Become a Disability A.L.L.Y. —
Information for Healthcare Providers

All healthcare practices have patients with disabilities. Yet people with disabilities often face increased barriers when attempting to access care.

Providers, take steps to assess and enhance your practice. Be a healthcare A.L.L.Y. for individuals with disabilities. Small changes can make a measurable difference in the life of someone with a disability.

Step 1: Assess your practice

Use these sample checklists to determine areas of opportunity:

• ADA Checklist for Existing Facilities
• Inclusive Health Principles and Strategies: How to Make your Practices Inclusive of People with Intellectual Disabilities

Step 2: Learn what you can do to build a more inclusive practice.

Use the graphics and videos below and join CDC in championing disability allyship by sharing these digital materials within your health system and community.

Personal Stories of Inclusive Health Care

Hear directly from healthcare providers and people with disabilities on why healthcare inclusion is so important. Please watch these impactful videos. Share them and the images with quotes from Special Olympic athletes sharing the positive role that healthcare providers have made in their lives. Hear also from fellow health professionals on why they champion inclusion in their practices.

Ideas for Building a More Inclusive Practice

The following disability inclusion strategies can be a great place to start:

1. Welcoming Spaces: Ensure your programs and physical spaces are accessible and welcoming to people with disabilities.
   • Universal Design
   • Accessibility
   • Reasonable Accommodations
2. Communication: Ensure your communications, including written and spoken language, materials, and interactions with the community, are accessible to people with disabilities.
   • Assistive Technology
   • People-first Language
   • Reasonable Accommodations
3. Awareness and Training: Understand your community and train your staff on the barriers and challenges faced by people with disabilities, including people-first language and how to remove any barriers.
4. Sustainable and Intentional Inclusion: Build intentional and sustainable inclusion by changing organizational culture to value and understand the importance of including everyone.

These strategies were adapted from Special Olympics: Inclusive Health Principles and Strategies. Additional resources and trainings can also provide helpful guidance and direction.

Sample Messaging and Graphics

Please share these materials on your social media handles and tag @CDC_NCBDDD.

Email Badges and Banners

Place these badges in your email signatures to amplify the message of disability allyship among healthcare professionals.