About the project
Twenty percent of Delawareans report having a disability that prevents them from doing things they want to do (1). For some people with disabilities, getting quality health care is not always within reach. If you have a disability or care for a person with a disability, you may face barriers to: getting primary health care, or access to dental check-ups or preventive screenings such as a mammogram, colonoscopy, pap smears or prostate exams, or creating an accessible exercise routine, or getting nutrition information that is suited for you.The Healthy Delawareans with Disabilities: Bridging the Gap Project (HDWD:BtG) is charged with working to improve the health status of people with disabilities in Delaware. The project is a five-year (2007-2012) cooperative agreement between the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Center for Disabilities Studies (CDS) at the University of Delaware (UD). This program focuses on preventing secondary conditions and promoting the health and wellness of Delawareans with disabilities. In 2007-2009 the project staff and Advisory Council developed HDWD: A Plan for Action. A Strategic Plan for Delaware to Promote Health and Prevent Secondary Health Conditions in Individuals with Disabilities that will guide planning for and implementation of health related activities, programs, and services for individuals with disabilities in Delaware.
Our Mission
To act as a catalyst for systems change to make health & wellness programs more accessible and inclusive.
Our Vision
All individuals with disabilities in Delaware will live active and healthy lives and will have the resources, supports, programs, and services necessary to do so.
Advisory Council
The HDWD:BtG Advisory Council consists of self-advocates, parents, advocacy groups, and state-and community organizations dedicated to health promotion and wellness for people with disabilities. The Advisory Council is an important and integral part of the project and its members provide information, technical assistance, and expertise in health and disability-related areas. The council has more than 40 active members and meets to discuss health-and disability-related topics, needs, activities, and policies, and to plan and implement needed health promotion and prevention activities.
Find out more
We invite you to meet our staff and learm more about our activities.
(1) 2007 Delaware Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey.
