Course Overview

Module 1: Intro to Disability Competency
This model offers learners an introduction to “Why Disability Competent Care?” by highlighting healthcare disparities, barriers to care, and the need for accessible care for persons with physical disabilities. At a practice level, reasons for undertaking this training include quality improvement, improving patient safety, and compliance with ADA.

Module 2: Communication & Respect
Learn the importance of how you verbally and physically approach people with disabilities. This model will provide guidance and resources to support you in providing high-quality health care to people with physical disabilities through use of proper language and adherence to disability etiquette.

Module 3: Physical Access
Learn the importance of physical access for people with disabilities This Module will provide guidance/resources to support you in providing high quality health care to people with physical disabilities by helping you understand physical access requirements and additional needs and develop action items to create access, so individuals with disability can physically access all health services like others.

Module 4: Participant Needs
In this module, you will learn the importance of patient’s needs when we look at them as a whole person and provide guidance/resources to support you in giving high-quality health care to people with physical disabilities by understanding whole-person care, where preventive care cannot be lost among addressing the on-going secondary conditions that come from living with a long-term physical disability.

Module 5: Systems of Care
Navigating the healthcare system is a difficult process for all of us. When you add the layer of disability to the equation, the navigation becomes more difficult due to the added paperwork, needs, and lack of expertise within the healthcare system. In this module, we will look at how systems of care are set up to serve all persons by referring Colorado’s Medicaid program. We will also share some other systems of care that coordinate care beyond the CO Medicaid model and why it is critical to understand the benefits, barriers, and opportunities while pointing to areas where persons with disabilities can be negatively impacted if not understood and utilized by those who serve them. If you don’t live in Colorado, your own state as a Medicaid program and will have similar, but varying benefits.

Module 6: Assessment
In this module, we will provide you with a checklist to assess yourself on Disability Competence throughout every aspect of the service provider/participant relationship, including a narrative to help you understand what you’re assessing and why. This module includes resources to assist with implementation of changes, and a resolution section to document changes as they are made. For example: if you are a provider renting space, some changes may need approval and assistance from your landlord. This module provides a narrative and resource to help you advocate for needed changes. If you are the decision maker, the narrative and resources will help you get the job done.

Module 7: Transfers
In this module, you will learn all the different types of transfers and how to actualize a transfer with a focus on proper body mechanics for self-protection and that of those being transferred. Additionally, you will learn why transferring individuals is important, what transfers need to be used type of individual, and develop action items for all providers and staff to actualize transfers for individuals to fully access care.