D.C. Health Resources Partnership

The goal of the D.C. Health Resources Partnership is to expand the community health care capacity to provide health and mental health services that are accessible to individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities, and to implement strategies to promote quality health outcomes for this population. The D.C. Health Resources Partnership conducts an array of activities to fulfill this goal including (1) recruiting and maintaining a resource pool of health care providers; (2) providing enhanced knowledge and understanding to individuals, families and health professionals of the unique health issues experienced by people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities; and (3) providing improved coordination of health care for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and improved consistency in the delivery of health care through the identification and promotion of best health care practices.

The Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development (GUCCHD) is the federally designated University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) for the District of Columbia. It is housed within the Department of Pediatrics of the Georgetown University Medical Center. The following partners are collaborating with the GUCCHD-UCEDD in this effort:

• Georgetown University Department of Family Medicine
• D.C. Primary Care Association
• Project Action
• The Arc of D.C.
• The Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities
• The D.C. Coalition of Service Providers
  

The Health Resources Partnership addresses five of the six goals outlined in the 2001 U.S. Surgeon General’s report Closing the Gap: A National Blueprint for Improving the Health of Individuals with Mental Retardation.

• Integrate health promotion and community environments
• Increase knowledge and understanding about the needs of individuals with mental retardation
• Improve the quality of health care
• Train health care providers
• Increase the sources of health care.
  

Some of the project activities include:

• Web-based database of health service providers and other health education and professional education developed for use by people with disabilities and their support providers and health professionals. The web site includes a virtual library that links readers to current clinical guidelines for the treatment of acute and chronic medical problems, posts links to articles on a range of issues pertinent to the health care of individuals with intellectual and other disabilities, and provides information about up-coming trainings and Web-based educational sessions.
• Health Care Navigator provides health promotion and education to individuals with disabilities and their support providers and assists in identifying primary care providers, specialists and other health service providers to assess barriers, problem solve and increase health care access for individuals with intellectual and other disabilities
• Training and technical assistance for community service agency staff, Developmental Disability Administration service coordinators and other staff, and community health care providers. Technical assistance can be provided on an individual basis or to assist in problem-solving at an agency level.
• Practice Model Design. Individual preference and evidence based practices will be used to design and pilot primary and specialty practice models such as the physician-extender model that is being used to assess the effectiveness of a medical home model of primary care service delivery.
  

The D.C. HRP has an interdisciplinary team available to provide training and technical assistance that includes nursing, medicine, psychology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and social work.

To request technical assistance, training or other information contact:

D.C. Health Resources Partnership
dchrp@georgetown.edu
202-687-8544

Marisa C. Brown, Project Director
brownm4@georgetown.edu
202-687-8907
or
Antonia Brathwaite Fisher, Associate Project Director
atb5@georgetown.edu
202-687-6435