Center for Disabilities Studies: Health and Wellness Unit
Health and Wellness Initiatives
The Health and Wellness unit includes all health-related initiatives, allowing for optimal coordination of the Center’s activities in this area. This unit houses Healthy Delawareans with Disabilities (HDWD), Emergency Preparedness for Individuals with Disabilities (EPID), Family SHADE, health care transition initiatives and other health-related projects.
Healthy Delawareans with Disabilities
Through funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HDWD develops and implements various health initiatives and health promotion activities in collaboration with state and community partners; analyzes data related to health and disabilities; raises awareness about health and wellness issues encountered by individuals with disabilities; works to improve access to and inclusion in health care and wellness activities; and provides technical assistance to state and community agencies about health and disability-related issues. For more information, contact Eileen Sparling: 302-831-8802 or sparling@udel.edu.
GoHDWD.org
GoHDWD.org offers information about being healthy. It is a resource for individuals with disabilities, their family members, health care professionals and providers who work with individuals with disabilities in Delaware. Topics include physical activity and recreation, emotional health, emergency preparedness and health care transition planning. An e-newsletter provides updates on health news, events and resources. Sign up for the HDWD e-newsletter.
Delaware Family Voices Family to Family Health Information Center (F2F) - No longer at CDS
This program, which began as part of CDS in 2008, has relocated to new offices at Easter Seals Delaware and Maryland's Eastern Shore in New Castle, Delaware. The staff continues to work to achieve family-centered care for all children and youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities. As part of a national network, Delaware Family Voices provides families with tools to make informed decisions, advocates for improved public and private policies, builds partnerships among professionals and families, and serves as a trusted resource on health care. New contact information is available on the F2F website.
Emergency Preparedness for Individuals with Disabilities (EPID)
The EPID initiative focuses on expanding family-centered and inclusive emergency planning and preparedness in Delaware. The emphasis is on family involvement, preparedness of individuals with disabilities and training for emergency planners and responders. Funded by a grant from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, activities center around enabling individuals with developmental disabilities and their families to prepare for emergency situations and promoting the seamless integration of emergency planning for individuals with developmental disabilities into existing emergency operational plans in Delaware. EPID staff members offer personal assistance in the preparation of individualized emergency preparedness plans and “go kits.” For more information, contact Phyllis Guinivan at 302-831-7464 or pguiniva@udel.edu. Also see the EPID Information sheet.
Family SHADE (Family Support and Healthcare Alliance Delaware)
Family SHADE is an alliance of 40+ organizations and agencies committed to working together to improve the quality of life of children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) by improving access to information and services in Delaware. Family SHADE was formed in response to a needs assessment of families and service providers conducted by Delaware’s Maternal Child Health Bureau. The results of the needs assessment indicated the need to strengthen, expand, and coordinate a system of family supports that are easily accessible, avoid duplication, use resources efficiently and prevent gaps in services to families of CYSHCN throughout Delaware. To address these recommendations, organizations, agencies and family members came together to form Family SHADE, an “umbrella” organization that is specifically dedicated to sharing information, resources and expertise to benefit and support families of CYSHCN. The Center for Disabilities Studies at the University of Delaware serves as the administrative home, fiduciary agent and convening agency for Family SHADE. For more information, contact Phyllis Guinivan: 302-831-7464 or pguiniva@udel.edu. Also see the Family SHADE Information Sheet
Healthcare Transition Initiatives (HCTI)
Over the past few years, CDS has successfully worked on a number of efforts that address the challenging transition process of youth and young adults with disabilities and their families from the pediatric to the adult health care system. CDS conducted a survey on the transition experiences of young adults from Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children (AIDHC) to the community-based adult health care system; developed a transition website; conducted transition workshops; and served as the community voice on AIDHC’s and Christiana Hospital’s transition committees.
CDS currently is involved in reorganizing the transition website; developing a database of healthcare providers who provide accessible services for individuals with disabilities; conducting health care transition workshops for youth and young adults and their family members; and evaluating the Transition Clinic that will be operating through Christiana Care Health Services, Inc. Funding for these initiatives is provided by a variety of sources, including the Delaware Division of Public Health, Developmental Disabilities Council, and Christiana Care Health Services, Inc. For more information, contact Eileen Sparling: 302-831-8802 or sparling@udel.edu.
Accessible and Inclusive Health Care Providers
For the last few years, CDS has worked on addressing the need for accessible and inclusive health care settings through awareness raising activities, information sharing and assessments of health care facilities. One example of a successful accessibility initiative is the Delaware Mammography Accessibility Project (DMAP), which was carried out in partnership with the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition and supported by funding from the Avon Foundation. DMAP staff surveyed most of the existing mammography facilities in Delaware to assess their accessibility. To assist women with disabilities in locating a facility that best meets their needs, a directory of accessible facilities is available on the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition website.
For more information on accessible and inclusive healthcare initiatives, contact Eileen Sparling: 302-831-8802 or sparling@udel.edu.
For further information about the health and wellness unit, contact:
Eileen Sparling
302-831-8802
ikriddle@udel.edu
