Level 1: Mentoring with 5-Year Funding
Lead Agency
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
University of South Carolina School of Medicine
3209 Colonial Drive
Columbia, SC 29203
http://help.med.sc.edu/
Suzanne McDermott, PhD, Principal Investigator
Phone: (803) 434-2445 Fax: (803) 434-7529
suzanne.mcdermott@palmettohealth.org
Marlo Thomas-Koger, Program Coordinator
Phone: (803) 434-2365 Fax: (803) 434-8429
marlo.koger@palmettohealth.org
Collaborating Agencies
- The University of South Carolina School of Medicine
- South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs
- South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
Project Goal
To increase participation of people with disabilities in a variety of arenas, ranging from recreation to health care and employment.
Major Program Activities
- Promote the health and well being of persons with disabilities through Steps to Your Health Program, a ten week health education program emphasizing healthy eating, exercise and stress management
- Provide technical assistance to public and private gyms and sports clubs about accessibility and environmental barriers to participation for individuals with disabilities
- Increase the capacity of local, public recreation providers to recruit and engage children and adults with disabilities in a wide array of leisure and sports offerings
- Conduct assessments of and provide technical assistance to doctor’s offices and clinic settings about providing full access for people with disabilities
- Quantify the magnitude of disabilities in South Carolina and the impact of secondary conditions associated with disabilities through the collection and analysis of data
- Provide technical assistance to other states in areas of disability epidemiology and surveillance, employment surveillance, developing state agency partnerships, advisory committee operations, developing a state plan, designing, implementing and evaluating interventions, and working with state partners on replication of intervention successes
Evaluation and Research
- Use Healthy People 2010, Chapter 6 and other HP2010 objectives to measure community change
- Use BRFSS questions to evaluate programs
- Evaluate the South Carolina Interagency Office of Disability and Health: Steps to Your Health Program
- Evaluate inclusive recreation programs
- Evaluate use of fitness programs by individuals with disabilities
Surveillance
Staff: Suzanne McDermott, Joshua Mann, MD, Epidemiologist, Ernest McCutcheon, M.D.
Data sets to be used include: BRFSS, DDSN Service Tracking System and DDSN Employment Survey. The BRFSS report is written using the HP2010 goals for the nation. Surveillance of employment of persons with disabilities is continued through our partnership with DDSN. We work closely with a Supported Employment specialist who provides consultation to local providers about strategies to improve hiring rates and retention.
Materials and Publications
Obesity among People with and without Mental Retardation across adulthood.” Moran, R., Drane, W., McDermott, S., Dasari, S., Scurry, J., Platt, T. Obesity Research. 13(2005): 342-349
“Prevalence of Epilepsy in Adults with Mental Retardation and Related Disabilities in Primary Care.” McDermott, S., Moran, R., Platt, T., Wood, H., Isaac, T., Dasari, S. American Journal on Mental Retardation. 110(2005): 48-56
“Depression in adults with disabilities, in primary care.” McDermott, S., Moran, R., Platt, T., Isaac, T., Wood, H., Dasari, S. Disability and Rehabilitation. 27(3) 2005: 117-123
“Analysis of hospital use for injury among individuals with mental retardation.” Wang, D., McDermott S., Sease, T. Injury Control and Safety Promotion. 9(2002): 107-111
“Sustaining Unemployment: Predictors of Job Retention for New Hires with Mental Retardation.” Pierce, K., McDermott, S., Butkus, S. University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
“What Individual, Provider, and Community Characteristics Predict Employment of Individuals With Mental Retardation?” McDermott, S., Martin, M., Butkus. American Journal on Mental Retardation. 104(1999):346-355
“Getting a job, sustaining a job, and losing a job for individuals with mental retardation.” Moran, R., McDermott, S., and Butkus, S. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation. 16(2001)237-244
“Consultation in pediatric rehabilitation for behaviour problems in young children with cerebral palsy and/or developmental delay.” McDermott, S., Nagle, R., et al. 2002
“Evaluation of a Cardiovascular Health Program for Participants with Mental Retardation and Normal Learners.” Ewing, G, McDermott, S, et al. University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Dept. of Family and Preventive Medicine. Health Education and Behavior. 31 (2004):77-87
Steps to Your Health Participant Manual, Sponsored by the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs and the University of South Carolina School of Medicine
Steps to Your Health Facilitator’s Manual, Sponsored by the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs and the University of South Carolina School of Medicine
Population-Based, Self-Reported Disability Assessment in South Carolina. McCutcheon, E., Daguise, V., McDermott, S., et al. University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Dept. of Family and Preventive Medicine, March 2002