Expanding COVID-19 Vaccine Access for People with Disabilities
Overview
The UConn UCEDD received ACL/CDC supplemental funding to Expand COVID-19 Vaccine Access for People with Disabilities. The project will:
- Conduct a survey persons with disabilities and caregivers about their experiences receiving COVID-19 vaccines
- Assess the training needs of local health departments and local points of contact to administer COVID-19 vaccines and boosters to children, youth, and adults with disabilities in the community and at home
- Develop resources for vaccine site coordinators and personnel, vaccine providers, persons with disabilities, and families on accessibility and accommodations, vaccine uptake, fear of needles, and public health emergency preparedness
This resource library is intended for vaccine site coordinators and personnel, vaccine providers, health care providers, public health and emergency management personnel, individuals with disabilities, and families.
Topics:
Accessibility, Accommodations, and Best Practices at Vaccine Site
Title | Source | Details | Link |
Skills checklist for vaccine administration | Immunization Action Coalition (CDC’s COVID-19 vaccination training programs and reference materials for healthcare professionals) | Competency A: Patient/Parent Education
3. Answers questions and accommodates language or literacy barriers and special needs of patient/parents to help them feel comfortable and informed about procedure 6. Reviews comfort measures and aftercare instructions with patient/parents, invites questions Competency D: Administering immunizations 4. Positions patient and/or restrains child with parent’s help 11. Uses strategies to reduce anxiety and pain associated with injections
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Link.pdf |
Leveraging partnerships with disability organizations | National Association of County and City Health Officials | Program Description: The purpose of this training is to provide strategies to local health departments to leverage partnerships with local disability organizations to ensure programs within local public health meet the needs of people with disabilities. | Link |
- Administration for Community Living: Creating an accessible vaccine experience for people with disabilities and older adults.pdf
- National Center on Disability in Public Health: Improving access to COVID-19 vaccination and testing for people with disabilities
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: COVID-19 materials for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and care providers
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: COVID-19 information and resources: Toolkit for people with disabilities
- Minnesota Department of Health: How to hold your child during vaccination.pdf
- Confident Care for Kids: Tips for vaccination visits with less stress: Sensory supports, tools, and strategies in the exam room.pdf
Other tools
- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine: Supporting Children with Disabilities: Lessons from the Pandemic: Proceedings of a Workshop
- Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawai’i at Manoa: My vaccine appointment gameplan
- Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawai’i at Manoa: My vaccine appointment checklist
- National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS): Health care person-centered profile.pdf
- National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS): Health care person-centered profile instructions.pdf
- Confident Care for Kids: Visual schedule: Vax visits with less stress
- Confident Care for Kids: Make-a-plan intake questionnaire
Title | Source | Duration | Link |
Disability considerations for COVID-19 vaccination | World Health Organization | 1:54 | Link |
Getting the COVID-19 vaccine: 5 tips for helping children and adults with developmental disabilities | Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawai’i at Manoa | 3:39 | Link |
Improving the vaccination experience: Accessible vaccination for neurodiverse people at any age | Immunize.org & Autism Society of America | 58:20 | Link |
Get a COVID-19 shot | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | 1:17 | Link |
Getting a booster shot | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | 1:07 | Link |
- CDC: How I get my COVID-19 shot.pdf
- CDC: How I get my COVID-19 shot.pdf (interactive)
- CDC: How I get my COVID-19 booster shot.pdf
- CDC: How I get my COVID-19 booster shot.pdf (interactive)
- Confident Care for Kids: Social story
- National Center for Disability, Equity, and Intersectionality: Getting a COVID-19 vaccine.pdf (English)
- National Center for Disability, Equity, and Intersectionality: Reciber Una Vacuna.pdf (Spanish)
- National Center for Disability, Equity, and Intersectionality: Getting a COVID-19 vaccine.docx (screen reader)
- Disability Rights Connecticut: Accommodations for COVID-19 vaccine
- Minnesota Department of Health: COVID-19 vaccine for youths with special health needs or disabilities.pdf
- Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment: Tips for people with disabilities to prepare for getting the COVID-19 vaccine
- UConn Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities: A communication aid for emergency personnel: Supporting people with unique access or functional needs (including disabilities).pdf
- University of New Mexico Center for Development and Disability: Tip sheets for first responders, 5th edition
- Washington State Department of Health: COVID-19 communication card.pdf
- Washington State Department of Health: Tips for using communication card.pdf
- Minnesota Department of Health: Disability etiquette: Considerations when working with people with disabilities.pdf
- Yale New Haven Health: Communication card: Tips for provider.pdf
- Department of Public Health, Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Show me: A communication tool for emergency shelters
- Administration for Community Living: Emergency information: Communication disability.pdf
Vaccine Uptake
Title | Source | Curriculum details | Link |
MI 101: Motivational interviewing for vaccine hesitancy | AUCD Prepared4ALL | Lesson 1: Defining motivational interviewing
Lesson 2: The spirit of motivational interviewing Lesson 3: The OARS of motivational interviewing Lesson 4: Adapting MI for people with disabilities Lesson 5: Motivational Interviewing in action—addressing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy Lesson 6: Conclusion |
Link |
The challenge of vaccine hesitancy in the COVID pandemic | Public Health Training Center Region 2 | Learning Objectives
Describe the continuum of vaccine acceptance and hesitancy Identify the concerns that underlie hesitancy toward vaccination in general and COVID vaccination in particular Critique different approaches for achieving high uptake of COVID vaccines |
Link |
Making the vaccine process accessible: Understanding legal rights and reducing trauma in Montana | Project ALIVE (Accessible life-saving integrated vaccine equity) | Objectives
Some of the legal rights of disabled people during the vaccination process The Vaccine Site Checklist Ways to reduce trauma for disabled vaccine recipients |
Link |
Navigating vaccine hesitancy for Montana Centers for Independent Living | Project ALIVE (Accessible life-saving integrated vaccine equity) | Objectives
Understand some causes of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and how to respond Identify barriers to accessing COVID-19 vaccines (primary series and booster) and know how to respond |
Link |
- Association of State and National Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO): Reducing vaccine hesitancy for people living with disabilities.pdf
- Association of State and National Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO): Strategies for vaccinating people who are homebased.pdf
- National Center on Disability in Public Health: COVID-19 vaccine text and graphic resources for vaccine confidence
- WE CAN DO THIS: Talking points for pediatricians/family physicians
- The Association for Successful Parenting: Preparing your child for the COVID-19 vaccine.pdf
Title | Source | Duration | Link |
NACCHO & BARHII COVID-19 webinar series: Equity in COVID-19 public health vaccination efforts | National Association of County and City Health Officials | 1:34:32 | Link |
Breaking barriers to help people living with disabilities get vaccinated: Accessibility and COVID-19 | Association of State and Territorial Health Officials | 2:42 | Link |
Breaking barriers to help people living with disabilities get vaccinated: Accessible testing and vaccination sites | Association of State and Territorial Health Officials | 3:52 | Link |
Breaking barriers to help people living with disabilities get vaccinated: Vaccines for people who are homebased | Association of State and Territorial Health Officials | 3:01 | Link |
Breaking barriers to help people living with disabilities get vaccinated: Website accessibility | Association of State and Territorial Health Officials | 2:58 | Link |
Breaking barriers to help people living with disabilities get vaccinated: Partnerships with disability organizations | Association of State and Territorial Health Officials | 2:52 | Link |
Breaking barriers to help people living with disabilities get vaccinated: Partnerships and vaccine confidence | Association of State and Territorial Health Officials | 3:32 | Link |
I got my COVID-19 vaccine. Get your COVID-19 vaccine | Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation, Georgia Tech | 0:58 | Link |
Video vaccine stories from the disability community | National Center on Disability and Public Health | Multiple | Link |
Getting my child vaccinated against COVID-19 video series: Should I get my child vaccinated against COVID-19? | Association for Successful Parenting | 4:42 | Link |
Getting my child vaccinated against COVID-19 video series: Where and how to get the COVID-19 vaccine for your child | Association for Successful Parenting | 4:15 | Link |
Ask a doctor: What would you tell parents who are hesitant to vaccinate their children against COVID? | WE CAN DO THIS | 0:55 | Link |
Ask a doctor: What would you say to parents who don’t think COVID is a threat to kids? | WE CAN DO THIS | 0:49 | Link |
Do you like unicorns? | Healthychildren.org from the American Academy of Pediatrics | 0:29 | Link |
Deciding on the COVID-19 vaccine | Healthychildren.org from the American Academy of Pediatrics | 1:33 | Link |
The COVID-19 vaccine helps communities | Healthcyhildren.org from the American Academy of Pediatrics | 2:26 | Link |
#HowIRecommend Vaccination video series | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | Multiple | Link |
Fact Sheets, Tip Sheets and Toolkits
- AUCD Prepared4ALL: Fear of needles & the COVID-19 vaccine: A guide for people with disabilities
- AUCD Prepared4ALL: Fear of needles & the COVID-19 vaccine: A guide for caregivers
- WE CAN DO THIS: Making vaccine shots less stressful and painful for your child
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: COVID-19 information and resources: Toolkit for people with disabilities: Easy to read: Needle phobia
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: COVID-19 information and resources: Toolkit for people with disabilities: Healthcare providers: Understanding needle fears and phobia
- Confident Care for Kids: Make-a-plan intake questionnaire
Multimedia
Title | Source | Duration | Link |
Getting my child vaccinated against COVID-19 video series: Preparing your child for the COVID-19 vaccine: How to make the visit less stressful | Association for Successful Parenting | 5:09 | Link |
Modules
Title | Source | Details | Link |
Access and functional needs web-based training | Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | Define access and functional needs.
Explain why addressing access and functional needs during disaster preparedness, response, and recovery is important.
List the different types of at-risk populations with access and functional needs.
Identify federal guidance, legal requirements, and executive orders that reinforce this work.
Identify and explain the categories of the CMIST Framework.
Explain and provide examples of how to operationalize the CMIST Framework to address the access and functional needs of at-risk individuals.
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Link |
Addressing the needs of older adults in disasters | Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | Describe older adults’ diversity and various community supports that impact care considerations in a disaster.
Describe common conditions and challenges that increase older adults’ vulnerability in a disaster.
Identify promising practices for assessing and addressing the needs of older adults in a disaster.
Identify optimal response strategies for older adults in common disaster situations.
Understand how to apply lessons learned from real-world examples of addressing the needs of older adults in disasters.
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Link |
HHS emPOWER program: empowering communities, saving lives | Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services | Explain the purpose for the HHS emPOWER Program.
Identify the difference between each of the HHS emPOWER Program tools.
Access and use the HHS emPOWER Map and REST Service.
Explain how to access and use the HHS emPOWER Emergency Planning De-identified Dataset.
Describe how a Public Health Authority can use the HHS emPOWER Emergency Response Outreach Individual Dataset.
Explain how the HHS emPOWER Program is used in real world emergencies.
Integrate HHS emPOWER Program tools into emergency preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation activities.
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Link |
Rapid response team training: Preventing discrimination against people with disabilities during a public health emergency | University of Miami Mailman Center for Child Development, University of Miami Health System, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine | Preventing discrimination against people with disabilities during a public health emergency.
Healthcare challenges facing patients with disabilities.
Laws and guidance for the protection of patients with disabilities.
Objective decision-making and protocols.
Maintaining effective communication and accommodations.
Training completion and resources.
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Link |
Prepared4ALL: Whole Community Inclusive Planning | AUCD Prepared4ALL | Welcome to Disasterville-The Prepared4ALL process and COVID-19 testing.
The Prepared4ALL process in action.
The effects of disasters and COVID-19 on people with disabilities.
The American Emergency Planning System & taking action.
Disability demographics, community living, communication and accessible meetings.
Americans with Disabilities Act rights in emergencies and pandemics.
Whole community emergency planning
The active planning process and how to hold community stakeholder meetings.
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Link |
Training for Local Health Departments: Health and Disability 101 | National Association of County and City Health Officials | Name three major types of disability.
Describe three major health disparities experienced by the population of people with disabilities.
Provide three examples of accessible features among health department programs and services.
Explain three benefits to including people with disabilities in health department programs, products and services.
Describe one way that this educational activity will improve my contribution as a team member.
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Link |
Introduction to Public Health Preparedness Law | National Association of County and City Health Officials | The purpose of this course is to provide learners with an introduction and baseline knowledge of Public Health Law in the context of Emergency Preparedness.
Train learners to incorporate law into emergency preparedness planning and response.
Prepare learners to respond to changes in the legal environment during declared emergencies that impact the public’s health.
Provide learners with an understanding of potential legal powers and duties during declared emergencies.
Identify potential legal risks and responsibilities during declared emergencies.
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Link |
Disability training for first responders: Serving people with disabilities | Ohio Disability and Health Program | Module 1: introduction/general disability information
Module 2: blind/visual impairments and service animals Module 3: communication barriers Module 4: cognitive impairments Module 5: mobility impairments |
Link |
Functional and Access Needs: Preparedness and Recovery Issues | Texas A&M University | Learning Objectives:
identify the demographic characteristics of people with disabilities and/or functional or access needs;
summarize the legal mandates and statutes that protect the rights of this population during disasters;
increase your knowledge of the differential effects of disasters on this population;
describe considerations in providing equitable health services; and
develop strategies for building collaborative partnerships with the disability community that will facilitate effective response in a disaster. |
Link |
Emergency Preparedness for Children with Special Health Care Needs | Learning Objectives
Utilize the Emergency Information Form, endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Emergency Physicians.
Describe the role of the EIF in emergency/disaster preparedness.
Identify electrical power failure back-up strategies. |
Link | |
Disaster Health Core Curriculum: Competency 8: Public health principles | National Center for Disaster Medicine & Public Health | Learning Objectives
Discuss public health consequences frequently seen in disasters and public health emergencies.
Identify all ages and populations with access and functional needs who may be more vulnerable to adverse health effects in a disaster or public health emergency. Identify strategies to address access and functional needs to mitigate adverse health effects of disasters and public health emergencies.
Describe common public health interventions to protect the health of all ages and populations affected by a disaster or public health emergency. |
Link |
Health literacy response to COVID-19 | New England Public Health Training Center | Learning Objectives
Describe how limited health literacy adversely affects access to accurate and reliable health information during the COVID-19 pandemic
Apply health literacy and plain language principles to improve communication regarding COVID-19 and what to do about it
Identify resources and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic available for use to meet the health literacy, language and culture needs of diverse communities |
Link |
Cultural competency for community management of special needs patients in disaster | Tulane University | Learning Objectives
Describe current risks and consequences in community disaster management in the context of the need for more expansive and competent provider and governmental skills in engaging all population components
Identify and analyze current shortfalls in Hispanic and Vietnamese community preventive medicine practice, primary care and public health interventions with specific recommendations for improved doctrine and practice
Explain existing and evolving challenges in disaster planning and preparation facing modern multi ethnic communities |
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