Project Description:
The Arkansas Disability and Health Program, with offices at both the Arkansas Division of Health and the Arkansas University Center on Disabilities (Partner for Inclusive Communities), has been working to prevent secondary conditions and promote the health of persons with disabilities since 2001. Arkansas was also the recipient of Capacity Building funds prior to this time. Through collaboration with a wide spectrum of disability and/or health related organizations the AR Disability and Health Program has made great strides in improving health and wellness for Arkansans with disabilities. Collaborators include AARP, Arkansas Can Do Inc., AR Division of Aging and Adult Services, AR Division of Developmental Disability Services, AR Governor?s Commission on People with Disabilities, AR Governor?s Developmental Disabilities Council, AR Rehabilitation Services, AR Spinal Cord Commission, Community Health Centers, Developmental Disability Service Providers, Disability Rights Center, Independent Living Centers, AR Universal Design Project, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, and Departments of Emergency Management.
Using funds from the current proposal, the AR Disability and Health Program will pursue three goals:
1. Increase awareness of the health of persons with disabilities as a public health priority.
2. Improve the accessibility of public health programs and services.
3. Define the magnitude of disability in Arkansas.
To Increase awareness of the health of persons with disabilities as a public health priority, the AR Disability and Health Program will:
1.1 Sustain and advisory board, which will meet quarterly during the five years of the project, to engage in a strategic planning process to raise awareness and direct the activities of the program.
1.2 Raise awareness within the AR Division of Health regarding the public health concerns of persons with disabilities through five presentations that will reach 100 management and leadership personnel annually.
1.3 Raise awareness among stakeholders in the disability and health services community by presenting information to 1000 persons annually.
To Improve the accessibility of public health programs and services, the AR Disability and Health Program will:
2.1 Collaborate with the AR Division of Health to review their programs and services for accessibility issues by developing one toolkit on a disability topic each year and reviewing and revising three other toolkits that address general health topics.
2.2 Insure the inclusion of persons with disabilities in public health programs by participating in public health planning activities for seven programs at the AR Division of Health annually.
To Define the magnitude of disability in Arkansas, the AR Disability and Health Program will:
3.1 Support the use of state added disability questions on the BRFSS and annual publication of the results in the Arkansas Disability and Health Chartbook.
3.2 Collaborate with the Center for Health Statistics to add disability questions to the YRBS and publish the results annually.
Keyword(s):
disability, health, emergency preparedness, health promotion
Target Audience:
Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Adults with Disabilities, General Public
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Disadvantaged Circumstances, Geographic Areas, Rural/Remote
