Partner News
Why this work matters
Across the public health landscape, conversations about equity often overlook a critical truth: race, gender, and disability do not exist in isolation. For Women of Color with I/DD these identities intersect in ways that profoundly shape their healthcare experiences. They encounter systems that were not built with them in mind, systems that too often make decisions about them rather than with them, and are rooted in deep historical harm to Women of Color with I/DD.
Women of Color with I/DD experience some of the most significant healthcare inequities in the United States. They face barriers to care, high rates of misdiagnosis or dismissal, and environments that often fail to honor their autonomy and humanity. Providers who engage in Disability Justice-centered training can help change this narrative. Centering those most marginalized increases the quality of care for all.
Developed With, Not For: A New Model of Collaboration
At the heart of this project is the Design Council, a group of Women of Color with I/DD from across the country who met regularly and shaped every element of the trainings and resources created. Their lived experiences, expertise, and insights informed the design from start to finish. The collaboration prioritized shared power, accessibility, and cultural relevance. This process led to eLearning and live training materials, case studies, and recommendations that reflect real needs and real possibilities for transformation.
This co-creative model underscores a fundamental Disability Justice Principle: people with disabilities are not just beneficiaries of services; they are leaders, experts, and essential architects of the solutions meant to serve their communities. When we center the leadership and lived experience of people who are most impacted, we create systems that serve everyone equitably, across diverse access needs and identities.
Cardea is honored and grateful to have this opportunity to work in partnership with the Design Council. We are also grateful to the WITH Foundation for their generous funding that made this work possible.
Inside the Training: A Learning Experience for All Healthcare Providers
The four-module eLearning course and live session were designed for anyone working within healthcare systems, regardless of titles or roles. The goal is to build practical skills that providers, including doctors, nurses, medical assistants, nurse practitioners, healthcare administrators and support staff, can use immediately in their daily work.
The training is highly interactive and grounded in real-world applications. Participants move beyond concepts and explore what Disability Justice looks like in everyday care interactions.
Cultivating Equity and Clinical Skills Through Interactive Engagement
This training series blends interactive eLearning modules and a live session to foster engagement, self-reflection, discussion, and strengthens critical skills necessary for providing equitable and patient-centered care.
- From Reflection to Structural Change: Through reflective practice, participants examine personal biases and systemic barriers (racism, ableism, gender bias). This internal work builds the skill of Applying Disability Justice, enabling providers to move beyond awareness and actively transform clinical structures and patient interactions into more equitable processes.
- From Dialogue to Patient Agency: Live dialogue and peer discussion allow participants to navigate the complexities of intersectionality in healthcare and develop a shared professional language. This collaborative engagement builds the skill of centering patient autonomy and agency, as providers learn to adapt their communication styles to meet the specific cultural, individual, and access needs of each patient.
- From Lived-Experience Cases to Clinical Partnership: Case studies co-developed with the Design Council focus on Women of Color with I/DD, forcing a shift from theoretical empathy to practical application. By analyzing these real-world scenarios, participants are able to integrate shared decision-making, learning to replace paternalistic models with specific tools that honor patient decision making and secure their right to informed, autonomous health choices and dignified care.
Ultimately, Disability Justice in healthcare is about building a system where everyone can access compassionate, respectful, dignified, and equitable care.
A Path Forward
This training represents a growing movement in public health, one that acknowledges the leadership of Women of Color with I/DD and recognizes that expertise comes in many forms. It invites healthcare providers to rethink traditional power dynamics and commit to practices that value autonomy, dignity, and community wisdom.
As healthcare systems strive to become more inclusive, this training offers a meaningful place to begin.
If your team or organization is ready to bring Disability Justice into daily practice, consider participating in this training. Together, we can build healthcare environments where every person is valued and supported.
Resource Package Information
Cardea is excited to share a suite of tools designed to support patient self-advocacy and strengthen providers’ capacity to deliver inclusive, person-centered care for Women of Color with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD). The self-advocacy tools can be used by anyone who would benefit from additional support in preparing for and navigating healthcare decisions, connecting with other self-advocates, and more. This package was created in partnership with a national design council of Women of Color with I/DD and includes:
- Patient-facing resource package with eight tools to support self-advocacy in clinical settings
- eLearning course for providers with resource companion guide
- Scripted training slides for organizations to conduct internal trainings, including participant note-catcher companion guide (Cardea is also happy to support with training)
- Two supplemental resources for healthcare providers
These training materials are intended for all healthcare providers, across roles and settings, who are committed to advancing Disability Justice in public health.