Resource Sheet – Universal Design, Inclusion and Inclusive Health What

New Jersey Department of Human Services Division of Disability Services Inclusive Healthy Communities Grant Program

Resource Sheet – Universal Design, Inclusion and Inclusive Health

What is Universal Design? According to the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design, universal design (sometimes also called inclusive design or barrier-free design) is the design and structure of an environment so that it can be understood, accessed, and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age or ability.

That means planning around peoples’ diverse needs and abilities (like kids, parents, seniors, people with injuries or illnesses, and people with disabilities) to create environments that actually meet those needs and abilities.

In short, universal design is simple, useful, and accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities. Rather than everyone getting, “the same,” universal design incorporates the needs of diverse users. A familiar example of universal design is the curb cut, which provides wheelchair users, people with strollers, and workers using hand trucks better access to streets and curbs at differing levels.

In order to facilitate people with differing abilities, of differing ages and sizes within society, systems must be designed with the user at the center of the design process. A universally designed environment makes life easier, safer, and more inclusive for everyone.

For more information on Universal Design, see: http://universaldesign.ie/What-is-Universal-Design/ https://www.csun.edu/sites/default/files/accessibility-ud-slides.pdf https://www.rickhansen.com/news-stories/blog/universal-design-101

Inclusion "Nothing About Us Without Us!" (Latin: "Nihil de nobis, sine nobis") is a slogan used to communicate the idea that no policy should be decided by any representative without the full and direct participation of members of the group(s) affected by that policy. This involves national, ethnic, disability-based, or other groups that are often thought to be marginalized from political, social, and economic opportunities. – Wikipedia

Disability rights activist James Charlton traced the origin of “Nothing about us without us” to South African disability rights advocates in the 1980’s. Before that, it was used as a rallying cry among Eastern European labor organizers and in the very distant past, came from a sixteenth century law limiting the power of a king. In the present day, “Nothing about us without us” has been adopted by others fighting

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for self-empowerment and self-determination, but it is best known as a slogan of the disability rights movement.

People with disabilities used these words to demand inclusion in policy and decision-making processes that shaped their lives and environments. “Nothing about us without us” preceded a sea change in the language and goals of disability policy. Former patients became consumers and former beneficiaries became stakeholders. With this slogan, the disability rights movement advocated effectively for civil rights protections for people with disabilities, including the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, passed in 1990.

Including members of the community that you wish to serve throughout all aspects of program design, development, implementation, governance, and evaluation helps ensure that an effort or initiative addresses the actual needs of the targeted users.

For more information about inclusion, see: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/nothing-about-us-without-us-mantra-for-a- movement_b_59aea450e4b0c50640cd61cf https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/22/us/ada-disabilities-act-history.html http://www.ynpntwincities.org/_nothing_about_us_without_us_including_the_use_of_this_slogan

Inclusive Health Promotion and Programs When Universal Design meets Inclusion in the realm of health, Inclusive Health Promotion and Programs can emerge. For health promotion activities to be inclusive, they must occur in places that are readily accessible and usable. The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) has identified 5 key steps for inclusive health promotion:

1. Understand the Needs of People with Disabilities 2. Build Partnerships 3. Use Inclusive, Accessible Communication 4. Provide Accessible Places and Spaces 5. Adopt Practice and 5 Evidence-Based Strategies

The Special Olympics Center for Inclusive Health, which focuses on people with intellectual disabilities (ID), identifies two foundational principles of Inclusive Health: Equitable Access and Full Participation.

Equitable Access means ensuring that people have access to the services and resources necessary to achieve their full health potential.

Full Participation means that people with ID are fully and meaningfully included in health programs and services.

The four strategies to advance these principles are: 1. Welcoming Spaces: Ensuring your programs and physical spaces are accessible and welcoming to people with ID. 2. Communication: Ensuring your communications, including written and spoken language, materials, and interactions with the community are accessible to people with ID. 3. Awareness and Training: Understanding your community and training your staff on the barriers and challenges faced by people with ID, including on how to remove them. 4. Sustainable and Intentional Inclusion: Building intentional and sustainable inclusion by changing organizational culture to value and understand inclusion.

For more information about inclusive health promotion and programming, see: https://www.naccho.org/uploads/downloadable-resources/factsheet_inclusivehealthpromotion-FINAL- 06.30.17.pdf https://inclusivehealth.specialolympics.org/resources/tools/inclusive-health-principles-and-strategies

EQUALITY ≠ EQUITY

Equality is everyone has the same Equity is everyone has what they need