In June 2024, a National Goals Conference on Health Equity working meeting was held in Louisville, KY to summarize the current state of knowledge in broad areas that contribute to the health and health outcomes of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and to identify a platform of national goals, organized by 9 strands (focus areas), in research, practice, and policy.
An expected outcome of the event is the development of products for a variety of audiences with the overarching goal of promoting high quality research and evidence-based policies and practices designed to improve the health and health outcomes of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities over the next 10 years.
Products
Issue Briefs, describing the most important issues identified by each strand, found below. Each issue brief includes a plain language summary. This resource is designed to be useful to advocates seeking to clarify the most pressing issues with policy makers and others. Issue Briefs are available now.
Journal Articles in the October 2025 special issue of Inclusion will provide the evidence base for the the goals. This resource will be useful to students and researchers.
Book. Critical Issues in Health for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (fall 2025) provides a concise review of what we know in nine key areas in health care and health outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and how that information could inform future developments in public policy, research, and practice. This resource is useful to policymakers, healthcare providers, teachers, researchers, students, and others who desire a overview of what we know. The book will be available for purchase in the AAIDD bookstore.
The Partners
The meeting was organized by the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD), with the support of the WITH Foundation and a national planning committee.