Taking care of one’s health and well-being is important for individuals of all ages and abilities.
These resources include information, tips, toolkits, and guides pertaining to health insurance, healthcare records, health services, relationships, and safety.
Use the links below to learn more about nutrition, recreation, safety and other resources available for individuals with disabilities.
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. Find more health-related information on the website.
Emergency Preparedness for Children with Special Needs
Preparing for an emergency is difficult for any parent, and as a parent caring for a child with special needs, you have extra things to think about. Use this document to help you reflect on your child’s needs and be prepared in the event of an emergency.
National Center on Health, Physical Activity, and Disability (NCHPAD)
The National Center on Health, Physical Activity, and Disability (NCHPAD) seeks to help people with disabilities and other chronic health conditions achieve health benefits through increased participation in all types of physical and social activities, including fitness and aquatic activities, recreational and sports programs, adaptive equipment usage, and more. You can either browse the programs by name, state or country, or you can search by a specific zip code and list only the programs closest to you.
National Disability Navigator Resource Collaborative
The mission of the National Disability Navigator Resource Collaborative (NDNRC) is to provide cross-disability information and support to Navigators and other enrollment specialists, thereby ensuring people with disabilities receive accurate information when selecting and enrolling in insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplaces.
Romantic Relationships for Young Adults with Asperger’s Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism
This resource explains love and affection, special interests, and how to improve relationship skills among adolescents who would like a romantic relationship.
Safety Education Resources
This link provides free safety alerts, guides, brochures, handbooks and other materials which you can use to help spread consumer product safety information in your community.
Self-Care Resource Guide
This resource guide shares information about wellness, finding balance in life, and stress management. It also provides strategies to avoid burn-out and maintain physical and mental health.
These resources include information, tips, toolkits and guides about creating, compiling and storing healthcare records.
Kennedy Krieger Institute Portable Health Profile Tool Template
At Kennedy Krieger, we emphasize the importance of creating a Portable Health Profile Tool—a personal health document containing important and current health information, such as your personal health history, emergency contact information, and information on insurance, medical conditions, allergies and medications. The Portable Health Profile Tool can help you take a more active role in your healthcare—you will maintain the tool yourself—and it will keep all of your critical health-related information in one place. For more information about the Portable Health Profile Tool, or if you need help starting one, contact the Kennedy Krieger Resource Finder at ResourceFinder.KennedyKrieger.org or 800-390-3372.
Kennedy Krieger Institute Portable Health Profile Tool Template (Arabic)
Kennedy Krieger Institute Portable Health Profile Tool Template (Spanish)
Healthcare.gov
This is a resource for finding insurance options, getting help using insurance, the healthcare law as it relates to you, comparing care providers, and prevention and wellness.
HealthFinder
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides frequently asked questions and answers regarding personal health records, the HIPAA Privacy Rule, and more.
Maryland Access Point (MAP)
Use this resource to explore healthcare options, search for resources and services in your area, and plan for future needs by accessing tools and guidance from Maryland Access Point.
Maryland Office for Genetics and People with Special Health Care Needs
My Health Care Notebook
My Health Care Notebook (Spanish)
Parents and caregivers play a central role in child’s care, and medical professionals rely on them to provide information about concerns and a child’s progress. It is helpful to have all information organized in one place to find it easily. My Health Care Notebook has been designed by Office for Genetics and People with Special Healthcare Needs for parents and caregivers of a child with special health care needs.
The National Center for Medical Home Implementation
The National Center for Medical Home Implementation is a cooperative agreement between the Maternal and Child Health Bureau and the American Academy of Pediatrics. This page includes tools, resources, and links to information that will assist families in successfully partnering with their child’s medical home to include a tool on building your care notebook.
National Disability Navigator Resource Collaborative
The mission of the National Disability Navigator Resource Collaborative (NDNRC) is to provide cross-disability information and support to Navigators and other enrollment specialists, thereby ensuring people with disabilities receive accurate information when selecting and enrolling in insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplaces.
Sample Health Record
This resource provides a list of information that is kept in an Internet-based personal health record.
Special Care Organizational Record for ADULTS with Special Healthcare Needs
The Special Care Organization Record for Adults is an organizing tool for families with an adult member with special healthcare needs. It is intended to help track and organize information in one central location and to make it easier for someone to care for your family member when you are unable to do so. Download the toolkit here.
Special Care Organizational Record for CHILDREN with Special Healthcare Needs
This toolkit is designed as an organizational tool to help you track and organize your child’s information to make it easier for someone to care for your child in your absence. Use the toolkit to capture important insurance information, emergency plans, and medical and educational information. Download the toolkit here.
Use the links below to learn for resources regarding sexual health and the developmental disability community.
Advocates for Youth
Sexual health education for young people with disabilities – Research and resources for educators.
AMAZE
At AMAZE, you will find videos for young people, lesson plans, answers to some of 10- to 14-year-olds’ most common questions regarding puberty and sex education.nbsp;
Answer: Sex Ed, Honestly
Answer is a national organization that provides and promotes unfettered access to comprehensive sexuality education for young people and the adults who teach them.
Children and Families Forum: Sex Ed for Young Adults With I/DD
Unfortunately, for some individuals, specifically those with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD), they do not receive the sexual health/sexuality education needed to make safe choices both in regard to sex and their bodies in general.
Circles
Circles Intimacy & Relationships 1 – teach students how to recognize social boundaries and avoid exploitation with the all-new edition of Circles Intimacy & Relationships – Level 1.
Disability Rights and Sexual Health
Sexual and reproductive health are important parts of overall health; however, people with disabilities are not always given the resources they need to achieve it.
Elevatus Training
As national leaders in the field of sexuality and intellectual and developmental disability we offer evidence and trauma informed curriculum, online training, in-services and workshops to help professionals, educators, self-advocates and parents skillfully and confidently navigate the topic of sexuality.
FLASH Sexual Health Education Curriculum
FLASH is a widely-used sexual health education curriculum developed by Public Health – Seattle & King County and designed to prevent teen pregnancy, STDs, and sexual violence. FLASH is available for elementary, middle, high school and special education classrooms.
Impact of COVID-19 on Relationships in the Disability Community: Facts and Resources
An article by MCDD trainees Tracy Hincke and Keighly Little
Kennedy Krieger Institute: Sexuality and Adults with Developmental Disabilities
The topic of sexuality is one that’s a challenge for many people to talk about. The challenge is compounded when individuals have specialized learning needs.
Our Sexuality, Our Health: A Disabled Advocate's Guide to Relationships, Romance, Sexuality and Sexual Health
This guide will highlight positive notions, generate creative thinking, and debunk some common misguided perceptions.
Reproductive Health Care for Women with Disabilities
An AUCD presentation regarding reproductive health care for women with disabilities.
RespectAbility
In collaboration with educator Terri Couwenhoven, RespectAbility has released a lengthy guide featuring resources for sexual education for children, teenagers and adults with disabilities, with a focus on those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Sexual Health Equity for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Oregon Health & Science University provides resources for sexual health for individuals with I/DD.
Sexuality After Spinal Cord Injury
Intended for mature audiences, this video series provides information on sex, love and intimacy after spinal cord injury.
Sexuality and Down Syndrome
An FAQ on sexuality and Down syndrome from the National Down Syndrome Society.
Sexuality and Relationship Education: A Professional's Guide to Understanding, Preventing Issue, Supporting Sexuality and Responding to Inappropriate Behaviours
Author Davida Hartman is a child psychologist and the clinical director and co-founder of The Children’s Clinic in Dublin, Ireland. Hartman is the author of a number of books which aim to support children and teenagers on the autism spectrum to reach their potential and live happy and fulfilled lives.
Sexuality Education for Students with Disabilities
The Center for Parent Information and Resources provides a resource page addressing the development of sexuality.
SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change
This website provides up-to-date information so that providers can teach the truth in sexual education.
Special Bridge
Special Bridge is a private dating site and online social community designed to help meet the social and emotional needs of its members. Through a supportive and friendly environment, people of all ability levels can make new friends in a fun, private and welcoming setting. Whether you want to find a romantic relationship or a simple lasting friendship, Special Bridge can help its members find their perfect matches.
Terri Couwenhoven, MS, CSE
Terri Couwenhoven, MS, CSE is a well-known sex educator and author, specializing in the design and implementation of sexuality programs and resources for people with cognitive disabilities, their parents, and the professionals who support them.
Tom and Ellie, a Series of Books on Sexuality and Safety, by Kate E. Reynolds
Kate E. Reynolds is a nurse specializing in sexual health and an author who has written related to autism since 2014.
What to Consider Before Having Sex in a Pandemic
An article discussions sexuality during COVID-19.
Sexual Health Webinar Recording - Kennedy Krieger Institute
A panel of faculty and staff members from Kennedy Krieger Institute including clinicians, educators, researchers, and self-advocates explain how they work across disciplines to address sexual health education with patients, students, and families in a variety of settings at the Institute. The panelists discuss best practices which result in breaking down stigma, fear, and barriers in order to provide care to people who so often are left out of the conversation when it comes to sexual health and well-being.