Interview with MDPH's Rachel Tanenhaus: Making Accessibility a Priority at the 2013 Ounce of Prevention Conference (Part 2)

Thanks to the hard work of the Ounce of Prevention Accessibility Committee, this year’s conference is shaping up to be the most accessible one ever organized.  Here's part 2 of our interview with Rachel Tanenhaus, an active member of the Accessibility Committee and Program Coordinator at MDPH’s Health and Disability Program, which is part of the Office of Health Equity.

(Here's part 1 in case you missed it!)  

Rachel Tanenhaus and her guide dog Salem

What are some frequent challenges that people with disabilities experience at conferences and how can this be improved?

The first question is always, "Can I get there?" A lot of us don't drive, and many conference sites are located far from public transit. Affordability is another big issue, since many people with disabilities are unemployed or have low incomes for other reasons. Of course there's always the question of whether someone can get in the door and navigate around the conference site, including the restrooms. Communication issues are huge, since most conferences focus on imparting information and networking -- if you have trouble seeing or hearing and there are no interpreters or accessible formats for printed materials or people aren't verbalizing their Power Point slides -- that makes it really hard to get much out of a conference.

Some accessibility measures are really easy and seamless. For example, making sure there's a decent break in between sessions or events makes it a lot easier for someone with stamina issues or who needs to take medications or who may need a little extra time to use the restroom. But frankly, people without disabilities appreciate the chance to take a break too. It would never occur to anyone that the reasons for the break might be disability-related.

Speaking for myself, I find the physical and communication-related accessibility features essential to whether or not I can fully participate in and get something out of a conference. But when it comes to whether or not I enjoyed a given event, it's the attitudinal stuff that makes or breaks it for me. If I feel like I am just another member of the target audience being served by the conference, that's a win for me. If I feel like I'm an outsider, a "them", a problem, or a token, that's really uncomfortable.

Anything else you would like to add?

I really feel like ensuring the comfort and inclusion of people with disabilities is part of doing our jobs as public health professionals. If you do public health, you work for the health of the whole public. In order to be as effective as possible, people with disabilities MUST be part of what happens in our field as a matter of course. So not only do public health programs and services and outreach and education have to be inclusive from the ground up, professional and community events have to as well, to ensure that the people being affected are at the table. Being seen as "other" or "them" by our peers in the industry is a barrier in and of itself. "Nothing about us without us," as the saying goes. I think that making sure that events like the Ounce of Prevention Conference are accessible and inclusive is a step in the right direction, and I'm excited to be a part of it.

This interview was conducted by Ounce of Prevention Planning Committee member Stefanie Valovic.