EDITOR’S NOTE: In recognition of October being Disabilities Awareness Month, UNMC Today will run a series of articles this week related to disabilities awareness.
Today, the Surgeon General’s office releases a “Call to Action to Improve the Health and Wellness of Persons with Disabilities.”
“Americans with disabilities often face unique challenges to achieving good health,” said Mike Leavitt, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary. “As with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this call to action is a reminder that people with disabilities are important members of our society, and that including them in all aspects of American life is not only required by our nation’s law, but also by our nation’s conscience.”
Today, approximately 54 million individuals of all ages, races, ethnicities, socioeconomic status and educational attainment in the United States live with at least one disability.