The Particular Olympics North America (SONA) Well being Staff, Particular Olympics Worldwide (SOI), and Particular Olympics state chapters attended the American Public Well being Affiliation’s (APHA) annual assembly in Minneapolis, Minnesota on the finish of October and offered as one among APHA’s Key Classes . This session was titled “In Pursuit of Mental and Developmental Incapacity (IDD)-Inclusive Well being Methods: Particular Olympics Worldwide as a Champion of Well being Fairness.” Moderated by Tom Quade, Senior Director of Well being Packages at SONA and APHA previous president, the panel mapped 4 significant well being fairness initiatives through which Particular Olympics is partaking with well being system companions.
These initiatives embrace:
Amongst those that offered had been Athlete Chief Annu Singleton from Particular Olympics Maryland, Emma Richardson from Particular Olympics Washington, Dr. Jae Kennedy from Washington State College, Jennifer Morris from Nationwide Care Advisors, Dr. Rebecca N. Weston from College of Maryland College of Nursing, and Shannon Rohn Deere from Leavitt Companions, LLC.
A spotlight from the Key Session was Annu Singleton’s reflections about his wealthy experiences as a Particular Olympics Maryland Athlete Chief and College of Maryland Standardized Affected person. A standardized affected person simulates medical eventualities in scientific and non-clinical settings for coaching functions. Singleton shared how vital it’s for well being techniques to be inclusive and why having folks with IDD concerned within the improvement of coaching for healthcare suppliers, drafting of well being coverage, and advocacy for accessible care are essential to scale back limitations.
Particular Olympics’ presence at APHA prolonged past this Key Session, with further shows by SONA Senior Supervisor of Well being, Charita Boseman and SOI Vice President, Well being Analysis & Analysis, Andrew Lincoln. Boseman offered the outcomes of the 6-week SONA Transfer digital health problem for adults with IDD. Lincoln represented the Analysis and Analysis workforce to current on the forms of multidisciplinary well being screenings and companies the Wholesome Athletes program supplies to people with IDD globally. Lincoln additionally offered on Mission ALL STAR (Lively Life and Longevity: Particular Olympics Reworking Athlete Outcomes), a collaboration amongst state chapters, researchers, athletes, and Particular Olympics that goals to strengthen packages by way of higher understanding of Particular Olympics’ affect on athlete bodily, socio-emotional, and psychological well being.
Via these classes, public well being professionals and self-advocates had been in a position to acquire a greater understanding of Particular Olympics’ well being programming and the worth of contemplating and deliberately together with folks with IDD within the vital work of advancing well being fairness.
