Insist on Health Equity for People with IDD 

Craig Escude, MD, FAAFP, FAADM
President, IntellectAbility

My mantra that drives what I do daily is “Everyone, with any level of disability, should be able to present to any physician’s office, hospital, or emergency department and receive, at minimum, a basic level of capable, competent, and compassionate healthcare.” To achieve this, we must train our clinicians to meet the needs of people with IDD. We must also empower support staff with the tools and training to identify and mitigate health risks before they become a crisis. We must advocate for proper preventive screenings and insist on healthcare needs being appropriately met when we are supporting someone with IDD. Not acting on these principles leads to increased suffering and preventable death. This is simply unacceptable. Take action to foster health equity now.