A Report to the Public from the COVID-19 Health Disparities Statewide Leadership Task Force
August 2022
PROJECT BACKGROUND
The COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult on everyone, but for some groups, including and especially the disability community, its impact has been staggering. This is even more the case for those in the disability community who live in rural areas and those belonging to racial and ethnic minorities. The Arc of Pennsylvania received funding to investigate, educate, and report on
problems that people with disabilities in Pennsylvania have accessing appropriate information and help during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some issues people with disabilities face include:
- Barriers to accessible information (braille, plain language, multicultural, etc.),
- Reduced access to testing, vaccinations, and necessary accommodations
- Increased risk of severe illness or death due to COVID-19.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Our project brings together disability and health care stakeholders to listen, talk, and learn about COVID-19 disparities in the disability community. We will assure that people with lived experience of disability have their voices heard as we establish state and regional partnerships. These partnerships will align public health, health care, disability, and non-health interventions on behalf of the disability community across diverse racial, ethnic, and geographic populations.
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