Developmental Disabilities Health Initiative (DDHI)

2016

The Developmental Disability Services of Jackson County - EITAS (EITAS) will partner with the University of Missouri Kansas City Institute for Human Development (IHD) in the planning and development of this initiative. The overall goal is to change policies and practices that improve nutrition and increase physical activity participation among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the Kansas City area. Long term outcomes will include a reduction in obesity and an increase in the overall health of this population. Background: EITAS provides a range of services for adults with developmental disabilities (DD) in Jackson County, MO. Adults with DD are an underserved population, characterized by problems in access to health care and health promotion services, lower rates of healthy behaviors, and high rates of obesity and chronic disease. One way to improve health for this population is to improve policies and practices that will reduce existing barriers to healthy behaviors, including good nutrition and physical activity participation. Although EITAS provides service coordination for individuals receiving a range of services in Jackson County, the target of the initial program will be people with DD who receive residential supports and services. This group has been chosen because the intensity of those services allowing for greatest opportunity for health promotion change. To support this initiative the Developmental Disability Health Coalition will be formed. A preliminary list of Coalition members includes EITAS administration and service coordinators, residential service providing agencies, State Department of Mental Health (DMH), local DMH Kansas City Regional Office, people with disabilities and family members, Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department, and the Building a Healthier Heartland Coalition / Kansas City Health Department. Project objectives include: Objective 1: To identify barriers and assets to nutrition and physical activity and to recommend strategies for change designed to improve policies and practices at the organizational and broader systems levels. 1. Engage in a strategic planning process with the Coalition to guide policy and practice changes at both the organizational (Objective 2) and broader system (Objective 3) levels 2. Identify barriers to supports and services to promoting health for people with DD 3. Recommend an integrated set of policies and practices to promote health for people with DD 4. Create advocacy strategies to support implementation of the recommended policies and practices Objective 2: To implement policy and practice changes within EITAS and residential service providing agencies. 1. Improve EITAS policies and practices related to service coordination and other areas identified by the Coalition to better support improved nutrition and physical activity behaviors by adults with DD 2. Create training/educational materials that support changes by residential service providers 3. Collaborate with 3-4 residential service providers to implement agency policy and practice changes Objective 3: To advocate for systems and community changes that support improved nutrition and physical activity by adults with developmental disabilities. 1. Engage the State and Regional DMH system toward influencing systems policy changes 2. Engage community stakeholders toward influencing community environment that fosters greater inclusion and accessibility of health promotion programs for people with DD 3. Create educational and resource materials to support systems change and community environment change

Performing Research or Evaluation

Health-Related Activities, Quality of Life

Professionals and Para-Professionals, Adults with Disabilities

Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Disadvantaged Circumstances, Geographic Areas, Rural/Remote, Urban

Single-County, Mulit-County

N/A