AAHD congratulates the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on the release of their inaugural NIH Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research (FY26 – FY30). This plan provides a comprehensive roadmap to advance innovative, responsible research that promotes the health and well-being of Americans with disabilities. We are grateful to the many researchers, advocates, and federal employees who contributed to bringing this document to launch. AAHD’s Director of Research, Dr. Anjali Forber-Pratt and AAHD Board Member Dr. Amy Houtrow were contributing researchers who shaped the plan as part of their involvement with the NIH Council of Councils Disability Health Research Working Group. This project represents a national commitment to the health and wellbeing of over 70 million disabled Americans.
NIH has been a primary funder of disability-health research across clinical, communications, and programmatic domains for decades. NIH recognizes that disabled Americans have health needs and goals both related and unrelated to their disabilities. The plan outlines a person-centered approach that places individuals, not impairments, at the center of scientific inquiry. NIH will leverage the strengths of its Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs) and provide coordinated support for research examining the effects of medical conditions, nonmedical factors, and their interaction on the health and well-being of Americans with disabilities.
NIH Director, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, affirms the importance of disability research that moves beyond a traditional medical approach to more accurately meet the needs of people with disabilities:
“As we examine the scientific evidence and listen to our fellow Americans who have disabilities, we recognize there is a vital need to support research that also addresses other, nonmedical drivers of health for disabled Americans. These nonmedical drivers of health interact with medical conditions in complex and unique ways that frequently lead to poorer health outcomes for disabled Americans.”
In this strategic plan, a research agenda has been developed that centers whole person health and the inclusion of people with disabilities in research, while advancing collaboration across disciplines. The plan outlines strategic goals and objectives in four areas: Research, Workforce, Resources and Infrastructure, and Stewardship. In addition, four crosscutting themes (Whole Person Health, Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Research, Interdisciplinary Collaboration, and Technology) that identify important overarching considerations that intersect with multiple goals and objectives of the plan. This strategic framework also outlines the essential resources that make this research possible, including training opportunities for researchers in the field, supportive research networks, and technological resources that are making research more accessible.
“The launch of the NIH Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research marks a truly historic milestone—one that not only affirms disability as a critical area of health equity, but also reflects a tremendous commitment to coordinated, trans-NIH action. This plan will catalyze greater collaboration across NIH and elevate disability health research to the prominence it deserves. This effort lays the foundation for a stronger, more unified research evidence base to improve the health and well-being of people with disabilities.” – Dr. Anjali Forber-Pratt, AAHD’s Director of Research
Read the full Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research on the NIH website here: https://dpcpsi.nih.gov/disabilityhealthresearch/strategicplan/contents
The Easy Read version will be coming soon per NIH’s website. Follow this page for further updates and resources.