Dr. Morris and DEC Leaders are honored to have had the opportunity to help inform GAO's report on barriers to healthcare accessibility, disability data collection, and federal oversight. DEC is ready to work with our partners and HHS to implement GAO's recommendations. www.gao.gov/products/gao...

The National Council on Disability is requesting public input to help shape a policy brief on disability clinical care and competency training. Share your perspective by January 6, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST.

Share your input here:
www.ncd.gov/2025/12/01/d...

Happy New Year! The DEC Team is excited for a 2026 full of collaboration, learning, and working with our community to improve the accessibility of healthcare✨

Do you want to learn more about the foundation of accessible healthcare? Our fact sheet provides guidance on how to make medical offices accessible, disability etiquette, tips for effective communication, and more: https://adata.org/factsheet/accessible-health-care #ADA #Healthcare #Accessibility

💡When communicating with patients with communication disabilities, always start by asking if they have a preferred communication strategy—they know their needs best. Here are a few verbal communication strategies included in DEC's Implementation Guide providers can use when speaking to patients:

Do I have a disability as defined by the ADA? This is answered in "Definitions of a Disability," an ADANN resource! Learn more here: https://adata.org/factsheet/ada-definitions #Disability #PwD #ADA

DEC’s Research, Documentation, and Standards & Guidelines workgroup meetings will restart in 2026! Click here to learn more about our workgroups and complete the interest form to sign up: www.disabilityequitycollaborative.org/workgroups/

In 2026, DEC will release “Accessible Healthcare for People with Disabilities: An Implementation Guide for Healthcare Organizations”. Here are a few of the sample questions included in our Documentation chapter to collect patients' disability status and accommodation needs:

Disability accessibility is more than just the right thing to do—it's the law. Establishing an accessibility program at your healthcare organization can:
❤️‍🩹Reduce health disparities for patients with disabilities
👍Improve patient satisfaction
🔻Reduce workplace injuries
💵Save money

Disability “means you can’t do things,” says Dennis Meade, 86, of Michigan. “As long as you can work with it and it’s not affecting your life that much, you don’t consider yourself disabled.” https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/older-people-disability-ada-michigan/

📢 Do you work on disability accessibility initiatives in a healthcare setting? Consider joining DEC’s Leaders workgroup to share ideas, solve problems, and connect with peers at over 50 health systems across the country: www.disabilityequitycollaborative.org/workgroups/practice-workgroup/

We're back! The DEC team has been busy working behind the scenes to transition to our new home at NYU. Read our latest What’s on DEC newsletter below for all the updates: www.disabilityequitycollaborative.org/whats-on-dec...

Hi Bluesky! We’re the Disability Equity Collaborative – the nation’s leading organization developing practical solutions to improve disability access in healthcare through research and collaboration. Check out our website to learn more: www.disabilityequitycollaborative.org