Senior Adviser, J.D.
mwmorris@syr.eduCurriculum Vita (PDF)
Michael Morris, JD serves as a Senior Advisor to the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University. He also is the founder and former Senior Strategic Advisor of National Disability Institute. He received his undergraduate degree in political science with honors from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and his law degree from Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, Georgia. He serves as a subject matter expert on employment, economic advancement, financial inclusion and poverty reduction concerning youth and adults with disabilities to the FDIC, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Federal Reserve Board of Governors (FRB), IRS and US Departments of Education, Labor and Health and Human Services. He was the first Kennedy Foundation Public Policy Fellow and worked in the office of Senator Lowell Weicker (CT).
In 2015, Mr. Morris helped establish the ABLE National Resource Center, a collaborative of 25 of the largest, national nonprofit disability organizations. The Center’s website is the leading independent source of information about state ABLE programs. In 2022, there are over 115,000 ABLE account owners with over $1 billion under investment.
In 2020, Mr. Morris was awarded the Ketchum Prize by the FINRA Foundation for his extraordinary leadership in creating a better economic future for people with disabilities through advocacy, research and education.
In 2021, Mr. Morris became a member of the core research team for the newly-funded National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) Disability Inclusive Employment Policy Rehabilitation Research and Training Center. The Center is anchored at Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University. He is leading knowledge translation activities, which include a new podcast series, “Let’s Get to Work: Reimagining Disability-Inclusive Employment Policy.”
In 2022, Mr. Morris became a member of the research team for the newly-funded National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) Employer Disability Practices Center Rehabilitation Research and Training Center. The Center is anchored at Rutgers University.
Publications
2022
- Kline, R., Morris, M., Goodman, N., & Peter Blanck, P. (2022). Disability Reparations and the Modernization of the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977, The N.Y.U. Journal of Legislation and Public Policy 24, 377.
2021
- Morris, M. & Goodman, N. (2021). Overcoming Systemic Financial Exclusion of People with Disabilities in CRA and CRA Modernization. In Boshara, R. & Rademacher, I. (Eds) The Future of Building Wealth: Brief Essays on the Best Ideas to Build Wealth—for Everyone. (pp105-112). US: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and The Aspen Institute.
- Morris, M. & Goodman, N. (2021). Rethink Public Policies to Support Income Production, Savings and Asset Accumulation for People with Disabilities. In Boshara, R. & Rademacher, I. (Eds) The Future of Building Wealth: Brief Essays on the Best Ideas to Build Wealth—for Everyone. (pp105-112). US: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and The Aspen Institute.
2020
- Goodman, N, Morris, M, Morris, Z. and McGarity, S. (2020). The Extra Costs of Living with a Disability in the U.S.—Resetting the Policy Table. National Disability Institute, Policy Brief.
- National Disability Institute (2020). Race, Ethnicity and Disability: The Financial Impact of Systemic Inequality and Intersectionality. Authored by N. Goodman, S. Eager and M. Morris.
2019
- Morris, M. Goodman, N. Baker, A., Palmore, K., and Blanck P. (2019) Closing the Disability Gap: Reforming the Community Reinvestment Act Regulatory Framework. Georgetown Journal of Poverty Law & Policy. Vol 26.
- Goodman, N. and M. Morris (2019) Banking Status and Financial Behaviors or Adults with Disabilities: Findings from the 2017 FDIC National Survey or Unbanked and Underbanked Households and Focus Group Research. Washington DC: National Disability Institute.
2018
- National Disability Institute (2018). Information Brief: Access to Credit for Adults with Disabilities. Authored by N. Goodman and M. Morris. Washington DC: National Disability Institute and FINRA Investor Education Foundation.
- National Disability Institute (2018). Information Brief: Addressing the Needs of Americans with Disabilities in Financial Capability Programs. Authored by N. Goodman, N. Canfield and M. Morris. Washington DC: National Disability Institute and FINRA Investor Education Foundation
2017
- Goodman, N., B. O’Day and M. Morris (2017) Financial Capability of Adults with Disabilities: Findings from the National Financial Capability Study. Washington DC: National Disability Institute and FINRA Investor Education Foundation
- Goodman, N. and M. Morris (2017) Financial Inequality: Disability, Race and Poverty in America. Washington DC: National Disability Institute.
- Goodman, N. and M. Morris (2017) Banking Status and Financial Behaviors or Adults with Disabilities: Findings from the 2015 FDIC National Survey or Unbanked and Underbanked Households. Washington DC: National Disability Institute.
2016
- Michael Morris, Christopher Rodriguez, and Peter Blanck. (2016). ABLE Accounts: A Down Payment on Freedom. Inclusion, Vol. 4, No. 1, 21–29
2015
- Goodman, N. and M. Morris (2015) Financing Employment Services for People with Disabilities when Everyone is the Payer of Last Resort. University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Rehabilitation and Research Training Center on Employment Policy
- Morris, M. and N. Goodman (2015). Integrating Financial Capability and Asset Building Strategies into the Public Workforce Development System. Washington DC: LEAD Center.
2014
- Morris, M. and N. Goodman (2014) Impact of the Work Requirement in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) on Low-Income Working-Age People with Disabilities. University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Rehabilitation and Research Training Center on Employment Policy.
- Goodman, N and M. Morris (2014). Making Change with Incremental Steps: Modifying Adverse Incentives to Serving People with Disabilities in the TANF Program. University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Rehabilitation and Research Training Center on Employment Policy.
2013
- Morris, M., N. Goodman and D. Brucker (2013) Use of the Earned Income Tax Credit Among People with Disabilities. University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability. Rehabilitation and Research Training Center on Employment Policy.
- Morris, M. and N. Goodman (2013) Creating Change with Incremental Steps: Enhancing Opportunities for Early Work Experience. University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability. Rehabilitation and Research Training Center on Employment Policy
2012
- Steven Mendelsohn, William N. Myhill, Michael Morris. Tax Subsidization of Personal Assistance Services.
- Steven Mendelsohn, Michael Morris, William N. Myhill. (2011). State Household and Dependent Care Tax Credits to Support Personal Assistant Services. Commissioned by The RRTC: Center on Personal Assistance Services, San Francisco, CA.
2006
- Phoebe Ball, Michael Morris, Johnette Hartnette, Peter Blanck. (Winter 2006). Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: Asset Accumulation by People with Disabilities. Disability Studies Quaterly, The Ohio State University.
- James Schmeling, Helen A. Schwartz, Michael Morris, Peter Blanck. (Winter 2006). Tax Credits and Asset Accumulation: Findings from the 2004 N.O.D./Harris Survey of Americans with Disabilities. Disability Studies Quarterly, The Ohio State University.
2002
- Michael Morris, Heather Ritchie, Lisa Clay. (2002). Policy Report – Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act: Framing Policy Issues.
- Michael Morris, Bobby Silverstein. (2002). Review of State Plans for the Workforce Investment Act From a Disability Policy Framework: Executive Summary.
- Michael Morris, Bobby Silverstein. (2002). Review of State Plans for the Workforce Investment Act From a Disability Policy Framework.