References
1. Disability Rights Education and
Defense Fund (DREDF). Accessed
May, 2014 from
http://dredf.org/healthcare-stories/
2. New Hampshire Disability and Public
Health Project (2014). New
Hampshire Disability and Public
Health Report. Durham, NH: Institute
on Disability, University of New
Hampshire.
3. New Hampshire Disability and Public
Health Project (2014). Responsive
Practice: Handbook for Trainees.
Durham, NH: Institute on Disability,
University of New Hampshire.
How to request a
Responsive Practice
accredited training
To schedule a training session at
your health care facility, contact the
DPH staff at:
Email: dph.iod@unh.edu
Phone: (603) 862-4320
Web:
www.iod.unh.edu/dph
The NH Disability & Public Health
project is funded by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
(Grant: 1U59DD000954-01).
www.iod.unh.edu/dph
(603) 862-4320 | relay: 711
Available in alternative formats
on request.
Responsive
Practice
Training
Providing health care &
screenings to individuals
with disabilities
New Hampshire Disability &
Public Health Project (DPH)
Stories from Patients with Disabilities
`
“It can impact my life when people don’t ask what I need and assume what I need or assume
they know the best way to treat me, especially in a medical setting.”
“Many of us are faced with bias and prejudice so when we go to get our health needs
addressed, we’ve got to overcome the misconceptions.”
http://dredf.org/healthcare-stories/
“It’s very frustrating when your body… has a certain condition and you know what that
condition is and you try to tell somebody that and they’re not listening…”1
What is the goal of the Responsive Practice
training?
Responsive Practice aims to facilitate
inclusive, accessible care for all individuals,
including people with disabilities.
What is a “responsive practice?”
A culturally competent responsive
practice demonstrates the
principles of flexibility, respect,
and collaboration in order to
provide high quality health care to
all patients.
A responsive practice recognizes
barriers that people with
disabilities can face when
accessing health care. Trainees of
the interactive DPH curriculum
learn strategies and approaches to
turn barriers into facilitators,
creating opportunities to maximize
wellness.
People with disabilities in NH are less likely
to get recommended clinical preventive
services and screenings than people without
disabilities. Responsive Practice teaches
providers how to address and ameliorate
some of the access barriers that contribute to
lower screening rates and other health
disparities.
What kinds of health disparities do people
with disabilities experience?
In NH, people with disabilities are more
likely to:2
Smoke;
Be sedentary;
Be obese;
Delay needed care due to cost;
Experience chronic disease.
How can I facilitate accessible health
care for people with disabilities in
NH?
Contact DPH to request the Responsive
Practice training! (See the back of this
brochure for contact information.)
You will learn strategies and approaches
to help make your practice more
accessible. For example:3
• Use person-first language, unless the
individual requests something
different.
• Use language that does not carry
judgments or assumptions.
• Be prepared to offer alternatives and
extra time, when needed (e.g.,
accessible medical equipment).
• Ask questions. Work with the
patient to determine the information,
care, and assistance s/he needs.