Accessibility and Disability Equity Library


People with disabilities belong everywhere and deserve equitable access to employment, education, housing, healthcare, and recreation. They have made immense contributions to all aspects of life and culture in the United States, despite being historically excluded from many of the fields they impact. Today, 26% of adults in the U.S. (61 million people) live with a disability. The disabled community has made great strides in advancing accessibility and equity, but disabled people still disproportionately face negative health and mental health outcomes. Long histories of misunderstanding, abuse, lack of care, stigmatization, discrimination, and unequal rights have created deep inequities for people with disabilities. Disabled people are more likely to live in poverty, experience trauma, face barriers to care, and struggle with suicidal ideation than their able-bodied peers. 


Disabled people who are living in poverty, located in rural communities, LGBTQ+, Black, Indigenous, and/or of color are most impacted, with risk factors including:

A New Focus on Community Commons

Health Equity Libraries on Community Commons build capacity for changemakers to advance equity for a specific priority population by sharing relevant resources. Priority populations are exploration avenues on Community Commons that represent diverse groups, communities, demographics, identities, statuses, and people with lived experiences. They connect users directly with populations of interest, lift up important underserved groups, and help root our work in equity and justice. 


Importantly, we acknowledge that people are not defined solely by the population groups to which they belong—many factors contribute to what makes people who they are, and most people belong to more than one priority population group. These libraries are designed to break down silos and support changemakers working to advance equitable well-being by making people-centered content more discoverable on Community Commons.


Resources curated for Health Equity Libraries: 

  • Share practical, actionable strategies to guide on-the-ground work 

  • Provide access to data and scientific articles that build the case for equity and its relation to well-being 

  • Lift up stories and lived experience from people in priority populations


The Accessibility and Disability Equity Library highlights 300+ newly-curated resources and stories to advance equitable health outcomes for people with disabilities.


As we have worked to expand and center disability and accessibility content on Community Commons, some key themes have emerged:

  1. Accessibility as central to equity, belonging, and well-being

  2. Shifting dialogue from disabilities as limitations to disabilities as complex, highly personal experiences often tied to identity and disability culture

  3. Sourcing and leveraging accurate data on disabilities and disabled people

  4. Centering intersectional perspectives, especially LGBTQ+ and BIPOC voices

  5. Disproportionate impacts of disabled people with multiple marginalizations, including histories of trauma

  6. COVID-19 as a magnifier, emphasizing existing strengths and disparities




Copyright
2022
Published Date
09/01/2022

Resources

Topic - Assessment Audio Blog Book CC Original Case study Data bank/repository Data/mapping tool Fact sheet Guide/handbook Journal article Map Topic - People Plan Podcast Policy brief Topic - Possibilities Topic - Quality of Life Report Toolkit/toolbox Video Webinar Website/webpage Workshop/training Written

Topic -

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Walkability
Topic

Assessment

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Audio

Blog

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Book

CC Original

Photo of soldiers standing near an aircraft at sunset
Improving Veterans’ Access to Mental Health Treatment
Story - Original
Published on 06/07/2017
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Case study

Data bank/repository

Screen capture of website: Disability Healthcare Resources
Disability Healthcare Resources
Resource - Data Bank/repository
Screen capture of BRFSS image: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System ACE Data
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System ACE Data
Resource - Data Bank/repository
Bold letters
Priority Populations Channel
Resource - Data Bank/repository
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Data/mapping tool

Fact sheet

Screen capture of Brain Health and Healthy Aging
Brain Health and Healthy Aging
Resource - Fact Sheet
Know Your Rights: Voting Rights
Resource - Fact Sheet
Screen capture of website landing page: Eating Disorder Statistics
Eating Disorder Statistics
Resource - Fact Sheet
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Guide/handbook

PDF Cover: Accessible Health Care
Accessible Health Care
Resource - Guide/handbook
Screen capture of article photo: PACEs Connection Resource Center
PACEs Connection Resource Center
Resource - Guide/handbook
PDF Cover Page: Autism and Safety Toolkit
Autism and Safety Toolkit
Resource - Guide/handbook
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Journal article

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Map

Topic - People

Collage of people with disabilities, including people with mobility, hearing, visual, developmental, psychological, and invisible disabilities
People with Disabilities
Topic - People
Photo of young child with long curly dark hair playing with a pop fidget toy
Autism
Topic - People
Photo of Black family with one parent wearing an army uniform
Veterans
Topic - People

Plan

Title page of COPD National Action Plan
COPD National Action Plan
Resource - Plan

Podcast

Policy brief

Graphic displaying title of policy 'Implement Universal Family Care'
Implement Universal Family Care
Resource - Policy Brief
Published on 04/16/2021
Graphic displaying title of policy 'Increase Geographic Proximity and Accessibility of Jobs'
Increase Geographic Proximity and Accessibility of Jobs
Resource - Policy Brief
Published on 04/16/2021
PDF Cover: Fact Sheet: Disability Discrimination
Fact Sheet: Disability Discrimination
Resource - Policy Brief

Topic - Possibilities

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Neurodiversity
Topic - Possibilities
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Trauma-Informed Practice
Topic - Possibilities
Photo of older adult speaking with nurse
Cultural Humility and Competence
Topic - Possibilities
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Supportive Housing
Topic - Possibilities
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Topic - Quality of Life

Photo of child looking at the camera. Orange banner reads
Adverse Childhood Experiences
Topic - Quality Of Life
Photo of a person receiving hemodialysis treatment. An orange banner spanning the top of the image reads
Kidney Diseases
Topic - Quality Of Life
Photo of two medical professionals examining images from a brain scan. An orange banner spanning the top of the image reads
Brain Health
Topic - Quality Of Life
Silhouette of a head with colorful strips of paper around it. An orange banner spanning the top of the image reads
Mental and Behavioral Health
Topic - Quality Of Life
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Report

PDF Cover: LGBT People with Disabilities
LGBT People With Disabilities
Resource - Report
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Toolkit/toolbox

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Video

Webinar

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Website/webpage

Screen capture of Brain Basics: Know Your Brain
Brain Basics: Know Your Brain
Resource - Website/webpage
Shutterstock image: LGBTQI Trauma and Internalized Shame
LGBTQI Trauma and Internalized Shame
Resource - Website/webpage
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Workshop/training

Written

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Other Resources

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