Disability and Health Program News
Olenick, Bruns, and Nary Lead Webinar on Self Care
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
Kim Bruns and Dot Nary of Kansas DHP were joined by Colin Olenick of the Kansas DHP Consumer Advisory Board to present "Self-Care: Advocacy in Health Care" on Zoom. The webinar was presented as part of the Special Olympics Kansas Fitness Opportunities.
Nary and Hall Present to Health Professionals
Jean Hall and Dot Nary of the Kansas Disability and Health Program presented "Practical Tips for Providing Equitable Health Care to People with Disabilities" as part of the KU Medical Center Area Health Education Center's (AHEC) Brown Bag Webinar Series. The session presented the difference between equal and equitable care by providing examples relating to care for people with disabilities. The presentation drew on data from research literature regarding unequitable care, such as patients with disabilities not being counseled about tobacco use or physical activity; and members of this population receiving inappropriate cancer screenings, or no screenings at all. Hall and Nary provided resources for equitable patient care and practical tips for ensuring that patients with disabilities receive the full spectrum of care. Kansas DHP will make an announcement when the webinar is available on AHEC's Virtual Classroom.
Kansas Disability and Health Program Assesses the Usability of Local Health Departments
A poster submitted to the 2020 NACCHO (National Association of County and City Health Officials) 360 annual conference described how five Kansas health departments were assessed for usability for people with disabilities. Jay Schulz, a KU graduate research assistant with the Kansas Disability and Health Program, is primary author on the poster which features data from assessments using the Community Health Environment Checklist (CHEC) by trained assessors at Barber, Lawrence-Douglas County, Harvey, Osage, and Reno county facilities.
DHP Offers Continuing Education for Health Care Providers: "Engaging Patients with Disabilities and Chronic Health Conditions"
In partnership with the KU Medical Center Area Health Education Center (AHEC), our team will offer four hour-long sessions for health care providers to enhance their ability to care for patients with disabilities. The Brown Bag Webinar Series begins January 15.
Kansas Disability and Health Program Newsletter
See our E-Newsletter for updates on our work to improve oral health, nutrition and physical activity among Kansans with disabilities.
DHP Works with CILs to Assess Health Care Access
The Disability and Health Program has collaborated with five Kansas Centers for Independent Living to perform assessments of health care facilities across Kansas. CIL staff members used the Community Health Environment Checklist (CHEC) to evaluate how usable specific medical, dental and vision clinics are for people with disabilities. Read the Community Health Environment Checklist success story (PDF).
Hall Presents DHP Information at KUMC
October 2016 - DHP director Jean Hall presented the poster "The Kansas Disability and Health Program: Addressing Health Promotion and Physical Activity for Kansans with Disabilities" at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) Faculty Research Day and Poster Session on Oct. 28.
Nary Presents at Interhab
She provided an introduction to the Kansas Disability and Health program with "Kansans with Disabilities CAN Be Healthy!" and also discussed "Polypharmacy: Why Is It a Problem and What Can We Do About It?" Heather Lassmann and Whitney Owecke co-authored the polypharmacy presentation. At the conference's Idea Café, Nary presented on the topic "Health for People with Intellectual Disabilities."
CDC Awards Funding for Kansas Disability and Health Program (DHP)
September 2016 - Faculty and staff in KU’s Institute for Health and Disability Policy Studies, Research and Training Center on Independent Living and Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities will work with organizations across Kansas to implement a five-year, $1.5 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Kansas DHP will help improve the health of individuals with disabilities by increasing accessibility to programs and removing barriers to services designed to promote healthy living. Read the KU News Press Release.