David Wu, president and CEO of Special Olympics Washington, discusses the new Alliance for Inclusive Health during a kickoff event for the alliance on Tuesday at T-Mobile Park.
Special Olympics Washington this week launched the Alliance for Inclusive Health, a new initiative designed to provide people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, or IDD, with greater access to inclusive health care in Washington.
Led by charter member Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, the Alliance for Inclusive Health will unite a statewide coalition of health and wellness organizations who are aligned with the vision of health equity for all, according to a news release from Seattle-based Special Olympics Washington and Tacoma-based VMFH.
The initiative invites health care organizations such as health care facilities, insurers, and home health leaders — as well as health-focused brands ranging from fitness tech to biotechnology — to join the health equity movement.
An estimated 170,000 people with IDD lived in Washington as of 2023, but many face elevated health risks and systemic inequities in addressing them due to stigma, exclusion, and inadequate access to qualified health care and support services. Those challenges have led to a 15-year difference between the expected life spans of the general population and people with IDD, the release said, citing Journal of the American Medical Association and Population Reference Bureau reports.
The alliance aims to bridge that gap with a multifaceted strategy that focuses on education for providers and accessibility for those living with IDD as the basis for meaningful change. The alliance will bring together diverse partner organizations to foster collaboration, elevate the importance of inclusive health practices, and increase access to health programs, the release said.
Virginia Mason Franciscan Health will kick off its support by hosting inclusive health trainings for its workforce and staffing health screenings for individuals with IDD. VMFH also will also lead alliance efforts on health equity, including engaging more partners to help close the knowledge gap in treating people with IDD.
Part of that work will include expanding an existing referral network — a resource built to help people with IDD find health care professionals trained in inclusive health practices. The free statewide service will drive dignity and inclusion and provide direct access to equitable health care, the release added.
Ketul J. Patel is CEO of Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and president of the Northwest region of VMFH’s parent organization, CommonSpirit Health. VMFH is a charter member of the Alliance for Inclusive Health.
Ketul J. Patel, CEO of Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and president of the Northwest region of VMFH’s parent organization, CommonSpirit Health, said VMFH is proud to partner with Special Olympics Washington to promote inclusion and champion equity.
“We encourage other organizations to join the Alliance for Inclusive Health and help us expand our impact,” Patel said in the release. “Together, we can make a significant difference.”
David Wu, president and CEO of Special Olympics Washington, added in a statement, “We are extremely grateful for Virginia Mason Franciscan Health’s leadership and are proud to welcome them as the first partner in our effort to build a world where individuals with IDD are supported by holistic health initiatives that ensure their dignity and well-being.”
