Palo Alto, CA, June 11, 2020 — The WITH Foundation is pleased to announce that $391,500 will be awarded to four organizations as a result of WITH’s previous open cycle. These grants will fund a variety of programs that promote comprehensive and accessible healthcare for adults with developmental disabilities.
“It is a privilege to support these efforts as they work to enhance healthcare delivery models for adults with IDD in a variety of ways, including developing educational tools for the medical community, sexual health and healthy relationship trainings, address disparities in end of life care, and support advocacy on critical healthcare issues for the IDD community” said Ryan Easterly, Executive Director of the WITH Foundation.
The following projects were selected for funding:
Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Washington DC
This 3-year grant will assist ASAN’s nationally regarded Disability Policy Center to continue and expand their work of providing robust, strategic advocacy at the state and national level on a number of fronts, including supported decision making, access to healthcare and other health policy topics. The funding will be used to educate self-advocates and policymakers alike on issues relating to healthcare and people with developmental disabilities.
Cornell Center for Research on End-of-Life Care, New York, NY
At the end of life, the perspectives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often go unheard or ignored, and inappropriate or inadequate care may be delivered. The project, Reducing End-of-Life Health Disparities Among Individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disability will use data from the New York Presbyterian hospital system to identify potential disparities in care. The information will be used to develop educational interventions for clinicians that includes the perspectives and expertise of self-advocates. These educational interventions aim to reduce these disparities and improve end-of-life care for patients with IDD.
Positive Exposure, New York, NY
Positive Exposure (PE) and its film program, FRAME (Faces Redefining the Art of Medical Education) serve as a major visual arts medium to present the humanity and dignity of individuals living with genetic, physical, behavioral and intellectual differences. In collaboration with the American Academy of Developmental Medicine & Dentistry (AADMD), the Child Neurology Foundation (CNF) & the National Task Group on Intellectual Disability & Dementia Practices (NTG). PE will create three FRAME films focusing on: Epilepsy in Adults with IDD; Early Onset Alzheimer’s disease in individuals with Down syndrome, and the Supported Decision Making (SDM) process. SDM will also be included in the first two films.
Special Olympics, Washington DC
Utilizing existing evidence-based resources, this project, The Right to Healthy Relationships will develop, in collaboration with self-advocates, a healthy relationship training. A complementary training for caregivers and coaches will also be developed.
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WITH Foundation promotes comprehensive and accessible healthcare for adults with developmental disabilities.
If you are interested in learning more about WITH’s response to COVID-19, please visit withfoundation.org/covid-19
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Press Contact: Laura Shumaker
Director of Communications, WITH