Operation House Call
Program Objectives
Improve health equity
Understand attitudinal barriers to health equity and access for individuals with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
Reshape Mindsets
Build comfort level and re-shape mindsets around treating individuals with disabilities, through exposure to lived experiences of OHC families.
Communicate effectively
Enhance ability to communicate effectively and build rapport with individuals with IDD and autism and their parents or care partners.
Monitor bias
Create awareness of implicit biases and intersectionality that might affect the evaluation or treatment of a person with IDD, including concept of 'diagnostic overshadowing'.
Develop resource awareness
Increase understanding of resources and community systems available to individuals and families, promoting access to the supports they need.
Demonstrate Sensitivity
Raise awareness of and increase sensitivity to family and sibling dynamics, recognizing the broader context of care and impact of a disability on the entire family.
- Model person first behavior, and understand person first thinking and language.
- Review supportive ways to deliver unexpected or difficult news.
- Practice building rapport with an individual who has intellectual and/or developmental disability, and their family/support person(s), during a home visit.
- Monitor personal or subjective bias that might affect an evaluation or treatment of an individual with intellectual and/or developmental disability.
- Demonstrate sensitivity to sibling and family issues during the family visit or in class discussion.
- Increase awareness of resources used by families and individuals, which may include public education supports, advocacy organizations, and other community supports.