Healthy Communities

HEALTHY COMMUNITIES • GRANTS WEBINARS • FOLLOW-UP CARE • WELLNESS PROGRAMS • ATHLETE LEADERSHIP • PARTNERS

Interested in learning more about Healthy Communities? Contact Onolee Stephan, Director of Healthy Communities at ostephan@specialolympics.org.

Access materials designed to give users an overview of Healthy Communities and year-round health programming. Learn how Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® events and Healthy Communities programming are closely-linked and complementary for maximum impact on the health and well-being of athletes.

• Grant Application System User Guide: Programs new to our Health grants system, SmartSimple, should refer to this guide when creating an account and working on applications and budgets.
• Monthly Update Survey for Non-US Programs: For Programs outside the United States receiving a Health Impact/Healthy Communities grant.
• Monthly Update Survey for United States Programs: For US Programs completing a Tier 1, 2, or 3 Health Impact Grant.
• Tracking Tool for Single Health Evaluation (XLSX): Programs may use this tool to record their data prior to submitting in in Qualtrics.
• Single Health Evaluation Walk Through (video): for non-US Programs.
• Healthy Athlete Reporting in the Single Health Evaluation Instructions (DOCX): If you are a Program who needs to enter Healthy Athletes data only in the SHE, but you have not received a Health Impact Grant, please follow these instructions.
• Criteria (PDF): Healthy Communities Criteria Descriptions for Program Recognition.
• One-Pager (PDF): Healthy Communities one-pager.
• Golisano Health Leadership Awards:
  
  • Overview: Golisano Health Leadership Awards 2023 (PDF)
  • Golisano Award Nomination Packet (DOCX)
  • Submit your Local Award names
  • Submit your Global Award nomination
• Special Olympics Annual Health Report (PDF): The report lists Special Olympics Health activities from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018.
• Health Strategy Infographic (JPG): Review this one-pager that shares a big-picture view of the Special Olympics health strategy for the next five years.
• Health and Intellectual Disability (PDF): This one-pager focuses on health and intellectual disability research.
• Low-cost Innovative Practices (DOCX): Information on low-cost, innovative ways of incorporating health into your programming.
• Video from Chairman Tim Shriver (MP4): Access this four-minute video in which Tim Shriver outlines the need for Special Olympics to focus on building Healthy Communities and challenges community partners to do more.
• Healthy Communities (MP4): Learn how Healthy Communities aim to increase the reach and impact of Healthy Athletes.
• Learn how to increase the impact of Healthy Athletes events across a broad spectrum of stakeholders:
  
  • Health Highlights Part 1 (MP4)
  • Health Highlights Part 2 (MP4)
  • Health Highlights Part 3 (MP4)
  • Health Highlights Part 4 (MP4)

Learn how your Program can lead the way in changing the healthcare system for people with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics goal is to reach 100 Programs recognized as Healthy Communities by 2020.

Please note that Programs with demonstrated success in 1-year Healthy Community Grants and/or proven success in health programming will be selected to apply for 3-year Healthy Community Grants. Please contact your Regional Healthy Athletes Manager if you are interested in receiving a 3-year Healthy Communities Grant.

• Three year Grant Webinars page

Download materials on follow-up care—or what happens after a Healthy Athletes exam—which is an essential component of Healthy Communities programming.

• Toolkit (PDF): Toolkit designed to outline ways Programs have successfully provided and tracked follow-up care.
• Tip Sheet (PDF): Helpful tips for Programs on how to support and track follow-up care for athletes after examinations.
• Planning Template (DOCX): Use this template to assess the needs, actions to take and desired results when following up on athlete care after examinations.
• Tracking Template (XLSX): This spreadsheet should be used to track follow-up care for athletes after examinations.
• Training Health Care Providers Toolkit (PDF): Toolkit designed to outline steps Programs can take to provide training and education to local health care providers.
• Blood Pressure FAQs (DOCX): Questions and answers on blood pressure to guide conversations with Special Olympics athletes and their caregivers.
• Body Mass Index FAQs (PPTX): Questions and answers on measuring body-mass index, a screening tool to identify possible weight problems.
• Bone Mineral Density FAQs (PPTX): Questions and answers on follow-up care for athletes diagnosed with low bone mass or osteoporosis.

Access tools for athletes, coaches and families related to self-advocacy, education and community activation.

• Local Partnerships for Wellness Toolkit (PDF): Toolkit designed to outline ways your Program can collaborate with local organizations and businesses to provide year-round opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities.
• Family Health Forum Toolkit (PDF): Information for Programs interested in hosting a Family Health Forum, an event designed around locally-relevant health topics that engage families of those with intellectual disabilities, sponsored by Lions Clubs International. Revised in 2015.
• Stakeholder Summit Toolkit (PDF): Information Programs can utilize to successfully host a stakeholder summit workshop to promote Inclusive Health.

Special Olympics global health work would not be possible without the thousands of health care professionals and students who volunteer and who share they increase their understanding and skills because of their involvement with Special Olympics.

• Healthy Athletes Course Template (PPTX): Presentation on athlete leadership in health, developed by the athlete leadership program team.

Special Olympics Health program is made possible by many dedicated partners and volunteers. Learn more about some of our partners here.

• American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (website): Organized in 2002, AADMD provides a forum for healthcare professionals who provide clinical care to people with neurodevelopmental disorders and intellectual disabilities.
• American Association on Health and Disability (website): Visit the official American Association on Health and Disability website.
• Association of University Centers on Disabilities (website): Visit the official Association of University Centers on Disabilities website.
• The Golisano Foundation (website): Visit the official Golisano Foundation website.
• Lions Clubs International (website): Visit the official Lions Clubs International website.
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (website): Visit the official CDC National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
• World Health Organization (website): Visit the official website of the World Health Organization, an international public health organization of the United Nations. There is a section dedicated to disabilities, along with information on other health conditions.