) in launching their family caregiving program with five new grant programs and a multi-faceted technical assistance and coordinating center. These services support the operation of these new Caregiving Projects of National Significance that focus on the goals and priorities of Administration for Community Living's (ACL) 2022 National Strategy to Support Family.

Through a subcontract with OASYS International Corporation, New Editions staff performs Section 508 compliance and Special Projects support services for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).  Our staff assists FCC in ensuring that applications and other Information Communication Technology (ICT) meet Section 508 compliance requirements per government laws and regulations.  New Editions conducts Section 508 auditing and reported compliance on ICT products, including Web, SharePoint sites, documents (Word, PowerPoint, PDF, Excel, etc.), and forms.

New Editions provides the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) with Section 508 and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) support services. These include electronic document and annual report remediation, assessments of information and communication technology (ICT), development of accessibility statements, and establishment of an accessibility framework. Additionally, we provide instructional design support as required across various projects.

New Editions Consulting conducted a comprehensive accessibility assessment of the Monster Government Suite of Products, comprising nine distinct software products. Utilizing a combination of automated and manual inspection tools, along with assistive technology, we ensured compliance with Section 508 standards while prioritizing optimal usability for users with disabilities. Our efforts culminated in a detailed report outlining identified failures and usability challenges, accompanied by explanations and suggested remediation strategies for programmers' ease of reference.