Describing Intellectual Disability in Local Public Health Community Health Assessments and Community Health Improvement Plans.

Abstract

Abstract: To describe intellectual disability inclusion in local health department (LHD) community health assessments (CHAs) and community health improvement plans (CHIPs), this study used a cross-sectional design, analyzing CHAs and CHIPs of Public Health Accreditation Board-accredited LHDs. We find that approximately 5% (n = 17) of CHAs included an intellectual disability (ID) partner in the development process. Less than 2% (n = 3) of CHIPs included a goal, objective, or activity that specifically included people with ID. Many CHAs used language that identified ID as a health outcome to be prevented. CHAs and CHIPs play a key role in informing the work conducted by LHDs. Intellectual disability inclusion and representation in CHAs and CHIPs are limited. These findings identify a gap in ID-inclusive verbiage and community-based participation in developing CHAs and CHIPs and the need to increase ID inclusion in these planning processes and documents.