Unraveling the Web: Strategies for Navigating Healthcare-related Mis/disinformation in the Social Media Era

What about that? NP and PA referrals to Physical and Occupational Therapists

Session Title:
Kramer Davis Health: Embracing Abilities, Elevating Health

Session Abstract/Description:
At Kramer Davis (KD) Health, our sole purpose is to provide exemplary healthcare to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). We are patient-focused experts who understand that different abilities require a different approach to care. Session participants will be able to describe the benefits of a transdisciplinary health care model. The participant will also learn about barriers to healthcare for people with IDD, as well as accommodations and environmental considerations for providing inclusive, person-centered care. Participants will also learn the history of Kramer Davis Health. Founded by physicians Dr. Matthew Holder and Dr. Henry Hood of the renowned Lee Specialty Clinic, our transdisciplinary model puts people with IDD at the center of their healthcare. Designed for adults and adolescents with IDD over the age of 13, KD health provides a revolutionary option in healthcare-inclusive, compassionate, specialized care for the whole person.

Families raising children with disabilities often find themselves taking on roles far beyond what most would expect of a parent—care coordinator, advocate, medical interpreter, and systems navigator. These responsibilities aren’t part of the natural parenting experience, yet they become daily realities in the face of a complex and often fragmented healthcare system.

This upcoming project aims to integrate cutting-edge technology, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), into the education of students in Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Health and Human Performance at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. By using fNIRS to measure brain oxygen levels during physical movement and cognitive tasks, students will gain hands-on experience in assessing brain function and its role in rehabilitation for patients with neurological conditions, such as stroke, cognitive decline, and dementia. This technology has the potential for early detection of dementia, offering valuable insights for treatment planning. Additionally, the project will provide a tool for improving care in underserved rural communities across Tennessee.

This session will explore the intersection of health systems and the lived experiences of people with invisible disabilities. Grounded in decades of whole-community emergency management experience and informed by the disability community research, surveys, and focus groups based on lived experiences, this presentation will examine how social determinants of health—including accessibility, cultural competency, and communication—can be strengthened to promote healthier, more resilient communities across Tennessee.

More than 40 years of research has outlined challenges that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities face in getting appropriate health care. The IDD toolkit offers information and ideas on how to improve health care for this vulnerable population. The toolkit can guide clinicians to provide more appropriate care.

Title: Health Promotion of Women Experiencing Homelessness: Understanding Within the Context of the Social Determinants of Health
Purpose:
The purpose of this study is to explore how persons identifying as women with a history of homelessness/houselessness (WEH) describe their understanding of health as health promotion within their environments. The primary research question is: How do WEH describe their health and health promotion strategies? The aims are to:
1. Understand unique health promotion adaptations and strategies.
2. Use the findings to develop targeted interventions with these most marginalized persons.
3. Frame findings within the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) so as to identify gaps in service and policy within an environmental context.
Research Design:
A qualitative, storytelling design using semi-structure interviews, informed by emancipatory philosophy, is framed by domains within the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Framework (NIMHD).
Procedure:
Purposive sampling is being used to recruit WEH over age 18, with a history of houselessness over the past two years, and who access two federally qualified nurse managed primary health care centers. After informed consent, participants are screened for inclusion, then complete a demographics form, and a semi-structured interview organized using the NIMHD levels of influence: individual, interpersonal, community, and societal. Hermeneutic method of analysis has been implemented by multiple transcript readings at the individual researcher and group expert levels. The interpretive steps meet the requirements of trustworthiness.
Results:
Research in progress. Preliminary findings include interpersonal, community, equity, and societal themes have been identified.
Discussion: Local, regional, state, and national policy implications related to findings will be discussed.

Crisis Prevention and Intervention: TN START in Tennessee
This session will provide an overview of the Tennessee START (Systematic, Therapeutic, Assessment, Resources & Treatment) program, a statewide crisis prevention and intervention initiative designed to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The Tennessee START Assessment & Stabilization Teams (TN START AST) serve as a critical statewide resource for people with IDD who have complex behavioral or mental health needs. TN START AST is a collaborative effort between the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging (DDA) and the National Center for START Services. The START model emphasizes comprehensive, person-centered supports that enhance independence, treatment, and community integration for individuals with IDD and behavioral health challenges. In alignment with the DDA’s mission, TN START prioritizes community inclusion, aiming to help individuals remain in their home or community setting. The program ensures that supports are tailored to the individual's needs, allowing them to live the life they envision for themselves. The session will also include outcome data that demonstrates the effectiveness of the TN START program, highlighting its success in improving outcomes for individuals with complex needs.