Health and Disability
NACCHO’s Health and Disability Program is supported by the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The program provides local health departments with the tools and resources needed to successfully include people with disabilities in all local health department activities.
NACCHO’s Health and Disability program initiatives are supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Human and Developmental and Disability
This project ensures the inclusion of people with disabilities in local health departments preparedness and response efforts by embedding disability specialists, who serve as subject matter experts, in public health emergency preparedness planning and response programs. Disability specialists work to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate disability inclusion efforts within these agencies. Additionally, this project aims to increase partnerships between local health departments and local disability organizations and allow local health departments to update local emergency response plans to better serve the needs of people with disabilities during outbreaks, pandemics, and other national emergencies.
Strengthening Disability Inclusion Efforts within Local Health Departments
This demonstration site project enhances local health department (LHD) capacity to meet the needs of people with disabilities within health department programs, policies, and services. LHD’s collaborate with at least one disability service organization to better understand the health needs of the disability community within their jurisdiction. This project aims to strengthen LHD capacity in the following areas:
- Increasing LHD staff training opportunities to understand the needs of people with disabilities;
- Expanding collaboration between LHDs and disability organizations;
- Enhance health equity strategies by including disability perspectives;
- Increasing accessibility and accommodations policies and procedures within LHDs.
NACCHO partnered with the CDC Foundation to encourage collaboration between Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and local health departments (LHDs) to increase COVID-19 vaccine access for people with disabilities. CILs occupy a unique space within local, state, and national aging and disability networks. Designed and operated by persons with disabilities, CILs provide persons with disabilities tools and resources to make decisions about their lives and participate fully in society.
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
| Five Steps for Inclusive Communication: Engaging People with Disabilities | This fact sheet provides action steps for local health departments to ensure that accessibility and inclusion are agency-wide priorities when developing and delivering all forms of communication |
| Including People with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness Efforts | Learn five key recommendations that health departments should consider when planning to accommodate and address the needs of people with disabilities in emergencies or disasters. |
| What Local Health Departments Should Know about the Population of People with Disabilities | This fact sheet helps to clarify who people with disabilities are from a public health perspective and provides health-related information to local health departments about the members of this population. |
| Including People with Disabilities in Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Smoking Programs Offered by Local Health Departments | This fact sheet emphasizes the importance of including people with disabilities in all local health department programs, products, outreach, and service. |
| Including People with Disabilities in Reproductive Health Programs and Services | This fact sheet educates and raises awareness about the importance of including men and women with disabilities in existing reproductive health programs and services offered by local health departments. |
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
| Partnership Guide for CILs and SLHDs | Explore how to form effective and reciprocal partnerships with CILs to support the health and wellbeing of people with disabilities. |
| NACCHO Empowers Local Health Departments to Include People with Disabilities in All Activities | This publication provides examples of ways NACCHO supports local health departments to increase inclusivity and accessibility for people with disabilities in their programs, policies, and services. |
| Follow-up National Assessment of the Practices, Awareness, and Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Local Health Departments' Public Health Practices | In 2014, NACCHO conducted the first known assessment to examine the nationwide inclusion of people with disabilities in LHD programs and activities using a stratified random sampling technique. This follow-up assessment’s purpose was to compare LHD inclusion practices to the baseline. |
| Directory of Community-Based Organizations Serving People with Disabilities | NACCHO selected the organizations nationally recognized disability organizations, had local chapters nationwide, and provided services to persons with various types of disabilities. While this directory is not exhaustive, it illustrates how LHDs can collaborate with community-based disability organizations. |
| Strategies for Successfully Including People with Disabilities in Health Department Programs, Plans, and Services | This guide highlights specific strategies and tools to help both local and state health departments include people with disabilities in public health programming and planning efforts. |
| MAPP Resource Guide for Disability Inclusion | The guide gives health departments the tools and resources to actively engage people with disabilities and the agencies that serve them in the MAPP process, particularly for inclusion efforts to support community health assessments and development of community health improvement plans. |
| Capacity-Building Toolkit for Including Aging & Disability Networks in Emergency Planning | This resource was developed to guide aging and disability networks in increasing their ability to plan for and respond to public health emergencies and disasters. |
| Disability Language Guidance | This blog provides guidance on the importance of recognizing that there is diversity within the disability community and people with disability may choose to self-identify in several different ways. |
| National Assessment of the Knowledge, Awareness, and Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Local Health Departments' Public Health Practices | This quantitative assessment aimed to explore and better understand how LHDs are including people with disabilities in their programs, products, and services. |
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HEALTH DISABILITY WORKGROUP
The Health and Disability program maintains a diverse workgroup that provides leadership and guidance to NACCHO, local health departments (LHDs), and partner organizations regarding the design, development, and evaluation of programs and policies that incorporate social participation and promotion of health of people with disabilities, as individuals, as a community, and as a population.
The workgroup meets on a quarterly basis via 1-hour Zoom conference calls. Appointment is for a two-year term with an option for reappointment to a second two- year term. Applications open annually in April. Learn more about NACCHO’s Workgroup.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR HEALTH AND DISABILITY BULLETIN
NACCHO’s Health and Disability Bulletin is a monthly e-newsletter highlighting resources, NACCHO news, events, and opportunities related to disability and inclusion, access, functional needs, and healthy living across the lifespan.
- Log in to MyNACCHO (or create a free account).
- Go to “My Subscriptions.”
- Check the box next to "Health Disability Newsletter" (and any other e-newsletters you wish you receive).
- Click “Save” at the bottom of the page.
View our current policy statement developed by the Health and Disability team and workgroup members that demonstrate NACCHO's commitment to health and disability at the local level on the NACCHO policies page.
Programs
Jennifer Li
Senior Advisor, Programs
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Community Health Program
Sara Lyons
Senior Program Analyst, Health and Disability
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Community Health Program
Uyen Tran
Program Analyst, Health & Disability
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