Integration of Disability Issues into Public Health Departments

[Craig Sicilia]

I am working on a cooperative project with naccho and the CDC and I am leading the group on intergration of disability issues, below is the charter and scope of the project its a chance to create some best practice policy. I would welcome everyones in-put.

Integration of Disability Issues into All NACCHO Workgroups: Actively promote the full integration of PWDs and disability health issues into all NACCHO Workgroups


NACCHO Disability and Health (D&H) Workgroup
Charter

Vision: Local health departments (LHDs) will effectively promote the health of people with disabilities (PWDs), as individuals, as a community and as a population. LHDs will consistently engage PWDs and disability organizations in assessment, program and policy development, and assurance activities.

Mission: To provide leadership and guidance to NACCHO, its members, and partner organizations regarding the design, development, and evaluation of programs and policies intended to promote the health of PWDs, as individuals, as a community, and as a population.

Core Strategy
To apply lessons learned in health promotion with other communities of culture (especially those experiencing service disparities and health inequities) to health promotion in the disability community, including:
· Active involvement of PWDs and disability organizations in all phases of the public health process (i.e. assessment, program and policy development, and assurance);
· Identification of social determinants of health that create health inequities among PWDs and formulation of strategies to address these determinants;
· Capacity building and leadership development within the disability community; and
· Recruitment and retention of PWDs as part of the public health workforce.
Goals
Goal 1: Advise NACCHO and build awareness within the organization regarding effective health promotion strategies for PWDs.
· Provide expert advice and policy recommendations concerning disability health promotion to the Community Essential Services Committee and the NACCHO Board
· Periodically review and update the NACCHO policy statement on Disability and Health and the workgroup charter based on the current situation and lessons learned
· Provide expert guidance on the NACCHO Cooperative Agreement proposal with the CDC, starting early in the proposal process and taking into account what has occurred in previous years
· Assure the inclusion of the interests and issues of PWDs in all NACCHO initiatives and projects
· Identify opportunities to collaborate with other NACCHO workgroups and committees
Goal 2: Support LHDs to develop their capacity to promote the health of PWDs, in line with the core strategy outlined above.
· Provide on-going guidance and support to the former demonstration and TA sites regarding administration, evaluation, maintenance and expansion of their projects
· Provide guidance and support to other LHDs wishing to enhance their capacity to promote health among PWDs
· Provide technical assistance to LHDs to acquire resources (funding and non-monetary) for new and on-going disability and health projects
Goal 3: Identify and disseminate effective strategies and practices in the field of disability health promotion.
· Assure that the lessons learned in the demonstration and TA projects continue to be disseminated via conference presentations, publications, the NACCHO Exchange, and other strategies
· Identify D&H projects from the larger public health community that can serve as models for LHDs
· Encourage LHDs that have appropriate disability and health projects to submit them to NACCHO’s Model Practices competition
· Elicit abstracts on disability and health projects for the annual NACCHO conference
· Judge Model Practice applications
Goal 4: As requested, represent NACCHO on external advisory groups and in collaboration with other organizations dedicated to disability health promotion, with the goal of increasing awareness about effective health promotion strategies for PWDs.
· Provide expert testimony to policy makers on behalf of NACCHO
· Develop relationships with leaders of the Disability Section of APHA and a presence at APHA conferences
· Develop relationships with other groups and organizations involved in disability health promotion, partly to facilitate identification of potential workgroup members


Areas of focus for 2008-2009
1. Internal workgroup development: clarification of mission and goals, integration of new members who are PWDs, development of strategies to recruit more disability community leaders onto the workgroup, building awareness about the traditional and alternative paradigms for disability health promotion
2. Fund development: Provide technical assistance to former demonstration and TA projects about ways to maintain and expand their projects
3. Integration of Disability Issues into All NACCHO Workgroups: Actively promote the full integration of PWDs and disability health issues into all NACCHO Workgroups

Proposed frequency and venues of meetings
· One in-person meeting per year, date and location TBA
· Telephone conference calls at least quarterly, depending on current situation and needs of the workgroup
Sources of funding
NACCHO Cooperative Agreement with the CDC.
Roles & Responsibilities
Membership
The workgroup will consist of 10-15 people representing the following constituencies (or a combination thereof): PWDs; representatives of LHDs (both large and small); academics with expertise in the fields of D&H and/or Disability Studies; representatives from local, regional and national disability and health organizations; other key stakeholders as needed.
Terms
The terms of all workgroup members shall be for two years with one half of the workgroup’s membership being appointed each year. A workgroup member shall continue to serve until a successor appointment has been completed. Members may serve on the same workgroup for a maximum of four consecutive years. A member may be reappointed to the same workgroup after being off of the workgroup for at least one year.

Responsibilities of D&H Workgroup Members
1. Attend an in-person Workgroup Meeting
2. Participate on conference calls
3. Provide input to NACCHO and LHDs as needed and requested
4. Judge model practice applications

Responsibilities of D&H Workgroup Chair
Workgroup chairs, supported by NACCHO staff, are asked to do the following during the year:
1. Assure that the workgroup has a clear mission or purpose statement and a work plan and/or set of objectives for the year;
2. Identify the resource needs of the workgroup and advocate for their inclusion in the NACCHO budgeting process;
3. Facilitate the conference calls and/or face-to-face meetings of the workgroup or arrange for another facilitator;
4. Request action of the Board and/or Executive Committee when significant changes in direction or policy are needed;
5. Make recommendations to NACCHO president/president-elect regarding reappointment of workgroup members;
6. Work closely with staff; and
7. Assure workgroup representation at Board meetings when necessary.

Responsibilities of NACCHO Staff
Staff, in coordination with workgroup chairs, is asked to perform the following activities:
1. Respond to workgroup member's requests, questions, and concerns in a timely manner;
2. Provide background materials to prepare workgroup members for meetings;
3. Work with the workgroup chair to develop an agenda for all meetings and conference calls;
4. Assure that minutes of meetings and telephone conference calls are distributed and maintained;
5. Serve as a resource to workgroup members when necessary;
6. Provide workgroup members with adequate information to complete specific tasks;
7. Maintain documentation of workgroup membership tenure and demographics; and
8. Work with the workgroup chair to make recommendations for workgroup appointments.

Sources:
NACCHO Primary Care/Mental Health Workgroup Charter (undated)
NACCHO Essential Services Committee, Strategic Direction Team, Workgroup and Standing Committees, Responsibilities and Expectations (August 2007)
NACCHO Land Use Planning/Community Design Partnership Workgroup Charter (undated)
NACCHO Workgroup on Disabilities and Health Goals and Objectives (undated)