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If you think about what it might be like to have a disability, what comes to mind? Often, the term “disability” brings up thoughts about limitations, impairments, health conditions or certain diagnoses. Public health officials and medical professionals tend to think of disability as something to avoid, treat, or to help cure. However, when we shift our thinking to include people with disabilities as a demographic, something that is not rare or tragic, but instead is a natural part of the human experience that contributes to diversity, our ability to serve this population expands significantly. People with disabilities benefit from the same public health resources, clinical services, and opportunities for community engagement as people without disabilities. Over 1 in 4 people in the state of Ohio report having a disability, a significant and often-overlooked population. In fact, people with disabilities are the largest minority demographic in the United States. If our clinical services and health programs aren’t accessible to people with disabilities, then we are missing a quarter of our population. The best way to ensure that services are accessible to people with disabilities is to ensure that they are represented in our work and fill meaningful roles when decisions are made that impact them.
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