Adults with disabilities in the U.S. have higher rates of many chronic health conditions[i] and are more likely to experience a fall.[ii] As of 2016, 46% of Chronic Disease Self-Management Program participants and 40% of falls prevention program participants reported having a physical, mental, or emotional disability. Use the resources below to increase engagement of individuals with disabilities in evidence-based programs to improve management of ongoing health conditions and reduce their risk for falls and fall-related injuries.

Tip Sheets and Toolkits

• Tip Sheet: Chronic Disease Self-Management Education and People with Disabilities: Successful Practices
• Tip Sheet: Engaging People with Disabilities in Evidence-Based Programs
• Tip Sheet: Developing Partnerships with the Disability Community
• The Inclusive Community Health Implementation  Package (iChip): The National Center on Health, Physical Activity, and Disability's package of interactive tools to help community health practitioners, organizations, and coalitions incorporate inclusion across all aspects of community health efforts.
• VisionAware: A road map for living with and serving individuals with vision loss.

Best Practices Toolkit: Resources from the Field

Explore our Best Practices Toolkit, a compilation of resources collected from Administration for Community Living, Administration on Aging (ACL/AoA) Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Program (CDSME) grantees, former grantees, and other organizations implementing CDSME programs. Use the links below to find information specifically focused on engaging adults with disabilities in evidence-based programs.

• Tools for marketing evidence-based programs to adults with disabilities
• Resources for partnering with organizations that serve people with disabilities
• Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging Sensory Impairment Toolkit: Use this toolkit to adapt Stepping On workshops to accommodate people with sensory impairments. The toolkit includes audio recordings that provide detailed explanations of each Stepping On exercise.
• Healthy Aging NC Inclusion Toolkit

Resources for Public Policy & Action

• Learn more about long-term services and supports to help seniors and adults with disabilities stay independent.

Resources Focused on Transportation

• National Transportation Services Directory
• National Center for Mobility Management
• National Aging and Disability Transportation Center

Helpful Organizations and Resource Centers

• American Association on Health and Disability
• American Foundation for the Blind
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) State-based Disability and Health Programs
• Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities
• Independent Living Research Utilization
• National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services
• National Center on Health, Physical Activity, and Disability
• National Council on Independent Living
• National Disability Navigator Resource Collaborative
• National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)
• University of Washington Department of Rehabilitation Medicine

 [i] Research and Training Center on Measurement and Interdependence in Community Living. The Intersection of Disability and Chronic Disease Fact Sheet. Oregon Health and Science University. July 2011. [ii] University of Washington Rehabilitation and Research Training Center. How to Prevent Falls. http://agerrtc.washington.edu/info/factsheets/falls. Accessed June 20, 2017.