IntellectAbility Dives into the Arc Tank to Improve Health Outcomes for People with Disabilities
Published December 2023
Since its launch in 2017, the Arc Tank has awarded more than $850,000 to proposals that promise to break down barriers for people with disabilities.
IntellectAbility, in collaboration with Impruvon Health, SimplyHome, and StationMD, presenting together as the Inclusive Tech Care Collaborative, was thrilled to be selected as a finalist out of over 150 entrants in the 2023 Arc Tank competition held on December 5, 2023. The team took the stage with seven amazing finalists and spread their message about the importance of interoperable innovative tech solutions focusing on improving outcomes and reducing health disparities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
“Taking the stage with others who share our commitment to supporting people with IDD to live their best lives was an honor and a privilege, stated Dr. Craig Escudé, President of IntellectAbility. “We congratulate the awardees and can’t wait to see their visions come to reality!”
The Inclusive Tech Care Collaborative aims to transform supports and services for the IDD support ecosystem by leveraging the power of IntellectAbility’s web-based Health Risk Screening Tool (HRST), Impruvon Health’s enterprise medication assistance management system, SimplyHomes’ customized remote support sensor technology, and StationMD’s IDD-specific telemedicine service.
According to Dr. Escudé, “Medicaid costs for people with IDD are among the highest of all populations, yet they experience the most significant health disparities and the worst health outcomes. Working with our partners, we can realign this negative trajectory by implementing effective remote, web-based technology solutions.”
IntellectAbility recognizes the critical need for interoperability between the latest enabling technologies to ensure people with IDD have equitable access to the best possible home and community-based supports. Effective, interoperable web-based tools and remote technologies are essential as the industry continues to grapple with life-limiting health disparities, the direct support staffing crisis, and the shift toward remote personal care and health-related supports for people with IDD.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Arc Tank for this opportunity,” said Dr Escudé. “We look forward to continuing our work on leveraging the technology across the Collaborative’s platforms to foster increased independence, improved health risk management, real-time medical support, and safe and effective medication management for people with IDD.”
More Information About This Collaborative:
IntellectAbility provides tools and training to agencies, governmental entities, and supporters of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to foster early recognition and mitigation of health risks, thereby improving health and wellness. One such tool is the Health Risk Screening Tool (HRST), of which they are the sole developer, producer, and distributor. The web-based HRST is the most widely used and validated health risk screening instrument for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. IntellectAbility also provides numerous health-related and person-centered service training for supporters of people with IDD. With an unrelenting focus, IntellectAbility works to fulfill its mission of improving health and quality of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and other at-risk populations. For more information, visit www.ReplacingRisk.com
StationMD is a physician service dedicated to individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) and other vulnerable populations. Our mission is to provide the highest quality of medical care for individuals with I/DD, fostering independence and improving quality of life for our patients and those providing their care. All of our doctors are specially trained to address this population’s complex health needs, and we are able to treat patients through our simple telemedicine platform. For more information, visit www.stationmd.com
Impruvon Health Impruvon Health is an easy-to-use connected platform designed to streamline medication management processes and simplify regulatory compliance for Residential Providers who support individuals with IDD. The platform is tailored to the unique and distributed community-based environments of Group Homes and/or Supported Living settings. Impruvon Health supports various roles within the IDD Residential Care medication management ecosystem as it is required to consistently be successful in managing medications in this setting.
By equipping non-clinical staff, such as direct support professionals as well as clinical staff, such as nurses, with intuitive tech to automate previously manual, time-consuming, and error-prone processes like a med pass, risks are eliminated, and compliance is achievable. Impruvon Health proactively reminds, guides the workflow, only provides access to the right medications at the right time for the right people while collecting the necessary regulatory compliant data throughout the process. For more information, visit www.impruvonhealth.com
SimplyHome designs and installs innovative and affordable technology solutions that transform how we care for individuals with disabilities, aging adults, and veterans. Our technology empowers individuals to live their own self-determined lifestyle while addressing the concerns of caregivers.
SimplyHome’s sensor-based systems can adapt over time to alleviate concerns about cooking safety, medication adherence, and the risk of wandering or falls. We work with service providers, managed care organizations (MCOs), and families to mitigate challenges. Caregivers are notified only when they are needed, promoting the highest level of independence possible for the individual. For more information, visit www.simply-home.com
