NACCHO’s Health and Disability Program recently updated its policy statement. NACCHO fellows Valerie Perkoski (PhD student at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions) and Haleigh Leslie (DrPH student at East Tennessee State University) and NACCHO’s Health and Disability workgroup members were instrumental in developing the revised policy statement.

The Health and Disability program at NACCHO promotes the inclusion and engagement of people with disabilities in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health programs, policies, and practices. This new policy statement articulates this overarching goal and emphasizes the importance of involving people with access and functional needs in all stages of health program and policy development - from planning to evaluation. Updates to the policy include changes made to reflect the current literature and definition of disability and inclusion, the effects of COVID-19 and other public health emergencies and highlighting the importance of including people with disabilities in emergency preparedness and creating more inclusive preparedness plans.

Across the life span, approximately 61 million or 1 in 4 people (26%) in the United States live with a disability. People with disabilities continue to experience health inequities, barriers to healthcare and have greater unmet health needs, disproportionately live in poverty, face prejudice and discrimination, are undereducated, and are under- and unemployed. Compared to the general population, they report higher rates of obesity and smoking, lower rates of physical activity, and a significantly higher risk for chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. These disparities are exacerbated when the person with a disability is also a member of another marginalized community.

To address these health disparities experienced by people with disabilities, NACCHO recommends that local health departments (1) understand and overcome the barriers faced by people with disabilities; and (2) apply the same frameworks and practices used with other health disparity populations to address the health disparities experienced by people with disabilities. NACCHO continues to support emerging and best practices among local health departments and local disability organizations to improve public health service delivery to people with disabilities.

The following resources are available to help local health departments become more inclusive of people with disabilities within programs, policies, and services:

• Community Health Inclusion Index: NCHPAD - Building Healthy Inclusive Communities
• Prepared4ALL: Whole Community Inclusive Emergency Planning – AUCD’s National Center on Disability in Public Health (nationalcenterdph.org)
• Functional Needs Planning Toolkit for Emergency Planners
• Directory of Community-Based Organizations Serving People with Disabilities
• Strategies for Successfully Including People with Disabilities in Health Department Programs, Plans, and Services
• What Local Health Departments Should Know about the Population of People with Disabilities
• Including People with Disabilities in Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Smoking Programs Offered by Local Health Departments
• Including People with Disabilities in Reproductive Health Programs and Services