Guidelines, making various health settings accessible to people with disabilities 

The Disability and Health Team routinely provides support for developing  guidelines for making health venues, events and facilities accessible to people with disabilities. 

(DISCLAIMER: Views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of CDC, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), or the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS).)

Accessible is a term that describes the usability of a product or service by people with disabilities.  Universal design is a method of designing products and environments that everyone can use regardless of body dimension, age, or disability status. Employing universal design from the onset prevents the need to retrofit environments and in most cases eases confined spaces and makes objects easier to interact with for everyone. This type of design and construct requires some consideration. For guidelines on universal design, please visit the Center for Universal Design.

Guidelines for Improving Access to Health Care Facilities and Providers

• Removing Barriers to Health Care: A Guide for Health Professionals (and Health Facilities) (1998) 

• Guidelines for the Use of Assistive Technology: Evaluation, Referral, Prescription. (1996) Physician Training on Assistive Technology.  For copies call 312/464-5085.

• A Provider's Guide for the Care of Women with Physical Disabilities and Chronic Medical Conditions (1999) [pdf, html]

• Women with Disabilities: Access to Health Care

• Access to Health Care by Women with Disabilities

• Breast Health, Access for Women with Disabilities

Guidelines for Improving Access to Recreation and Fitness Facilities

• Recreation A Great Way to Be Active: A Guide to Getting Started.  For people with Disabilities.

• Removing Barriers to Health Clubs and Fitness Facilities. (1999)

• Access Board ADA Guidelines for Recreation Facilities. (2000)

• Access Board Guidelines on Play Areas (2000)

Guidelines for Improving Access to Health Communication Venues

• Web Accessibility Guidelines

  • Section 508 

  • Usablenet.com   

  • World Wide Web Consortium Web Accessibility Guidelines

  • Bobby accessibility validator tool  

  • Designing More Usable Websites Trace Center

• Removing Barriers: Tips and Strategies to Promote Accessible Communication (1999)

• Color Contrast Guidelines

Guidelines for Improving Access to Health Conferences and Informational Meetings

• U.S. Department of Education: Policy Statement on Meeting Accessibility for Individuals with Disabilities

• Arranging Accessible Meeting The fundamental issues to consider when arranging a meeting that allows for the attendance and participation of people with disabilities can be divided into two major categories: 1) The physical accessibility issues related to the hotel, meeting facilities and the location of the meeting; and 2) The accessibility of information that is presented and disseminated at the meeting.  This webpage shares information on how to make your meeting more accessible.

• Making Meetings Accessible  Captioning technology was developed specifically to make television accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing people. There has been widespread interest in using this technology to provide similar access to meetings, classroom teaching, and conferences. Deaf and hard-of-hearing organizations around the country are experimenting with different methods to achieve this.  This article shares information about how to make your meeting more accessible to the people with hearing impairments.

• Planning Accessible Meetings: Part III - Making Your Presentations and Materials Accessible  AXIS Center for Public Awareness of People with Disabilities is an organization in Ohio.  This webpage is a part of a series of articles.  This article focuses on how to set up meeting rooms to accommodate everyone, prepare speakers to present information in a way that everyone can understand, and ensure all conference materials are offered in alternate formats.

• See Through Barriers: Making Conferences & Events Accessible to People Who Are Blind  The Canadian Abilities Foundation focus on meeting access for people who are are blind or visually impaired. Topics covered include meeting announcements, facilities, registration, starting the event, chairing the event, presenters, luncheons and receptions, and exhibits and displays.

Guidelines for Emergency Evacuation Preparedness

• "Emergency Evacuation Preparedness: Taking Responsibility for Your Safety; A Guide for People with Disabilities and Other Activity Limitations" is available in pdf, html and Microsoft Word formats at: http://www.cdihp.org/evacuationpdf.htm
  
  For more information, contact:
  June Isaacson Kailes, Disability Policy Consultant
  310-821-7080 or fax 310-827-0269
  jik@pacbell.net or go to http://www.jik.com

• Several Emergency Evacuation Preparedness Resources are available at: http://www.disastersrus.org/MyDisasters/disability/disability_preparedness.htm

• The National Organization on Disability (N.O.D.) launched the Emergency Preparedness Initiative (EPI) to ensure that emergency managers address disability concerns and that people with disabilities are included in the emergency planning process. More information is available at:
  http://www.nod.org/emergency/index.cfm

This page was last updated October 01, 2004

CDC Home | Search | Health Topics A-Z
Accessibility | Privacy Policy Notice
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities

The National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) promotes the health of babies, children, and adults, and enhances the potential for full, productive living.  Our work includes identifying the causes of birth defects and developmental disabilities, helping children to develop and reach their full potential, and promoting health and well-being among people of all ages with disabilities.