June Isaacson Kailes Disability Competent Care Consultant Logo – Expertise in Accessible Healthcare Assessments
With over four decades of dedicated experience in healthcare, June Isaacson Kailes stands as a pivotal figure in shaping inclusive and effective healthcare practices. Her profound expertise brings clarity and precision to the development of Disability Competent Care Assessment Tools, crucial for building truly inclusive healthcare services. Her work significantly impacts healthcare by fostering environments where individuals with disabilities receive the high-quality, respectful care they deserve.
June’s contributions extend across various critical areas, all aimed at improving healthcare outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Her work is instrumental in:
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Developing Inclusive Accommodations: Moving beyond simple compliance, June designs accommodations that proactively address service gaps and prevent civil rights infringements. These are embedded within standard operating procedures and utilize just-in-time checklists, ensuring seamless integration into healthcare workflows.
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Transformative Training Programs: Her training initiatives go far beyond basic disability etiquette. Instead, they focus on building measurable and impactful skill sets within healthcare teams. By emphasizing actionable competencies integrated into policies, procedures, and training protocols, these programs drive tangible improvements. The result is enhanced physical, programmatic, equipment, and communication access, leading to demonstrably more competent care, better health outcomes, and a reduction in appointment failures and health disparities.
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Creating Practical Tools for Patients and Providers: June develops essential tools designed to empower individuals with disabilities to navigate healthcare interactions effectively. These resources are also invaluable for peer mentors, counselors, patient educators, and healthcare providers themselves. Uniquely, these materials are grounded in the lived experiences of people with disabilities, addressing the nuances often missed in generalized healthcare information. This ensures that the advice is directly relevant and usable for those with functional needs, shifting the focus from creating materials “for and about” to those created “of, with, and by” the disability community.
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Addressing the Complexities of Aging with Disability: Recognizing and documenting the challenges of aging with disability since the 1990s, June highlights that these issues extend beyond post-polio syndrome. She addresses the “cascading effect” of functional loss, including increased pain, balance issues, and reduced mobility, which can significantly impact independence and even the safe operation of mobility devices. Her advocacy emphasizes the urgent need for periodic assessments incorporating specific exercises and technological aids to mitigate these risks. This proactive approach is vital for maintaining the long-term health and independence of individuals aging with disabilities.
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Pioneering Physical Accessibility Review Surveys (PARS): June originated and collaborated with California and Medi-Cal health plans to mandate Physical Accessibility Review Surveys (PARS) for various healthcare sites. These surveys, conducted by trained professionals, collect crucial data that enables individuals with mobility disabilities to make informed choices about accessible healthcare providers. PARS directly addresses the long-standing problem of inaccessible or inaccurate accessibility information, shifting the burden from patients to a system of transparent and reliable data. This innovation has been transformative, reducing failed appointments and significantly improving access to care. Her California Medi-Cal Provider Site Review Tools have become a model, with other states adopting similar approaches to enhance healthcare accessibility nationwide.
Examples of June’s frequently used and cited materials are available upon request, showcasing the breadth and depth of her expertise.
For further information or to request a CV/Resume detailing her extensive contributions, please reach out.
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© 1998 – 2022 June Isaacson Kailes, Disability Policy Consultant, All Rights Reserved. Created 11/8/97 | Updated 1.2.22
