Project activities
Improving Access to Health Care and Wellness
Helping health care providers and exercise/recreation staff assess and improve their facilities is a major focus for HDWD:BtG. The Americans with Disabilities Act has brought many physical changes to medical offices and exercise and recreation facilities but barriers still exist. Providers do not always have accessible exam tables, x-ray equipment, exercise tools, or accessible communication materials. Two guidebooks to help medical providers and exercise/recreation staff make their practices and programs easier to access for people with disabilities are in development.
Recreation and Fitness Center Accessibility
In partnership with the University of Delaware Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences (HNES), Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative (DATI), and 1614 Fitness & Aerobics, the project has developed and implemented a training curriculum for exercise facility staff that addresses physical accessibility of the building and equipment and inclusion of individuals with disabilities in training and workout activities. This pilot will provide a foundation for taking this approach to exercise facilities across Delaware, resulting in increased participation of individuals with disabilities in fitness and health clubs.
Delaware Mammography Accessibility Project
As a partner of the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition, HDWD: BtG will survey all 31 licensed mammography facilities in Delaware for their accessibility for women with various disabilities. A directory of accessible facilities will be developed and posted on this site and the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition website.
Medical Transition
Children with disabilities and special health care needs face special challenges as they grow and leave the pediatric medical system and the familiar world of school. The Medical Transition Information (MTI) project is funded by the Developmental Disabilities Council to update the current TransitionMapDE.org website. The site is hosted by the Center for Disabilities Studies and KenCrest Services and provides useful information and tools for adolescents, young adults, and their families on the transition process into adulthood.
