This is a picture of Andy. He went to the United States Department of Labor on that day. His dream for the future is getting up every morning, putting on his suit, grabbing his briefcase and heading off to work . . . just like his dad! |
Overview
The challenges facing people with intellectual disabilities (i.e., mental retardation) to live healthy lives and to prevent illness have been to date insurmountable.
For the past 20 years it was logical to focus on pediatricians as the primary targets of training in healthcare issues of people with disabilities.The Education for All Act, providing special education and related services for all children with disabilities, had been enacted.
Thus, there is a nationwide need for internal medicine and family physicians to be trained in the special healthcare needs of adults with disabilities.
The Boston Medical Center Department of Family Medicine is strategically placed to lead the academic community in the provision of critical new knowledge about the health status of people with intellectual disabilities and in the training of the next generation of primary care providers with competencies in the provision of high quality, accessible health services and supports for people with intellectual disabilities in their communities.
Its Center on Self-Determination and Health, established before the Surgeon General's report, already has a strong track record in obtaining federal and foundation funds. Its alliances with national professional disability agencies, self-advocacy agencies and colleague schools at BU (e.g., the BU Schools of Public Health and Social Work) strengthen this potential.
Dr. Mary Cerreto is the director of the Department's Center on Self-Determination and Health, a research program committed to the elimination of health disparities of people with disabilities.
She is currently Principal Investigator for Special Olympics Healthy Athletes program involving the largest database on the health of people with intellectual disabilities in the world. Multiple opportunities exist for Family Medicine residents and fellows to participate in this research program.
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