Center for Disabilities Studies : Adult Services Initiatives : Healthy Delawareans with Disabilities: Bridging the Gap
Current Activities
Strategic Plan for Delaware
A Plan for Action: A Strategic Plan for Delaware to Promote Health and Prevent Secondary Health Conditions in Individuals with Disabilities is a guide for planning and implementation of health-related activities, programs, and services for individuals with disabilities in Delaware.
GoHDWD.org offers information about being healthy with a disability. It is a resource for individuals with disabilities, their family members, and providers who work with people with disabilities in Delaware. Sign up for the HDWD mailing list for regular updates, events, and resources.
Improving Access to Health Care and Wellness
Helping health care providers and exercise/recreation staff assess and improve their facilities is an important part of what we do. In October 2007, CDS received a one-year grant from the Delaware Disabilities Council to train exercise facility staff on accessibility and inclusion of individuals with disabilities in exercise facilities. In partnership with the Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative (DATI), University of Delaware Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences (HNES), and 1614 Fitness & Aerobics , the project developed and implemented a training curriculum for exercise facility staff that addresses physical accessibility of the building and equipment and inclusion of individuals with disabilities in training and workout activities. The goal of the project is to develop a curriculum that can be used with a variety of exercise facilities to help them achieve greater accessibility, resulting in increased participation of individuals with disabilities in fitness and health clubs.
Mammography Facilities Accessibility
In collaboration with the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition, and with funding from the Avon Foundation, HDWD surveyed existing mammography facilities in Delaware to assess accessibility. This information is available as an online directory of accessible facilities to assist women with disabilities in locating a facility that best meets their needs. [add link here when available]
Medical Transition Information Project (MTI)
Providing useful information and tools for adolescents, young adults, and their families on the transition process into adulthood. The MTI project is funded by the Division of Public Health (DPH) for six months to update the “medical transitions” section of the TransitionMapDE.org web site. The site currently is provided by the Center for Disabilities Studies and KenCrest for young adults, and their families, regarding their transition into adulthood. This project will research, review, and compile relevant medical transition information for inclusion on the web site. It also will survey physicians in the adult health care system in Delaware and surrounding areas regarding accessibility of their offices and acceptance of new patients who have a disability. Anticipated update of materials on the web site is June 2008.
Healthy Transitions from Adolescent to Adult Workshop
Healthy Delawareans with Disabilities (HDWD) Project offers "Healthy Transitions: Supporting Adolescents, Young Adults, and their Families in their Health Care Transition Process." The purpose of this program is to help adolescents and young adults with disabilities (14 to 30 years of age) and their family members take an active role and be better prepared for their transition from the pediatric to the adult health care system. HDWD is partnering with the Family to Family Health Information Center and the Division of Transition of Care at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children to offer this three-week workshop series that addresses: 1) the transition process; 2) insurance issues; and 3) how to live healthy as an adult.
Influenza Vaccination Campaign
Individuals with disabilities and chronic medical conditions are at higher risk of complications from influenza. During the 2009 -2010 flu season, HDWD launched a campaign to increase awareness of the importance of getting vaccinated for seasonal flu and the H1N1 virus. HDWD hosted events and disseminated messages targeted to those at high risk.
For more information
Ilka Riddle
302-831-8186
ikriddle@udel.edu
Eileen Sparling
302-831-8802
sparling@udel.edu