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New Directions Wellness Center: Providing training opportunities to improve the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in wellness programs
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Molly Blair, BS,
Rural Institute on Disabilities, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT
Meg Traci, PhD,
1) Rural Institute and 2) School of Community and Public Health Sciences, University of Montana Rural Institute, Missoula, MT
The New Directions Wellness Center’s (NDWC) mission is to provide a high quality, interdisciplinary health promotion program that serves as a state and national model for individuals with physical limitations and chronic illnesses. As an integral part of the University of Montana School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, NDWC provides a site for students in physical therapy, pharmacy, social work, health and human performance and business to apply academic and clinical knowledge as well as to engage in scholarly activity. Since 2008, the student run probono clinic has served 280 individuals. In addition to academic pursuits, NDWC has hosted two NCHPAD/ACSM Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer workshops for over 70 fitness professionals and health educators working statewide seeking to improve the inclusiveness of evidence-based health promotion programs. NDWC provides some paid and numerous volunteer opportunities to the students at The University of Montana. 138 different individuals (age range: 18-99 years old) have utilized the gym’s services in the past two years, with an average of 50 individual participants using the gym per month and an average of 206 visits per month. The conditions associated with participant disability include: cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, cerebral vascular accidents, traumatic and acquired brain injuries, spinal cord injury, amputations, chronic pain, cardiac conditions and illness, multiple sclerosis, transverse myelitis, Guillain Barre’ Syndrome, other autoimmune disorders, cancer, fall/balance issues, arthritis, chronic pain, mental illness and psychiatric conditions, diabetes mellitus, and circulation disorders. NDWC participant serve as co-trainers for student interns and community partner workshops.
Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Other professions or practice related to public health
Provision of health care to the public
Learning Objectives:
Discuss the New Directions Wellness Center; Describe the community reach of the program; Identify key health outcomes of program participation.
Keyword(s): Disabilities, Wellness
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Molly is the Gym Coordinator for the New Directions Wellness Center. She has been part of New Directions for over ten years. She is certified through ACSM as an Inclusive Fitness Trainer and through ACE as a Clinical Exercise Specialist.
Molly graduated from the University of Montana with her Bachelorâs in Exercise Science. She is passionate and committed to improving the lives of people with disabilities and chronic diseases through exercise and wellness.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
