Rockville, MD – The American Association on Health and Disability is proud to announce that our Executive Director, Karl Cooper, Esq. has joined the National Advisory Board on Medical Rehabilitation Research (NABMRR). With biannual meetings, this advisory group plays a key role in overseeing and supporting NIH priority research areas in the field of medical rehabilitation. Mr. Cooper attended their biannual meeting held December 2-3, 2024, where the group discussed the current portfolio of research being conducted through the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR).
At the meeting, NCMRR highlighted new grants they have recently funded addressing ableism. They noted an abundance of applicants for this funding. NIH reported on how they have combined funding sources from multiple institutes and centers so that 10 relevant projects could be funded, increasing the total award count for this program from what was initially planned. The meeting also included a report from the NIH Disability Research Coordinating Committee (DRCC) highlighting the roundtables which were conducted last month to seek input from researchers, advocacy organizations and those with the lived disability experience. The DRCC is tasked with helping the NIH Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI) in the development of a strategic plan on disability research.
Other presentations at the NABMRR meeting focused on specific rehabilitation research projects on topics such as neuro-rehabilitation, treatment for upper extremity function for stroke patients and brain computer interfaces. There was also a presentation on community engaged research with the disability and aging communities. Reflecting on the presentation on community engagement, Mr. Cooper indicated “It was exciting to hear how these NIH projects are trying to better engage the disability community with their research so that we are truly reflecting the values of “Nothing about Us Without Us”. This certainly aligns with the goals of AAHD and what we are trying to accomplish.”
Since 1990, NCMRR has worked within the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) to support the expansion of their research work and training opportunities. NCMRR is focused on fostering “the development of scientific knowledge needed to enhance the health, productivity, independence, and quality of life for people with physical disabilities across the lifespan.” This work includes studying rehabilitative diagnostics in imaging or biomarkers, interventions to improve mobility, device development for orthotics, and assessments of supports provided in home and community-based settings. With an amendment to the Public Health Service Act at that time, the National Advisory Board on Medical Rehabilitation Research (NABMRR) was also formed to support the work of the directors of NIH, NICHD and NCMRR. A cohort of advisory members serves on this board, including people with disabilities, and researchers working in the field.
National priorities for rehabilitation research were laid out in the 2021 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Plan on Rehabilitation. Their work has shifted in recent years to examining the rehabilitation implications of COVID-19 on people with disabilities as part of a broader research portfolio. The group is hosting an upcoming conference, Rehabilitation Research 2025: Rehabilitation for All, which will be held March 10-11, 2025 in Bethesda, Maryland.
About Karl Cooper
Karl D. Cooper, Esq. (he/him) is an attorney and disability advocate. As a person with his own disabilities, he has spent most of his professional career addressing the needs of individuals with disabilities. Effective June 1, 2023, Karl was selected to be Executive Director of AAHD. Previously, he served as Director of Public Health Programs at AAHD, overseeing a number of projects which conduct outreach in the disability community to engage them in public health initiatives. He started at AAHD in October 2013, working as the Project Manager for the National Disability Navigator Resource Collaborative (NDNRC). Prior to moving to DC in 2012, he practiced law for 14 years in the greater Philadelphia area where he was able to devote time to pro-bono advocacy for those affected by physical and developmental disabilities. In addition to his work with AAHD, Karl is a member of NIH’s National Advisory Board on Medical Rehabilitation Research. He is also an active member of the American Public Health Association (APHA) having served as the Chair of the Disability Section from 2020-2022, and currently he is the APHA Intersectional Council Chair and member of the APHA Executive Board. Karl received his law degree from Villanova University School of Law in 1997 and a BA in Communications/Political Science from Cedarville University in 1994.
About the American Association on Health and Disability: AAHD is dedicated to ensuring health equity for children and adults with disabilities through policy, research, education, and dissemination at the federal, state and community level. AAHD strives to advance health promotion and wellness initiatives for people with disabilities. AAHD’s goals are to reduce health disparities between people with disabilities and the general population, and to support full community inclusion and accessibility.
For questions related to this press release, please contact:
Michelle Sayles, Director of Communications, msayles@aahd.us, 301-545-6140