Promoting Equitable Access for All — Danielle’s Story
We want the best health outcomes possible for all North Dakotans, and we believe when our neighbors share their stories with others, it helps all of us identify and address the barriers affecting our own communities. In this blog, Danielle Hall, MSW, shares her experience as a vaccine educator in the public health and social work space.
I think the most notable challenge we are seeing is the lack of healthcare provider training and education for the autism and disability community.
- Danielle Hall
Danielle Hall’s initial interest in public health — and in ensuring everyone, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status, has access to essential healthcare services and resources — was fueled by her personal experience in children’s hospitals.
“Interacting with young patients and witnessing their resilience in the face of health challenges left a lasting impression on me,” she told us. “Seeing firsthand the resources available in healthcare settings highlighted the privilege that comes with access to healthcare.”
During a college internship for an inclusive charter school, Danielle worked with children with autism and other developmental disabilities.
“I worked with a child who had both cystic fibrosis and autism,” she said. “The experience provided me with firsthand insight into the myriad barriers individuals with disabilities encounter when trying to access quality care — barriers that can worsen health conditions and impact both physical and mental health.”
Since that initial internship, Danielle’s career has been driven by a personal mission to enhance accessibility and inclusion in healthcare and dismantle barriers preventing individuals from receiving the care they deserve. That mission led Danielle to the Autism Society in 2021 during the height of the pandemic. Her work there has allowed Danielle to help address healthcare disparities within the disability community and work toward ensuring that every individual has fair and equal access to information and healthcare services — including immunizations. She told us her interest in vaccine education specifically stems from the intersection of public health, inclusivity, and accessibility.
“When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, I knew I needed to get involved,” Danielle told us. “The COVID-19 vaccine rollout initially left out many individuals within the disability community, and I knew that vaccine acceptance needed to be promoted, especially within the autism community.”
Danielle, Director of Health Equity, leads the Vaccine Education Initiative, promoting vaccine confidence, education, and access for underserved populations. This initiative is funded by USAging’s Aging and Disability Vaccination Collaborative (ADVC) and US Administration for Community Living. This past year, the Autism Society has garnered the administration of approximately 113,000 Covid and flu vaccinations and trained more than 6,500 healthcare providers across 23 states.
Danielle knows all too well that the autism community continues to face unique barriers to accessible healthcare that stem from sensory, social, cognitive, and communication differences and unmet needs.
“I think the most notable challenge we are seeing is the lack of healthcare provider training and education for the autism and disability community,” Danielle said. “Without adequate training, providers may struggle to effectively communicate with and accommodate the needs of their patients with disabilities.”
Through her work, Danielle and her team continue to expand healthcare provider training to best close these gaps. We’ve been proud to partner with the Autism Society — and with dedicated team members like Danielle — as we continue to work toward a healthier North Dakota.
“[FHND] has played a key role in connecting us with healthcare centers, hospitals, and immunization coalitions throughout North and South Dakota,” Danielle said. “We collaborated on a grant from the American Academy of Pediatrics to increase vaccination rates of children ages 0-5 in rural areas. FHND has been an invaluable ally driven by their passion and dedication.”
Despite the inherent challenges, Danielle also told us there’s much to be proud of and excited about when it comes to improvements in autism care.
“The rise in demand for healthcare provider training and education on optimal care for [patients with autism] and disability community is a positive sign for fostering inclusion in the future,” she told us. “Additionally, we are receiving interest from medical schools to expand the curriculum to include more information on autism.”
The Autism Society has created a variety of helpful resources, including accessible vaccination kits and communication support resources like visual schedules and communication boards. These tools have become increasingly popular with the autism community, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, particularly from participants with complex medical backgrounds, traumatic past experiences, and severe needle anxiety. This positive feedback demonstrates that, “With the right support and accommodations, a positive vaccine experience is possible.”
When looking at the future of vaccine education — not just in North Dakota but nationwide — Danielle believes organizations like hers learned a lot from the COVID-19 pandemic … lessons they’ve taken with them as they push forward.
“I’m hopeful for our future,” she said. “The vaccine community is filled with powerful advocates, brilliant listeners, strategic collaborators, and determined minds. We have learned the beauty of universal design — the ability to create inclusive environments and experiences that accommodate the diverse needs of all people, thereby promoting equitable access for all. I envision a future where the anti-vaccine movement fades into the background, and public health, equitable healthcare, and inclusive healthcare take precedence.”
To learn more about the Autism Society of America please visit www.autismsociety.org. To learn more about the Vaccine Education Initiative, please visit www.autismsociety.org/vei.
If you have a story about how an illness, disease, or any other health-related issue has impacted your life, we want to hear from you. Share your story with us here. It could help your neighbors — and create a healthier North Dakota for all of us.