American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD)

The mission of AAHD is to advance health promotion and wellness initiatives for children and adults with disabilities. AAHD accomplishes its mission through advocacy, education, public awareness, and research efforts at the federal, state, and community levels.

What is AAHD?

The American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) is a cross-disability national non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to promoting health and wellness initiatives for children and adults with disabilities.

AAHD is the only national organization specifically dedicated to integrating public health and disability into the overall public health agenda.

AAHD’s purpose is to advance theory, knowledge and practice in reducing the incidence of secondary conditions, improving accessibility and eliminating health disparities in children and adults with disabilities.

AAHD’s members are composed of disability researchers, health care professionals, public health professionals, policy analysts, disability organizations, health departments, people with disabilities and interested members of the general public.

What Does AAHD Do?

• AAHD hosts and maintains the AAHD website and AAHD Health Promotion Resource Center (HPRC), a comprehensive clearinghouse on disability and health on www.aahd.us.

• AAHD represents people with disabilities in significant national activities related to health and disability, disability policy, disability research and disability services.

• AAHD partners with health care and disability organizations, academic and research institutions and federal agencies.

• AAHD disseminates current scientific, programmatic and policy information on disability and health for people with disabilities through AAHD website, listservs, newsletters, webinars, Facebook, Twitter and other social media strategies.

• AAHD provides technical assistance to federal agencies, non-profits and academic institutions.

• AAHD sponsors conferences and symposiums on topics related to disability and health.

• AAHD advocates and supports programs that improve the lives of people with disabilities at the national level.

• AAHD holds leadership roles on national coalitions and task forces in both the private and public sector.