About The ADHCE

Interprofessional educators and professionals working together to make disability-related education part of health care training.

Two people communicating in sign language outdoors

Who We Are

The Alliance for Disability in Health Care Education, Inc. (ADHCE) is a 501(c)(3) public charity that brings together educators and professionals in medicine, nursing, public health, social work, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and other fields.

Our members work to integrate disability-related content and experiences into health care education and training. Through publications, conference presentations, advisory panels, and workgroups, we help advance the recognition of disability-related education across the health professions.

Education

Supporting disability-related learning in health professions training.

Scholarship

Sharing research and educational approaches through publications and presentations.

Collaboration

Connecting educators and partners across disciplines and disability communities.

How The Alliance Began

Photo to add: an early Alliance meeting or founding members

ADHCE began with a simple idea: faculty teaching about disability at different institutions could accomplish more by sharing experiences and working together.

In 2007, ten educators and two graduate students met at the Matheny Medical and Educational Center in Peapack, New Jersey. They represented programs in medicine, nursing, dentistry, and pharmacy. The meeting ended with a commitment to exchange ideas and explore collaboration.

The group continued to meet monthly by telephone and annually in person, initially at Tufts University Medical School. New members joined along the way. In 2011, the Alliance incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with Ken Robey, PhD, as president and Linda Long-Bellil, JD, PhD, as vice president.

Throughout its history, ADHCE has maintained a focus across disciplines and disability experiences, with work rooted primarily in the social model of disability.

Historical overview provided by Ken Robey, PhD, founding president of ADHCE.

Scholarship That Shaped The Alliance

Founding members and early collaborators published work that helped establish approaches to disability education in the health professions. These four publications reflect part of the scholarship behind ADHCE's early work.

Their work addressed disability definitions, educational outcomes, cultural competence, and learning with standardized patients.

Photo to add: teaching, collaboration, or an ADHCE presentation

Selected Early Publications

Robey, K. L., Minihan, P. M., Long-Bellil, L. M., Hahn, J. E., Reiss, J. G., & Eddey, G. E. (2013). Teaching health care students about disability within a cultural competency context. Disability and Health Journal, 6, 271–279.
Long-Bellil, L. M., O’Connor, D., Robey, K. L., Minihan, P. M., Graham, C. L., & Smeltzer, S. (2011). Defining disability in health care education. Academic Medicine, 86(9), 1066–1068.
Minihan, P. M., Robey, K. L., Long-Bellil, L. M., Graham, C. L., Hahn, J. E., Woodard, L., & Eddey, G. (2011). Desired educational outcomes of disability-related training for the generalist physician: Knowledge, attitudes and skills. Academic Medicine, 86(9), 1163–1170.
Long-Bellil, L. M., Robey, K. L., Graham, C. L., Minihan, P. M., Smeltzer, S., & Kahn, P. (2011). Teaching medical students about disability: The use of standardized patients. Academic Medicine, 86(9), 1171–1178.

Founders & Early Collaborators

These educators helped establish and shape ADHCE. Affiliations reflect those listed on the earlier About page.

Ken Robey
Matheny; Rutgers University
Linda Long-Bellil
UMass
Dee O’Connor
UMass
Paula M. Minihan
Tufts
Suzanne Smeltzer
Villanova
Laurie Woodard
University of South Florida
Catherine Leigh Graham
University of South Carolina; SC Spinal Cord Injury Research Fund
Gary E. Eddey, MD, ScM
Matheny
Jaishree Capoor
Mount Sinai
John Reiss
University of Florida
Joan Earle Hahn
UCLA; Walden University
Alicia Conill, MD
Conill Institute for Chronic Illness

Learn More About Our Work

Explore the goals and values guiding the Alliance today.

Read Our Mission and Vision

Contacts

General Inquiries: adhce.org@gmail.com
Membership Dues / Donations: Andrew Symons

Join the ADHCE on LinkedIn!

About the Alliance

The Alliance for Disability in Health Care Education, Inc. (ADHCE), is a “501 (c) (3) Public Charity” organization of healthcare educators and professionals who are working to integrate disability-related content and experiences into healthcare education and training programs.

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