The Global Report on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities (Dec 2022) refers to disability as the interaction between individuals with a health condition (e.g., cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and depression) and associated personal and environmental factors (e.g., negative attitudes, inaccessible transportation and public buildings, limited social supports). Over 1 billion people are estimated to experience disability, corresponding to approximately 15% of the world's population.  Up to 190 million (3.8%) of people aged 15 years and older have significant difficulties in functioning, often requiring health care. The number of people experiencing disability is increasing secondary to an increase in chronic disease and population aging and improved diagnostic abilities e.g. autism.

Research shows significant health disparities exist when comparing Black and Hispanic children with Down syndrome (DS) to White children with DS, including decreased access to services and support.1,2 To improve dissemination strategies for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (PCOR) findings to Black and Hispanic parents learning about a DS diagnosis, we conducted online community conversations with 10 Black and 10 Hispanic parents of children with DS across the United States (US). In addition to conversations with parents, we connected with six local advocacy organization leaders, five health equity experts, and five medical experts from different disciplines. The work groups collaboratively determined eight primary recommendations, accompanied by specific implementation strategies, for medical professionals to promote health equity by improving the dissemination of research to Black and Hispanic parents of children with DS receiving diagnosis results. Many of the suggestions focus on improving the provision of support and critical services, avoiding racial and disability bias in diagnosis conversations, and seeking to improve the representation of racially diverse populations in the healthcare workforce. To address health disparities faced by Black and Hispanic parents of children with DS, medical professionals and organizations are encouraged to braid these recommendations into standard practice.

Jerome is a 23-year-old man with a mild intellectual disability who is a proficient verbal communicator, both expressively and receptively. He is a reliable historian and self-reporter who easily conveys his wants and needs. Jerome has no known medical issues but has diagnoses of psychosis and depression for which he currently takes aripiprazole and mirtazapine. He works washing vehicles for the agency where he resides and enjoys playing basketball at the local community center.  

Medical aid in dying (MAID) is poised to be one of the hottest political healthcare issues of 2024. As in 2023, more than a dozen states will hold both impassioned hearings in legislative chambers and equally fervent debates in the community. Already, nearly twenty states have introduced bills to authorize MAID this year. They seek to join the eleven states that already authorize MAID for 73 million Americans (California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington).

It’s not about being politically correct. It’s not about focusing on the negative. It’s not even about emphasizing failures. Paying attention to ableism is the key to quality. From the very beginning ableism has shaped the human services field and we’ve been trying to shake that legacy ever since. But ableism is more than a foundation, it still significantly influences how we operate today. Until we shine the spotlight and work to remove its impacts, ableism will always be a barrier to quality services and disabled people’s quality of life. While I could spend days talking about the important systemic impacts of ableism, today, I want to focus on how it impacts the day-to-day work at human service organizations, on the ground. This is not a calling out, it’s a calling in; the more we learn, the better our service provision.

I’m writing to share my personal journey of crafting a vibrant, creative life after becoming disabled. Given my extensive background, I believe I can inspire others with the message of "turning setbacks into comebacks."

I became a disabled artist 20 years ago when I was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and the aftermath of the surgery left me partially paralyzed with a slight speech impediment. To transform my life, I had to accept my disability and redefine my path.

In 1964, America’s top crooner Frank Sinatra released a hit song declaring that Chicago was “my kind of town.” There are hundreds of reasons why anyone who knows Chicago could say the same thing. For me personally, it’s the fact that there are more than 2,000 hot dog stands in the city; more than the number of Burger King, McDonald’s, and Wendy’s restaurants in the city combined.

Shawn Aleong is serious about Universal Inclusion. He’s a fierce self-advocate for equal rights for people of color with disabilities. A BA Candidate at Temple University in his hometown of Philadelphia and an aspiring lawyer, Shawn knows where he’s going in life and what he wants to accomplish. One thing that Shawn advocates is for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism to be designated as a Medically Underserved Population, or MUP. Here’s why, in his own words: