Public Health is for Everyone An inclusive planning toolkit for public health professionals

The hospitality industry prides itself on giving its customers a warm welcome and providing outstanding service in pursuit of high guest retention and consumer satisfaction. By extending that same level of customer service to guests who have disabilities, hotels and lodging establishments can build a clientele in a growing, diverse market that remains as yet nearly untapped.

Health messages should be designed for diverse audiences, including people with disabilities. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) in adherence with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that members of the general public with disabilities have communication access that is equally effective as that provided to people without disabilities. The MDPH Healthy Aging/Health and Disability Unit has developed guidelines for accessible printed health communications. These guidelines contain MDPH policies, recommended standards, and suggested websites for accessible design and print information. Additional resources for alternative communication services are also included.

The Florida Center for Inclusive Communities (FCIC) has developed health and wellness brochures to provide individuals with developmental disabilities with important information about living a healthy life. All brochures are available to download as pdfs documents. This brochure provides information on how to protect yourself from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. 

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires public accommodations to provide goods and services to people with disabilities on an equal basis with the rest of the general public. The goal is to afford every individual the opportunity to benefit from our country's businesses and services, and to afford our businesses and services the opportunity to benefit from the patronage of all Americans. This resources provides a checklist for existing facilities to follow to acheive barrier removal. 

US Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division

This fact sheet describes person first language and communicating with people with disabilities.

The Community Action Guide outlines the principle underlying community engagement and strategies for successful engagement. It's a practical hands-on guide that includes step-by-step descriptions of the community engagement process, checklists for conducting successful events, toos for assessing the access in a given community. examples of how the community Engagement Initiative process has been applied.

This webinar provides examples of how public health programs have impacted health outcomes for tribes/Native Americans. Presenters shared specific examples from their programs, and participated in an interactive question and answer session on this issue.

Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)

In response to the Surgeon General's A Call to Action to Improve the Health and Wellness of Persons with Disabilities, the U.S. Office on Disability, in collaboration with the Department of Labor Office on Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), initiated a National Work Group to ensure that medical, nursing and dental students receive training in providing high-quality care to patients with disabilities.

As part of this work, AUCD and the Training Directors Council are pleased to host the Electronic Tool Kit of pre-service curricular materials, directed to the needs of patients with disabilities, for use by medical, nursing and dental schools. Whenever possible, we have indicated where effectiveness studies have been conducted for each tool.

This tool kit has direct links, whenever possible, to web-based materials, and contact information for obtaining materials available in other formats (e.g., DVDs, etc.). The five topical areas are by intended audiences:

- Medical students/residents
- Dental students
- Nursing students
- Interdisciplinary (applicable across two or more of the above disciplines)
- Other (general knowledge about developmental disabilities, family-centered care, etc.)

Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)

Resources for understanding and implementing Section 508

Getting out into nature can be difficult for people with mobility challenges, as most hiking trails and many gardens are not designed for wheelchairs, walkers, scooters or similar mobility assistance devices. The simple pleasures which gardening offers can have added value for those with limited access to nature.