Disability Action Plans: L.A. Department of Public Health
Project at a Glance
LaVant worked with the Center of Health Equity at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to create a strategy and action plan that the department could use to guide their engagements with people with disabilities. LaVant also facilitated training with the department’s public-facing staff, hosted office hours, and developed a customized accessibility toolkit to support the department’s growth.
A Department Serving One of the Nation’s Largest Counties
The LA County Department of Public Health works to advance the conditions that support optimal health and well-being for all. Public Health’s focus is on the Los Angeles County population as a whole, and conducts their activities through a network of public health professionals throughout the community. Every day, the people of Los Angeles, one of the most densely populated counties in the United States, is protected by hundreds of public health measures.
The challenge
Bridging Community Needs with Public Services
Fostering a public health system that meets the needs of the community takes careful planning and strategy. Many of these communities have been historically underserved, including the disability community. Rather than assuming “business as usual,” Public Health kept an open mind and invited expert partners to look under the hood. By positioning themselves as curious learners, Public Health was able to better grasp the needs of the community and equip themselves with tools to be prepared for the future.
LaVant’s Approach
To be able to provide helpful recommendations and create long-lasting resources, LaVant first needed to understand the full context of Public Health’s structures and its relationship to the community. LaVant conducted a preliminary discovery phase, which included internal interviews with staff, audits of digital materials, and data analysis. LaVant also organized community focus groups to understand the needs and perceptions of disabled people living in Los Angeles County. Equipped with this information, LaVant created a robust Disability Culture and Accessibility Plan for Public Health to use to guide their work with people with disabilities. To ensure the Public Health staff felt empowered to create accessible and disability-inclusive interactions with the public, LaVant delivered six introductory training sessions, hosted office hours with key teams, and developed a custom toolkit.
The Impact
- Trained 200+ public health professionals on disability and language essentials
- Delivered a 25 page comprehensive report, with clear recommendations organized in order of lowest to highest effort
- Created a custom toolkit with 7 sets of tip sheets with topics ranging from website accessibility to creating welcoming workplaces
