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.

Interview with MDPH's Rachel Tanenhaus: Making Accessibility a Priority at the 2013 Ounce of Prevention Conference (Part 1)

Rachel Tanenhaus

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.  

We recently caught up 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.

Tell us about some of the ways this year’s Ounce of Prevention Conference will be more accessible than past conferences.

I think the whole approach is different. We've got the Ounce of Prevention Accessibility Committee working on every aspect of the conference from the word go, so that's a huge change. We're also going to be providing accessible transportation from a nearby public transit station, since Marlborough is a little hard to get to for folks who don't drive. The conference will integrate accessibility features ranging from a quiet room for folks on the autism spectrum or with sensory processing issues, to reserved seating at the keynote and in breakout rooms for people who need to sit up front, to accessible formats for all printed conference materials. As the event gets closer, we'll educate venue staff and conference volunteers on disability etiquette, and we'll be asking presenters to observe certain guidelines in order to enable everyone to enjoy their presentations.

Request for Nominations!

Peter R. Lee, MPH

Deadline extended to August 23!

Every year at the Ounce of Prevention   Conference, we distribute awards to outstanding organizations and individuals who provide superior prevention efforts in Massachusetts.  There are two award categories--the Peter R. Lee Healthy Communities Awards and the Commissioner's Leadership Award.

 

We invite you to nominate any worthy Massachusetts-based organizations for these awards. In future blog posts we will highlight past award winners, and also discuss the amazing legacy of Peter R. Lee, who transformed the Healthy Communities movement in Massachusetts and across the country.

Announcing Our Keynote Speaker—Jeff Levi!

We are thrilled to announce that the Keynote Speaker for the 2013 Ounce of Prevention Conference will be Dr. Jeff Levi, Executive Director of Trust for America’s Health (TFAH).

Dr. Jeff Levi

Dr. Levi oversees work on a range of public health policy issues, including an annual report assessing the nation's public health preparedness, investment in public health infrastructure, and response to chronic diseases such as obesity. Dr. Levi is also a professor at The George Washington University's Department of Health Policy, where his research has focused on HIV/AIDS, Medicaid, and integrating public health with the health care delivery system. He has also served as an associate editor of the American Journal of Public Health, and deputy director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy. Dr. Levi received a BA degree from Oberlin College, an MA degree from Cornell University, and a PhD degree from The George Washington University.