- Synchronous Dates: Nov 5, 2025 | Dec 3 | Jan 7 | Feb 4 | Mar 4 | Apr 1 (2–3 PM UTC)
- Asynchronous Launch: November 2025
Course Description: Achieving health equity for people with I/DD and other disabilities is best addressed when interpersonal, intrapersonal, institutional, systemic, structural, and political values and goals are aligned and transformed to recognize and rectify historical injustices, address fragmented systems, foster partnerships, and increase resources according to need.
Health disparities for people who have I/DD and other disabilities can only be minimized when health equity is achieved. To improve the quality of care and meet the unique and complex care needs of people with I/DD and people with other disabilities to ensure equitable healthcare, we must:
Address the multifaceted structures that constrain opportunities, resources, and well-being for the stigmatized ID/A population that consists of discrimination, unfair legal systems, structural racism, and improper organizational and system-level diversity, equity, and inclusion practices;
Acknowledge the social determinants of health that encompass an array of nonmedical, social, economic, and environmental conditions that influence the health of people with ID/A and their communities and thus increase understanding of risk factors that lead to poor health outcomes.
Remove barriers to affordability, accessibility, acceptability, and accountability within our healthcare systems through value-based care models and systems-wide training and education to serve this population.
Educate and train health and social care professionals to engage in informed practices regarding care and to make informed decisions with their I/DD patients and caregivers.
Only a handful of medical, nursing, pharmacy, and dental faculties provide training on disability as part of the curriculum, and those that do only do so minimally. To an even lesser degree healthcare professionals are exposed to this population during their internships, practicums, and residencies. Healthcare professionals play a key role in promoting health equity, but they often lack the knowledge of logistics (motivation, confidence, competency, and liability avoidance) and the resources to effectively care for individuals with disabilities.
The training was informed by a Health Equity Disability Advisory Council composed of clients and caregivers and key interviews with advocates and providers provides a standardized Disability Care Training Curriculum for Healthcare Professionals. This training is designed within the core health equity principle which recognizes that people with disabilities and their caregivers are often underrepresented in decision-making and this ultimately has a negative impact on their quality of life. The modules in the course resulted from the lived experience of Advisory Council members and key interviews.
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Ageing Health Course
- Synchronous Dates: Synchronous Dates: Nov 19 | Dec 17 | Jan 21 | Feb 18 | Mar 18 | Apr 15 (3:30–4:30 PM UTC)
- Asynchronous Launch: December 2025
Course Description:
This course explores the complex health and social care needs of aging populations, focusing on addressing critical gaps in healthcare delivery, workforce competencies, and policy frameworks. Drawing from a comprehensive literature review and regional case studies in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Yemen, and Tunisia, the study identifies common issues such as chronic diseases, multiple long-term conditions (MLTC), mental health concerns, social isolation, functional decline, and inequities in healthcare access. The course highlights the additional challenges posed by gender disparities, cultural influences, caregiving burdens, and limited healthcare infrastructure, particularly in low-income countries. The shift to framing health challenges as MLTC underscores the need to address a broader spectrum of interrelated conditions, including long-term infectious diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis B and C, as well as mental health conditions within aging populations.
The course includes an evaluation of the existing frameworks, including the Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE). It underscores the importance of adopting preventive health measures, community-level interventions, and gender-sensitive approaches. Innovative strategies such as stress management techniques and epigenetic reprogramming for aging reversal are proposed as promising avenues for improving health outcomes. The study emphasizes the need for scalable and sustainable interventions tailored to the cultural and socioeconomic contexts of diverse regions.
The course is based on key recommendations from the publication. It includes strengthening geriatric care infrastructure, enhancing workforce competencies through localized training programs, and reforming policies that address healthcare inequities, support caregivers, and foster intergenerational and family-based care models.
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Indigenous and Tribal Health Sharing Circle
- Synchronous Dates: Nov 12 | Dec 10 | Jan 14 | Feb 11 | Mar 11 | Apr 8 (2–3 PM UTC)
- Asynchronous Launch: April 2026
Course Description:
Indigenous and Tribal Peoples often face considerable barriers in accessing medical services and experience worse health outcomes than non-Indigenous populations. A significant proportion of chronic diseases worldwide are considered avoidable through primary, secondary, or tertiary healthcare services. However, rates of avoidable deaths among Indigenous and Tribal Peoples remain disproportionately high. As primary care providers, family physicians and other healthcare professionals play a crucial role in promoting the health and well-being of these communities. This paper provides practitioner guidelines to aid healthcare professionals in decision-making with Indigenous and Tribal patients and caregivers. Additionally, it identifies key challenges in healthcare access and delivery for Indigenous and Tribal populations and offers system and policy recommendations for local adoption and implementation.
Through a comprehensive global literature review and analysis of Indigenous and Tribal case studies, this paper presents the following key findings and recommendations:
Access to primary healthcare improves when services are tailored to the needs of or owned and managed by Indigenous and Tribal communities themselves.
Healthcare organizations must prioritize cultural competence training for all healthcare workers. This training should encompass an understanding of Indigenous and Tribal cultures, health practices, values, and beliefs, thereby promoting sensitivity to their unique healthcare needs.
To overcome communication barriers, healthcare services must implement policies mandating the use of trained interpreters fluent in both Indigenous and Tribal languages and medical terminology.
The inclusion of Indigenous and Tribal values and relational ways of caring in healthcare professional education and training fosters cultural safety for both Indigenous and Tribal care seekers and healthcare providers.
Integrating Indigenous and Tribal medical knowledge with Western medicine offers a promising pathway to addressing the growing burden of non-communicable diseases. Leveraging the strengths of both systems allows for more comprehensive, accessible, and effective healthcare.
Community engagement through local translators and health staff conducting educational sessions significantly enhances information dissemination and healthcare acceptance among Indigenous and Tribal communities.
By promoting cultural competence, respecting the cultural norms of Indigenous and Tribal communities, establishing collaborative practices, improving healthcare access, utilizing professional language services, facilitating community participation, supporting research, and advocating for policy changes, healthcare systems can enhance health outcomes for Indigenous and Tribal populations. There is a pressing need for a respectful, inclusive, and equitable healthcare environment that honors the rich cultural heritage of Indigenous and Tribal communities while delivering effective medical care.
