The Particular Olympics North America (SONA) Well being Workforce, 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 introduced as one in every of APHA’s Key Periods. 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 tasks through which Particular Olympics is partaking with well being system companions.
These tasks embrace:
Amongst those that introduced 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 Faculty 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 situations in scientific and non-clinical settings for coaching functions. Singleton shared how essential it’s for well being methods to be inclusive and why having individuals with IDD concerned within the growth of coaching for healthcare suppliers, drafting of well being coverage, and advocacy for accessible care are vital to scale back boundaries.
Particular Olympics’ presence at APHA prolonged past this Key Session, with extra shows by SONA Senior Supervisor of Well being, Charita Boseman and SOI Vice President, Well being Analysis & Analysis, Andrew Lincoln. Boseman introduced 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 kinds of multidisciplinary well being screenings and providers the Wholesome Athletes program offers to people with IDD globally. Lincoln additionally introduced on Undertaking ALL STAR (Energetic Life and Longevity: Particular Olympics Remodeling Athlete Outcomes), a collaboration amongst state chapters, researchers, athletes, and Particular Olympics that goals to strengthen packages by means of higher understanding of Particular Olympics’ influence on athlete bodily, socio-emotional, and psychological well being.
Via these periods, public well being professionals and self-advocates had been in a position to achieve a greater understanding of Particular Olympics’ well being programming and the worth of contemplating and deliberately together with individuals with IDD within the essential work of advancing well being fairness.