Disability and Health
The North Carolina Office on Disability and Health envisions a state where people with disabilities have the opportunity - every day and in all places - to be healthy and participate in all aspects of community life.
What's New
Medicaid and Health Choice Communication Access Services
The Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DSDHH) has partnered with the Division of Health Benefits to establish a pilot initiative for communication access services for patients (and companions) who have Medicaid and Health Choice. The goal of this initiative is to improve communication access for individuals who are Deaf, Deaf Blind, and Hard of Hearing in approved healthcare settings.
Through this initiative, healthcare providers can register to be reimbursed for communication access services such as American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters and Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART). Please reach out to the Medicaid Communication Access Coordinator at DSDHH.Medicaid.CommAccess@dhhs.nc.gov or (984) 884-1093 for additional information and/or questions.
Did You Know?
1 out of 4 adults in North Carolina has a disability (Reference 1) 
1 out of 5 children in North Carolina has a special health care need (Reference 2) 
People with disabilities are more likely to experience health disparities than those without disabilities (Reference 3)
What We Do
The North Carolina Office on Disability and Health promotes the health and well-being of people with disabilities in North Carolina by working to improve access and inclusion in public health programs, addressing health disparities and promoting health equity.
Goals of the North Carolina Office on Disability and Health
Increase awareness and understanding of the health-related needs of individuals with disabilities
Improve access to health services and inclusion in health promotion programs
Analyze and report on research and data collection
Influence disability policies and procedures related to public health.
Working with Us
The North Carolina Office on Disability and Health offers training and technical assistance to any organization or provider interested in improving accessibility and inclusion of people with disabilities. Below are some ways we can work with your group or organization.
Presentations
ADA Accessibility Reviews
Trainings
Assistance partnering with disability groups
Document review
Policy review
Contact Us
Lauren Howard
Lauren.Howard@dhhs.nc.gov
References
Disability and Health is a project of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that works to improve the overall health and quality of life for people with disabilities. The website includes extensive information on topics related to disability and health addressing areas of inclusion, healthy living, emergency preparedness, and disability data and statistics.
NACCHO Health and Disability provides local health departments with the tools and resources needed to successfully include people with disabilities. The National Association of County and City Health Officials program includes technical assistance, training and resources that can be found on the website.
Public Health is for Everyone is an online toolkit that provides resources to increase the capacity of public health professionals to create programs that benefit entire communities, including people with disabilities.
National Center for Health, Physical Activity and Disability is a public health practice and resource center on health promotion for people with disabilities. The extensive searchable website provides resources to individuals, families and professionals and technical assistance through phone and online.
The ADA National Network provides information, guidance and training on how to implement the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It consists of 10 Regional ADA Centers throughout the United States. The Southeast ADA Center serves North Carolina.
Health Care and the Americans with Disabilities Act outlines how health care facilities are covered under the ADA.
Access to Medical Care for Individuals with Mobility Disabilities provides guidance on how medical facilities can be more accessible for people with disabilities.
Accessible Medical Examination Tables and Chairs provides guidance on the accessibility of diagnostic medical equipment.
Effective Communication for Health Care Providers effective communication.pdf covers all areas related to providing effective communication in a health care setting.
ReadyNC.org provides up to date and state specific information on emergency preparedness in NC.
Ready.govprovides information for individuals with disabilities on making an emergency plan and building an emergency kit.
Emergency Supply Kits provides a checklist for disability-specific supplies for different kinds of emergency kits, including “go kit”, “home/stay kit” and care kits.
Children and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs in Emergencies provides general information from the CDC on emergency planning and response.
Emergency Kit Checklist for Families with Children and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs
Disaster Safety for People with Disabilities provides information on how to create an emergency plan from the Red Cross.
Disability Rights NC Disaster Recovery Project provides information and support to people with disabilities in NC about emergency preparedness and disaster recovery.
Emergency Power Planning for People who use Electricity and Battery-Dependent Assistive Technology and Medical Devices is a checklist for what to consider when preparing for power loss.
Microsoft Office Accessibility Center provides information on how to make Microsoft products accessible.
Adobe Accessibility provides information on how to make Abode products accessible.
W3C – Web Accessibility Initiative develops international standards for the Web, called Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
WebAIM provides information and training on Web accessibility and other digital accessibility.
WebAIM Contrast Checker is a tool to test is colors used in a document or Website have a high enough contrast to ensure accessibility.
Government IT Accessibility – Section 508 provides guidance to federal agencies to comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
NC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) provides data on health behaviors and preventive health practices for NC residents aged 18 and older and includes disability screening questions.
The National Survey of Children’s Health provides data on all aspects of children’s lives as it relates to health and well-being and includes information on children and youth with special health care needs.
Disability and Health Data System provides state-level health and demographic data about adults with disabilities.
Got Transition is a national resource center on health care transition. The website contains extensive resources for parents, youth and young adults and providers to engage and improve the transition from pediatric to adult health care. Some of the many resources include:
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Questions to Ask your Doctor About TransitioningIntegrating Young Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities into Your Practice: Tips for Adult Health Care Clinicians
Transition to Adulthood: A Health Care Guide for Youth and Families is a toolkit developed by the Autistic Self Advocacy Network designed to help young people with disabilities and their families plan for the transition to adulthood in health care contexts.
Transition Tools for Youth & Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities or Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD) were developed by nine health care focused organizations, including the American College of Physicians Council of Subspecialty Societies and includes checklists for both young adults and parents.