Palo Alto, CA, February 10, 2021) — The WITH Foundation and the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD) are pleased to announce that a total of $225,000 will be awarded to four organizations as a result of their joint RFP. The RFP provided a unique funding opportunity for organizations to support projects that address the challenges that Primary Care Providers experience in serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) during pandemic and/or emergency situations. A secondary goal of this RFP was to foster new partnerships or significantly enhance existing partnerships between disability organizations, self-advocates, healthcare providers, and community organizations.
“We are pleased to support these projects that assist Primary Care Providers in addressing the needs of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities during pandemic and emergency situations. These projects will provide a variety of training and resources that are not only crucial in serving adults with I/DD but are also intentional in including individuals with lived experience of disability as experts” said Ryan Easterly, Executive Director of the WITH Foundation. Dr. Allen Wong, President of the AADMD agreed, adding that AADMD was impressed by the collaborative spirit of each of the project’s efforts.
The following projects were selected for funding:
The Arc of Massachusetts Waltham, MA
The Arc of Massachusetts will formally partner with The Arc of the United States and The Arc of Oregon to develop a web-based, culturally competent training and toolkit for emergency medical personnel. The goal is to support equal access to emergency healthcare for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), especially those with other marginalized identities, by educating healthcare providers working in hospital emergency departments.
Georgia State University Research Foundation Atlanta, GA
The Center for Leadership in Disability (CLD), in partnership with Adult Disability Medical Healthcare, Inc. (ADMH), will develop and implement a series of web-based trainings for primary care providers (PCPs) using the established ECHO® model of training delivery. The modules will educate PCPs on best practices for providing accessible, responsive, and culturally competent care to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) during pandemics and similar emergencies. Individuals with IDD and family members will serve as experts alongside healthcare professionals in the development and delivery of the modules.
AHRC NYC Foundation New York City, NY
AHRC NYC, the largest nonprofit in NY State serving individuals with I/DD and the Jacobi Medical Center will partner on developing a interdisciplinary approach to train dental residents, nurses and direct service professionals to assess oral health needs, support remote patient monitoring using intraoral cameras and visual and manual palpation, and provide/promote daily oral care to prevent new disease and mitigate the morbidity associated with existing disease. This project aims to set the stage for the implementation of a future oral health care system, resulting in more efficient oral care, and ultimately, improved health outcomes both during health emergencies and beyond.
The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health (NAAAH) Washington, DC
The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health (NAAAH) will develop educational materials for Primary Care providers (PCPs) that will strengthen their capacity to better serve young adults, ages 18-30, with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), who live at home during pandemic or emergency situations. NAAAH will conduct key informant interviews with young adults with IDD, disability advocacy organizations and federal and national health organizational professionals to elicit suggested topics for education and counseling and key resources such as assessment tools, emergency care plans and telehealth guidance. A 14-member advisory panel will produce a tip sheet with corresponding resources for dissemination.
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Funder:
WITH Foundation promotes comprehensive and accessible healthcare for adults with developmental disabilities.
Partner Organization:
The American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD) provides a forum for healthcare professionals who provide clinical care to people with intellectual & developmental disabilities (IDD) and improve the quality of healthcare for individuals with IDD
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Press Contact: Laura Shumaker
Director of Communications, WITH
communications@withfoundation.org