Public Health Initiatives
Able SC provides advocacy and education to ensure that disability is represented in all areas of public health. We have established state and national partnerships with public health entities to ensure the needs of the disability community are included in all programs and services. We also offer direct programs to ensure people with disabilities have access to the information and resources they need to lead healthy, active, and independent lives.
Resources from Able SC:
Stretch 2.0: Pathways to Public Health Equity and Access for South Carolinians with Disabilities
The CDCF Stretch program was launched in 2024 to establish an impactful partnership between Able SC, SC Department of Public Health, and the CDC Foundation. The goal of the grant is to identify and address health disparities of people with disabilities in South Carolina.
The SC Stretch partners envision a South Carolina where healthcare access is inclusive and equitable for all. Through collaboration between Able SC and the South Carolina Department of Public Health, we commit to dismantling barriers and biases and fostering inclusive healthcare systems that prioritize the needs and voices of individuals with disabilities. Our shared vision is a future where every South Carolinian can access quality care and participate fully in community life.
This project is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
A Bridge to Belonging
A Bridge to Belonging is a new program designed to close the gap in mental health services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD). Too often, people with ID/DD experience high rates of mental health challenges but face barriers like limited access to trained providers, communication that is not accessible, and support systems that are not designed for their needs.
This program changes that by:
- Creating a peer support initiative where people with ID/DD can connect, learn self-advocacy skills, and strengthen their emotional well-being.
- Training and certifying more peer support specialists through an adapted curriculum that reflects the needs of the ID/DD community.
- Building a collaborative system of care through a partnership between Able SC, SC Share, and the USC Center for Mental Health and Sport (USC-MHS).
Together, these organizations are building a stronger, more inclusive network of mental health support in South Carolina. By reducing barriers, improving coordination, and fostering empowerment, A Bridge to Belonging helps ensure people with ID/DD have access to the tools and support they need to thrive.
The South Carolina Developmental Disabilities Council funds this program.
HeroX Health Disparity Challenge
The HeroX effort tackles healthcare barriers by embedding disability awareness and inclusion into nursing education and hospital systems. As a disability-led initiative, we are partnering with the USC College of Nursing, Lexington Medical Center, and the National Organization of Nurses with Disabilities (NOND) to ensure nursing providers are equipped to deliver equitable care.
- Education & Training: We are creating disability-inclusive curricula with nurse educators and disabled nurses, offering modules on disability rights, healthcare access, and practical support tools. Faculty and staff workshops will build knowledge of disability, health equity, and social determinants of health (SDOH).
- Policy & Systems Change: We will work with hospital leadership to review and revise policies that create barriers, improving access in areas such as communication, transportation, and physical accessibility, while providing staff training to build disability cultural competency.
- National Model: To ensure long-term impact, we will develop curricula, training models, and manuals that can be replicated nationwide, with disabled leaders at the forefront of delivery and design.
Through this comprehensive approach, Able SC is transforming nursing education and healthcare delivery—centering disability expertise, increasing representation, and advancing equity for disabled patients and providers.
This effort is funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Administration for Community Living.
Pathways for Disability Inclusion in the Nursing Workforce
The Pathways project addresses the severe underrepresentation of people with disabilities (PWD) in the nursing workforce. In South Carolina, 30% of adults report having a disability, and 27.3% live below the poverty line, yet PWD comprise only 4.2% of healthcare practitioners and technicians nationwide. Pathways for Disability Inclusion aims to increase the representation of PWD in nursing by creating a comprehensive pipeline from high school to post-licensure employment, addressing systemic biases, stigma, and ableism in the profession.
Partners:
- University of South Carolina, College of Nursing (USC-CON)
- National Organization of Nurses with Disabilities (NOND)
- Lexington Medical Center
By creating this structured pathway, the project cultivates a more diverse and inclusive nursing workforce, improves patient care through the unique perspectives and empathy that nurses with disabilities bring, and provides a scalable model for nationwide replication. This initiative demonstrates how integrating disability representation and expertise into education and employment systems can advance equity and strengthen healthcare outcomes.
The Duke Endowment funds this project.
SC Disability Public Health Taskforce
Mission: To increase positive health outcomes for South Carolinians with Disabilities through partnerships, public education, and system change.
The SC Disability Public Health Taskforce was founded in 2023 to establish meaningful partnerships & memorandums of understanding within public health and wellness programs to better integrate people with disabilities in all aspects. The goal of the taskforce is to prevent the types of barriers people with disabilities faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and develop strong partnerships between disability-led organizations and health and wellness organizations that influence public health response.
Those interested in learning more about or joining the taskforce are invited to contact Able SC Director of Public Health and Disability Integration, Mandy Halloran, at [email protected].
This taskforce is funded by the Administration for Community Living.
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