The Autism Society of America believes that improving the vaccination experience is a critical step towards achieving more equitable healthcare for people with Autism and all neurodiverse individuals. As part of our strategic focus on health equity, the Vaccine Education Initiative (VEI) is a national program that addresses systemic barriers, while promoting vaccine education, confidence, and access.
Persons with disabilities generally have more health-care needs than others – both standard needs and needs linked to impairments – and are therefore more vulnerable to the impact of low quality or inaccessible health-care services than others. Compared to persons without disabilities, persons with disabilities are more likely to have poor health: among 43 countries, 42 per cent of persons with disabilities versus 6 per cent of persons without disabilities perceive their health as poor.
While engaging with communities and larger populations in the response to COVID-19, it is important to understand the needs of specific groups who might experience barriers to accessing information, care and support or be at higher risk of exposure and secondary impacts, such as children and adults with disabilities, who make up an estimated 15% of the population and are often invisible and excluded.
The Arc is greatly concerned about the threat of COVID-19 to people with disabilities, their families, and the workforce that supports them. We have compiled resources here to help people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD), their families, and service providers understand this global pandemic.
Free Resources to Combat COVID-19. Relias specializes in online education solutions for healthcare providers. We are sharing our training and resources to help individuals and healthcare personnel stay safe and informed.
